Maria Arena Bell (born March 10, 1963) is an American novelist, television and freelance writer. She is the former

head writer A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits. In fictional comedy o ...

and

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...

of the

CBS Daytime CBS Daytime is a division within CBS that is responsible for the daytime television block programming on the CBS' late morning and early afternoon schedule. The block has historically encompassed soap operas and game shows. Schedule NOTE: All tim ...

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, Wi ...

.''

Biography

Maria Arena Bell grew up in Newport Beach, California. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Northwestern University and did post graduate work in 19th Century Art. She began her career as a fashion designer for a major Los Angeles based garment manufacturer. In 1988, writer William J. Bell hired Maria Arena for the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful (1987). There, she created the character of Sally Spectra who was loosely based on her step-father who worked in the Los Angeles garment industry. After leaving The Bold and the Beautiful, Maria Arena Bell developed television formats for CBS and NBC. She also worked as an essayist for publications such as "T" the New York Times Style Magazine, "C" Magazine, Aspen Magazine, and Aspen Peak Magazine Bell returned to daytime television in December 2007 and was ultimately named sole head writer and became one of the show's executive producers alongside Paul Rauch. In 2011, she was awarded a

Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...

alongside her writing team, in addition to a total of six nominations as writer and producer on the show. After her departure from The Young and the Restless, Bell founded the production company Vitameatavegamin Productions. She is a professor at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

in their Extension Program. She is involved philanthropically in arts education organizations and is the former chair of PS Arts, The Museum of Contemporary Art and for a decade Americans For The Arts National Arts Awards and other organizations.

Credits

;''

The Bold and the Beautiful ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (often referred to as ''B&B'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. It premiered on March 23, 1987, as a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera ''The Yo ...

'' (''credited as Maria Arena'') * Script Writer: 1989–1992 * Fashion Consultant: 1989 ;''

'' * Script Writer: 1990-92 * Co-head writer: December 26, 2007 - April 21, 2008 (with

Josh Griffith Joe Shelby "Josh" Griffith (born August 15, 19??) is an American soap opera writer and producer. Personal life Born on August 15, in the U.S. state of New York, Josh is the son of Joe (Rip) Griffith and Sue Estes Griffith, both teachers and artist ...

) (chose

financial core Financial Core (also known as FiCore or Fi-Core) refers to a legal carve out that permits workers opposed to participating in a labor union to be employed under the benefits of a union's contracts without compelling them to be a member of that unio ...

status during the WGA strike) * Head writer: April 22, 2008 – October 22, 2012 (with

Hogan Sheffer Hogan Sheffer (June 12, 1958 – September 28, 2019) was an American screenwriter. Personal life Sheffer was born in York, Pennsylvania. His full birth name was Mark Wayne Sheffer; he received his nickname of Hogan from younger brother Craig, who ...

: 7/15/08-10/22/12) (with

Scott Hamner Scott Hamner (born 1956), is an American television writer. He is the son of Earl Hamner Jr., who turned his autobiography into ''The Waltons''. Positions held *'' The Homecoming: A Christmas Story'' (Actor, television movie: 1971) *''Berrenger's ...

: 8/11/08-10/22/12) (with

: 10/11/12-10/22/12) * Co-Executive Producer (with

Paul Rauch Paul Rauch (1930 – December 10, 2012) was an American television and film producer. Rauch's work was primarily in American soap operas. Career Rauch's earlier jobs included Vice President, Programs-East Coast for CBS, Supervising Producer for ...

: October 3, 2008 – May 10, 2011) * Executive Producer May 11, 2011 – October 22, 2012

Personal life

Bell is married to Bill Bell Jr., the eldest son of ''Y&R'' creators

William J. Bell William Joseph Bell (March 6, 1927 – April 29, 2005) was an American screenwriter and television producer, best known as the creator of the soap operas '' Another World'', ''The Young and the Restless'' and ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. Ea ...

and

Lee Phillip Bell Loreley "Lee" June Phillip Bell (June 10, 1928 – February 25, 2020) was an American talk show host and soap opera creator. During her career on Chicago television, she hosted over 10,000 programs and, early in her tenure, worked five shows a da ...

. They have two children.

Awards

''The Young and the Restless'' writing team won the

WGA Award WGA may refer to: In arts and entertainment: * Web Gallery of Art * Writers Guild of Alberta * Writers Guild of America, an American union ** Writers Guild of America, East ** Writers Guild of America, West Other uses: * Wagga Wagga Airport ...

for Best Daytime Serial in February 2010 and again in 2013 for work airing under Bell's tenure. In 2011, Bell, along with her writing team, won the

for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team. In December 2012 Bell was honored with the Women's Image Network Humanitarian Award for her contributions to arts and arts education.

References

External links

TV Profile
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Maria Arena Living people American soap opera writers American people of Italian descent American television producers American women television producers American women screenwriters American screenwriters Place of birth missing (living people) 1963 births 20th-century American women writers Women soap opera writers 21st-century American women