Biography
After graduating from Western College in Ohio, Ann Marcus got a job on the New York Daily News - one of the first young women to become a copy "boy". In a matter of weeks she was promoted to reporter, and parlayed her first byline story to a job on Life Magazine where she worked with famed photographers such as Alfred Eisenstadt. After marrying screenwriter Ellis Marcus, she produced three children and a play, 'A Woman's Place', which premiered in Los Angeles and led to a long and successful career in television. In the 60s she wrote sitcoms: 'Please Don't Eat The Daisies', 'Lassie', 'The Hathaways', 'Gentle Ben', etc. She was also a staff writer on Peyton Place (1964) and The Debbie Reynolds Show.
In 1969 she became head-writer of the daytime drama, Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1967) (nominated for an EMMY) followed by Search for Tomorrow (1951) for which she won the WGA award for outstanding daytime serial. Tapped by Norman Lear, Ann co-created and head-wrote the satirical soap, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976), winning an Emmy in 1976. She also co-created Fernwood 2-Nite, All That Glitters, and Julie Farr, MD. Other soaps she has helmed were Days of Our Lives (1965), Love of Life (1951), and General Hospital (1963) receiving several Emmy and WGA nominations along the way. Between head writing and creating soaps, Ann has written TV movies including Women at West Point (1979), Letters from Three Lovers (1973), and _Having Babies, II (1977) (TV)_. She was also supervising producer of _Falcon Crest (1989)_, and Knots Landing (1979) and co-wrote the Knots miniseries, Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac (1997) which aired in 1997. She also developed and wrote many comedy and drama pilots during stints at Columbia TV; Embassy; and Lorimar. Ann's favorite endeavor was the syndicated satirical soap she co-created and executive produced with her husband, Ellis Marcus, The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts (1980)
* sixty-five episodes of which aired on Metromedia.
Ann has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America, West seven times and served as Secretary/treasurer from 1992-1994. She was presented with the Morgan Cox Award for distinguished service to the Guild in 2000. She has also served on the steering committee of the Caucus for Writers, Producers, and Directors, and is a former Governor of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Widowed, Ann lives in Sherman Oaks with her golden retriever, Ollie, and enjoys frequent visits from her three children, their spouses, and her six grandchildren. In 1999 Ann published her memoir, 'Whistling Girl'. She has just completed an original screenplay, "For Heaven's Sake!" which she hopes will be available at your local theatre soon.
