Toni Graphia (born May 11, 1960) is an American writer and television producer.

Early life and education

Graphia was raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the daughter of Anthony J. "Tony" Graphia, a prominent judge and current chairman of the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals. She attended Woodlawn High School before going to college. Graphia attended Louisiana State University for two years as an English major before moving west. She enrolled at the University of California, Santa Barbara and graduated with a B.A. in communications. She also studied journalism at Santa Barbara City College.

Career

Graphia got her start as part of a

Writers Guild of America The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is the name of two American labor unions representing writers in film, television, radio, and online media: * The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) is headquartered in New York City and is affiliated wit ...

apprenticeship program where she "went from opening fan mail to selling scripts in just a few years..." Her first work was as a researcher on the television series ''

China Beach ''China Beach'' is an American war film, war drama television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. The title refers to My Khe Beach in the city of Da Nang, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam, nicknamed "China Beach" in English by Amer ...

'', where she met co-creator John Sacret Young, and was promoted into a screenwriting role. The two worked on additional projects together, including ''

Quantum Leap Quantum leap or ''variation'', may refer to: In general * Quantum leap (physics), also known as quantum jump, a transition between quantum states ** Atomic electron transition, a key example of the physics phenomenon * Paradigm shift, a sudden ch ...

'', ''

Cop Rock ''Cop Rock'' is an American police procedural musical television series created by Steven Bochco and William M. Finkelstein for the American Broadcasting Company. It premiered on September 26, 1990, and broadcast eleven episodes before concludin ...

'', and '' Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman''. Through her history with Young, Graphia created, produced, and wrote '' Orleans'' with him, which aired in 1997. The show was based on Graphia's family and life growing up in New Orleans, with the character Judge Luther Charbonnet, played by

Larry Hagman Larry Martin Hagman (September 21, 1931 – November 23, 2012) was an American actor, best known for playing ruthless oil baron J. R. Ewing in the 1978–1991 primetime television soap opera ''Dallas'', and the handsome astronaut Major Anthon ...

, modeled after her father. Hagman was the first actor that Graphia thought about after creating the role of Charbonnet. Subsequent projects saw her produce and/or write for '' Roswell'', ''

Carnivàle ''Carnivàle'' () is an American television series set in the United States Dust Bowl during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The series, created by Daniel Knauf, ran for two seasons between 2003 and 2005. In tracing the lives of disparate gr ...

'', ''

Battlestar Galactica ''Battlestar Galactica'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Glen A. Larson. It began with the original television series in 1978, and was followed by a short-run sequel series, '' Galactica 1980'', a line of book adaptat ...

'', '' Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'', ''

Mercy Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French , from Medieval Latin , "price paid, wages", from Latin , "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and legal contexts. In the social and le ...

'', ''

Alcatraz Alcatraz Island () is a small island about 1.25 miles offshore from San Francisco in San Francisco Bay, California, near the Golden Gate Strait. The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fo ...

'', ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...

'', and '' Outlander''.

Awards and honors

Graphia's work as screenwriter and producer was cited when R&D TV, in association with NBC Universal Television Studios, won the 2005

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...

for the 2005 season of ''

'', noting "plotlines that are deeply personal and relatable, while never compromising their affinity and passion for science fiction."

Personal life

Graphia is based out of Los Angeles, and she has been openly lesbian since February 2006 after coming out in a "public way" at a

panel. Graphia has taught classes at her alma mater, the University of California, Santa Barbara as well as at the University of Southern California, University of California, Los Angeles, and Emerson College.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Graphia, Toni 1960 births Living people People from Baton Rouge, Louisiana University of California, Santa Barbara alumni American women television producers American women television writers American television writers American women screenwriters American lesbian writers American LGBTQ screenwriters LGBTQ people from Louisiana LGBTQ television producers Lesbian screenwriters Screenwriters from Louisiana Screenwriting instructors 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers 20th-century American screenwriters 21st-century American screenwriters 20th-century American LGBTQ people 21st-century American LGBTQ people