# Rita Lakin

Rita Lakin (née Weisinger; January 24, 1930 – March 23, 2023) was an American screenwriter, active from around 1962 to 1981. She has credits for 474 produced television scripts spanning 30 productions. She was also a novelist and author of The Only Woman In The Room, a memoir of her life as one of the first female show runners and one of the first women in television (released October 2015, Applause publishing). In fiction, Lakin created the Gladdy Gold Mystery seven-book series (published by Bantam Books), including Getting Old Is Murder, Getting Old Is The Best Revenge, and Getting Old Can Kill You.
Rita Weisinger was born in The Bronx, New York on January 24, 1930. She began writing regularly during the early 1960s for such television shows as The Doctors, Dr. Kildare and Peyton Place.
In 1968, she began working as story editor and head writer of The Mod Squad. In 1972, she created The Rookies. In 1977, she served as executive producer of the CBS TV adaptation of the 1954 film Executive Suite. She wrote numerous "Movies of the Week" including Women in Chains, and such miniseries as Strong Medicine and Voices of the Heart. In 1981, she developed the TV series adaptation and served as show-runner of Flamingo Road. In 1989, she co-created the medical drama Nightingales. She also wrote or co-authored two original theatrical plays, No Language But a Cry and Saturday Night at Grossinger's.

## Personal life and death

Rita Weisinger was first married to Hank Lakin, who died from leukemia due to exposure to radiation in the Santa Susana SRE Nuclear Reactor meltdown (1959) in 1961. She was later married, from 1972 to 1980, to director-producer Robert Michael Lewis, who predeceased her. Rita Lakin died in Novato, California, on March 23, 2023, at the age of 93. She was survived by her three children: Howard (b. 1952), Susan (b. 1956), and Gavin (b. 1960) and her four grandchildren: Alison, Megan, James, and Amara.

## Awards

Rita Lakin won nominations and awards for her writing including the Writers Guild of America Award, the Edgar Allan Poe Award and the Avery Hopwood Award from the University of Michigan.

## Books

| Title | Release |
| Prince Charming, Go Home: A Romantic Comedy | September 14, 2021 |
| The Only Woman in the Room | October 20, 2015 |
| Getting Old Can Kill You | June 28, 2011 |
| Getting Old Is Très Dangereux | June 22, 2010 |
| Getting Old Is a Disaster | December 30, 2008 |
| Getting Old Is to Die For | December 26, 2007 |
| Getting Old Is Criminal | May 1, 2007 |
| Getting Old Is the Best Revenge | March 28, 2006 |
| Getting Old Is Murder | October 25, 2005 |
| A Summer Without Boys | 1976 |
| The Four Coins of the Kaballah (formerly Demon of the Night) | 1976 |

