Gloria monty biography

Gloria Monty, 84; Producer Reinvented ‘General Hospital’

Gloria Monty, a producer whose reinvention of the ABC daytime drama “General Hospital” in the late 1970s turned it into a pop phenomenon that helped modernize television soap operas, has died. She was 84.

Monty, who was the model for the motherly soap opera producer in the 1982 Dustin Hoffman film “Tootsie,” died of cancer Thursday at her home in Rancho Mirage, ABC announced.

When she took the reigns of “General Hospital” in 1978, the show hovered on the brink of cancellation, and Monty was given 13 weeks to save it.

With more women joining the work force, the traditional audience for soap operas was eroding, and Monty needed to hook the teenage and college crowd.

She broke new ground in storytelling by introducing action-adventure and science fiction to the tried-and-true daytime staples of romance and infidelity. She cast younger actors, quickened the pacing, upped the glamour and brought in a Broadway designer to modernize the set.

One of her boldest moves was a shocking and oddly disconcerting story line: After the

Daytime Pioneer Gloria Monty Dies

Iconic General Hospital Producer


Rancho Mirage, CA – Gloria Monty, a producer whose stewardship of the daytime drama General Hospital, which she joined in the late 1970s, helped to transform the cultural relevance and overall image of the soap opera genre, died on March 30. She was 84.

Monty, who was the model for the matriarchal soap opera producer in the 1982 film Tootsie, died of cancer at her home in Rancho Mirage.

In 1978, when Monty took over General Hospital, it was experiencing a ratings slump that reportedly had ABC contemplating cancellation. Monty, who was given less than six months to salvage it, devised a strategy to attract teens and college students to fill the gap created as increasing numbers of its core audience of women joined the workforce.

Breaking from the conventions of the genre, Monty infused elements of action adventure and even science fiction into the usual roundelay of betrayals, illnesses and infidelities. She also hired younger performers in key roles and modernized the sets with the assistan

Gloria Monty

American television producer (1921–2006)

Gloria Monty

Born

Gloria Montemuro


(1921-08-12)August 12, 1921

Allenhurst, New Jersey, U.S.

DiedMarch 30, 2006(2006-03-30) (aged 84)

Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.

Resting placeSaint Catharine's Cemetery, Sea Girt, New Jersey
EducationUniversity of Iowa
New York University
Columbia University
OccupationTelevision producer
Years active1950–2002
SpouseRobert O'Byrne (1952–1991,[1] his death)

Gloria Monty (August 12, 1921 – March 30, 2006)[2] was an American television producer working primarily in the field of daytime drama.

Education

Born Gloria Montemuro[2] in Allenhurst, New Jersey[3] and raised in the West Allenhurst neighborhood of Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey,[4] she attended the University of Iowa,[3]New York University,[3] and Columbia University, where she earned her master's degree in drama.[2]

Theatre work

In 1952, she married writer and

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