## Television

Rita Lakin wrote 464 episodes, eight movies of the week, and two miniseries, spanning 30 television productions. She was also the creator of the crime drama series The Rookies and the prime time soap Flamingo Road, and co-creator, with Howard Lakin and Frank Furino, of the medical drama Nightingales produced by Aaron Spelling.
| Series | Episodes / Type | Year |
| Dr. Kildare | A Candle in the Window | 1964 |
| Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | The Shattered Glass | 1964 |
| Daniel Boone | The Reunion | 1965 |
| The Virginian | Jennifer | 1965 |
| Peyton Place | 62 episodes Episode #2.145 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.142 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.139 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.134 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.132 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.129 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.127 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.121 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.118 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.115 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.113 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.109 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.106 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.103 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.100 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.99 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.96 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.91 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.88 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.87 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.84 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.80 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.76 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.75 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.72 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.67 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.65 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.61 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.60 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.55 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.52 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.51 (1966) ... (written by) Episode #2.48 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.45 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.41 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.40 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.37 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.31 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.30 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.27 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.22 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.21 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.16 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.10 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.8 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.6 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #2.3 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.112 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.111 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.108 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.105 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.102 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.97 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.96 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.92 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.90 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.87 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.82 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.79 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.78 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.75 (1965) ... (written by) Episode #1.72 (1965) ... (written by) | 1965-1966 |
| Run for Your Life | A Choice of Evils | 1967 |
| The Invaders | Moonshot | 1967 |
| The Doctors | 295 episodes Episode #1.1623 (1969) Episode #1.1622 (1969) Episode #1.1621 (1969) Episode #1.1620 (1969) Episode #1.1619 (1969) Episode #1.1618 (1969) Episode #1.1617 (1969) Episode #1.1616 (1969) Episode #1.1615 (1969) Episode #1.1614 (1969) Episode #1.1613 (1969) Episode #1.1612 (1969) Episode #1.1611 (1969) Episode #1.1610 (1969) Episode #1.1609 (1969) Episode #1.1608 (1969) Episode #1.1607 (1969) Episode #1.1606 (1969) Episode #1.1605 (1969) Episode #1.1603 (1969) Episode #1.1602 (1969) Episode #1.1601 (1969) Episode #1.1600 (1969) Episode #1.1599 (1969) Episode #1.1598 (1969) Episode #1.1597 (1969) Episode #1.1595 (1969) Episode #1.1594 (1969) Episode #1.1593 (1969) Episode #1.1592 (1969) Episode #1.1591 (1969) Episode #1.1590 (1969) Episode #1.1589 (1969) Episode #1.1588 (1969) Episode #1.1587 (1969) Episode #1.1586 (1969) Episode #1.1585 (1969) Episode #1.1584 (1969) Episode #1.1582 (1968) Episode #1.1581 (1968) Episode #1.1580 (1968) Episode #1.1579 (1968) Episode #1.1578 (1968) Episode #1.1577 (1968) Episode #1.1576 (1968) Episode #1.1575 (1968) Episode #1.1574 (1968) Episode #1.1573 (1968) Episode #1.1572 (1968) Episode #1.1571 (1968) Episode #1.1570 (1968) Episode #1.1569 (1968) Episode #1.1311 (1968) Episode #1.1568 (1968) Episode #1.1567 (1968) Episode #1.1566 (1968) Episode #1.1565 (1968) Episode #1.1564 (1968) Episode #1.1563 (1968) Episode #1.1562 (1968) Episode #1.1561 (1968) Episode #1.1560 (1968) Episode #1.1558 (1968) Episode #1.1557 (1968) Episode #1.1556 (1968) Episode #1.1555 (1968) Episode #1.1554 (1968) Episode #1.1553 (1968) Episode #1.1552 (1968) Episode #1.1551 (1968) Episode #1.1550 (1968) Episode #1.1549 (1968) Episode #1.1548 (1968) Episode #1.1547 (1968) Episode #1.1546 (1968) Episode #1.1545 (1968) Episode #1.1544 (1968) Episode #1.1543 (1968) Episode #1.1542 (1968) Episode #1.1541 (1968) Episode #1.1540 (1968) Episode #1.1536 (1968) Episode #1.1535 (1968) Episode #1.1534 (1968) Episode #1.1533 (1968) Episode #1.1532 (1968) Episode #1.1531 (1968) Episode #1.1530 (1968) Episode #1.1529 (1968) Episode #1.1528 (1968) Episode #1.1527 (1968) Episode #1.1526 (1968) Episode #1.1525 (1968) Episode #1.1524 (1968) Episode #1.1523 (1968) Episode #1.1522 (1968) Episode #1.1521 (1968) Episode #1.1520 (1968) Episode #1.1519 (1968) Episode #1.1518 (1968) Episode #1.1517 (1968) Episode #1.1516 (1968) Episode #1.1515 (1968) Episode #1.1514 (1968) Episode #1.1513 (1968) Episode #1.1512 (1968) Episode #1.1511 (1968) Episode #1.1510 (1968) Episode #1.1509 (1968) Episode #1.1508 (1968) Episode #1.1507 (1968) Episode #1.1506 (1968) Episode #1.1505 (1968) Episode #1.1504 (1968) Episode #1.1503 (1968) Episode #1.1502 (1968) Episode #1.1501 (1968) Episode #1.1500 (1968) Episode #1.1499 (1968) Episode #1.1497 (1968) Episode #1.1496 (1968) Episode #1.1495 (1968) Episode #1.1494 (1968) Episode #1.1493 (1968) Episode #1.1492 (1968) Episode #1.1491 (1968) Episode #1.1490 (1968) Episode #1.1489 (1968) Episode #1.1488 (1968) Episode #1.1487 (1968) Episode #1.1486 (1968) Episode #1.1485 (1968) Episode #1.1484 (1968) Episode #1.1483 (1968) Episode #1.1482 (1968) Episode #1.1481 (1968) Episode #1.1480 (1968) Episode #1.1479 (1968) Episode #1.1478 (1968) Episode #1.1477 (1968) Episode #1.1476 (1968) Episode #1.1475 (1968) Episode #1.1474 (1968) Episode #1.1473 (1968) Episode #1.1472 (1968) Episode #1.1471 (1968) Episode #1.1470 (1968) Episode #1.1469 (1968) Episode #1.1468 (1968) Episode #1.1467 (1968) Episode #1.1466 (1968) Episode #1.1465 (1968) Episode #1.1464 (1968) Episode #1.1463 (1968) Episode #1.1462 (1968) Episode #1.1461 (1968) Episode #1.1460 (1968) Episode #1.1459 (1968) Episode #1.1458 (1968) Episode #1.1456 (1968) Episode #1.1455 (1968) Episode #1.1454 (1968) Episode #1.1453 (1968) Episode #1.1452 (1968) Episode #1.1451 (1968) Episode #1.1450 (1968) Episode #1.1449 (1968) Episode #1.1448 (1968) Episode #1.1447 (1968) Episode #1.1445 (1968) Episode #1.1444 (1968) Episode #1.1443 (1968) Episode #1.1442 (1968) Episode #1.1441 (1968) Episode #1.1440 (1968) Episode #1.1438 (1968) Episode #1.1436 (1968) Episode #1.1435 (1968) Episode #1.1434 (1968) Episode #1.1433 (1968) Episode #1.1432 (1968) Episode #1.1430 (1968) Episode #1.1429 (1968) Episode #1.1428 (1968) Episode #1.1426 (1968) Episode #1.1425 (1968) Episode #1.1424 (1968) Episode #1.1423 (1968) Episode #1.1421 (1968) Episode #1.1419 (1968) Episode #1.1417 (1968) Episode #1.1416 (1968) Episode #1.1414 (1968) Episode #1.1412 (1968) Episode #1.1411 (1968) Episode #1.1410 (1968) Episode #1.1409 (1968) Episode #1.1408 (1968) Episode #1.1407 (1968) Episode #1.1406 (1968) Episode #1.1405 (1968) Episode #1.1404 (1968) Episode #1.1403 (1968) Episode #1.1402 (1968) Episode #1.1401 (1968) Episode #1.1400 (1968) Episode #1.1399 (1968) Episode #1.1398 (1968) Episode #1.1397 (1968) Episode #1.1396 (1968) Episode #1.1395 (1968) Episode #1.1394 (1968) Episode #1.1393 (1968) Episode #1.1392 (1968) Episode #1.1391 (1968) Episode #1.1390 (1968) Episode #1.1389 (1968) Episode #1.1388 (1968) Episode #1.1387 (1968) Episode #1.1385 (1968) Episode #1.1384 (1968) Episode #1.1383 (1968) Episode #1.1382 (1968) Episode #1.1381 (1968) Episode #1.1380 (1968) Episode #1.1379 (1968) Episode #1.1378 (1968) Episode #1.1377 (1968) Episode #1.1374 (1968) Episode #1.1373 (1968) Episode #1.1372 (1968) Episode #1.1371 (1968) Episode #1.1370 (1968) Episode #1.1369 (1968) Episode #1.1368 (1968) Episode #1.1367 (1968) Episode #1.1366 (1968) Episode #1.1365 (1968) Episode #1.1361 (1968) Episode #1.1360 (1968) Episode #1.1359 (1968) Episode #1.1358 (1968) Episode #1.1357 (1968) Episode #1.1356 (1968) Episode #1.1355 (1968) Episode #1.1354 (1968) Episode #1.1353 (1968) Episode #1.1352 (1968) Episode #1.1351 (1968) Episode #1.1350 (1968) Episode #1.1349 (1968) Episode #1.1348 (1968) Episode #1.1347 (1968) Episode #1.1346 (1968) Episode #1.1345 (1968) Episode #1.1344 (1968) Episode #1.1343 (1968) Episode #1.1342 (1968) Episode #1.1341 (1968) Episode #1.1340 (1968) Episode #1.1339 (1968) Episode #1.1338 (1968) Episode #1.1337 (1968) Episode #1.1336 (1968) Episode #1.1335 (1968) Episode #1.1334 (1968) Episode #1.1333 (1968) Episode #1.1332 (1968) Episode #1.1331 (1968) Episode #1.1330 (1968) Episode #1.1329 (1968) Episode #1.1328 (1968) Episode #1.1327 (1968) Episode #1.1326 (1968) Episode #1.1325 (1968) Episode #1.1324 (1967) Episode #1.1323 (1967) Episode #1.1322 (1967) Episode #1.1321 (1967) Episode #1.1320 (1967) Episode #1.1318 (1967) Episode #1.1317 (1967) Episode #1.1316 (1967) Episode #1.1315 (1967) Episode #1.1314 (1967) Episode #1.1313 (1967) Episode #1.1312 (1967) Episode #1.1310 (1967) Episode #1.1309 (1967) Episode #1.1308 (1967) Episode #1.1307 (1967) Episode #1.1306 (1967) Episode #1.1305 (1967) Episode #1.1625 (1969) Episode #1.1624 (1969) | 1967-1969 |
| The Outsider | 2 episodes Service for One 1969 The Flip Side 1969 | 1969 |
| Family Affair | 2 episodes Uncle Prince Charming (1969) ... (written by) The Baby Sitters (1968) ... (written by) | 1968-1969 |
| The Mod Squad | Executive Story Editor 30 episodes, Writer 3 episodes A Double for Danger (1971) ... (executive story editor) Is That Justice? No, It's the Law (1971) ... (executive story editor) Kicks Incorporated (1971) ... (executive story editor) A Short Course in War (1971) ... (executive story editor) The Judas Trap (1970) ... (executive story editor) A Time of Hyacinths (1970) ... (executive story editor) A Far Away Place So Near (1970) ... (executive story editor) Welcome to the Human Race, Levi Frazee! (1970) ... (executive story editor) Search and Destroy (1970) ... (executive story editor) 'A' Is for Annie (1970) ... (executive story editor) The Loser (1970) ... (executive story editor) Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot! (1970) ... (executive story editor, teleplay) Call Back Yesterday (1970) ... (executive story editor) Return to Darkness, Return to Light (1970) ... (executive story editor) A Time for Remembering (1970) ... (executive story editor) The Deadly Sin (1970) ... (executive story editor) The Exile (1970) ... (executive story editor) Mother of Sorrow (1970) ... (written by) The Debt (1969) ... (executive story editor) Never Give the Fuzz an Even Break (1969) ... (executive story editor) In This Corner - Sol Alpert (1969) ... (executive story editor, teleplay) The Healer (1969) ... (executive story editor) A Place to Run, a Heart to Hide In (1969) ... (executive story editor) The Death of Wild Bill Hannachek (1969) ... (executive story editor) Willie Poor Boy (1969) ... (executive story editor) Confrontation! (1969) ... (executive story editor) Lisa (1969) ... (executive story editor) To Linc - With Love (1969) ... (executive story editor) Ride the Man Down (1969) ... (executive story editor) An Eye for an Eye (1969) ... (executive story editor) My Name Is Manolete (1969) ... (executive story editor) The Girl in Chair Nine (1969) ... (executive story editor) | 1969-1971 |
| Death Takes a Holiday | TV movie | 1971 |
| Women in Chains | TV movie | 1972 |
| A Summer Without Boys | TV movie | 1973 |
| Message to My Daughter | TV movie | 1973 |
| The ABC Afternoon Playbreak | Last Bride of Salem | 1974 |
| The Rookies | Creator, TV Series, 26 episodes The Shield (1975) ... (creator) Angel (1975) ... (creator) Easy Money (1973) ... (creator) A Farewell Tree from Marly (1973) ... (creator) Life Robbery (1973) ... (creator) The Wheel of Death (1973) ... (creator) Three Hours to Kill (1973) ... (creator) Point of Impact (1973) ... (creator) Snow Job (1973) ... (creator) Crossfire (1973) ... (creator) Tarnished Idol (1973) ... (creator) Rabbits on the Runway (1972) ... (creator) A Very Special Piece of Ground (1972) ... (creator) A Bloody Shade of Blue (1972) ... (creator) A Deadly Velocity (1972) ... (creator) To Taste of Terror (1972) ... (creator) The Good Die Young (1972) ... (creator) Dirge for Sunday (1972) ... (creator) The Bear That Didn't Get Up (1972) ... (creator) Time Is the Fire (1972) ... (creator) Covenant with Death (1972) ... (creator) The Commitment (1972) ... (creator) The Informant (1972) ... (creator) Dead, Like a Lost Dream (1972) ... (creator) Concrete Valley, Neon Sky (1972) ... (creator) Pilot (1972) ... (story) | 1972-1975 |
| Medical Center | 2 episodes The Fourth Sex: Part 2 (1975) ... (written by) The Fourth Sex: Part 1 (1975) ... (written by) | 1975 |
| Hey, I'm Alive | TV movie | 1975 |
| Medical Story | Us Against the World | 1975 |
| A Sensitive, Passionate Man | TV movie | 1975 |
| Torn Between Two Lovers | TV movie | 1975 |
| Executive Suite | TV series, Executive Producer | 1976 |
| Flamingo Road | Creator, TV Series, Executive Consultant 22 episodes, Writer 38 episodes Murder, They Said (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Harder They Fall (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) An Eye for an Eye (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Bad and the Beautiful (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) The High and the Mighty (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) No Dice (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) Sins of the Father (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Dedication (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) Double Exposure (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) Chance of a Lifetime (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Explosion (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) To Catch a Thief (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) Heatwave (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) Strange Bedfellows (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) Old Friends (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Little Foxes (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Powers That Be (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Stranger (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Intruder (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Substitute (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Victim (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant) The Arrangement (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant) Bad Chemistry (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) Hurricane (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) Hell Hath No Fury (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) They Drive by Night (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) Secrets (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) Bad Girl (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) Trapped (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) Jealous Wife (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) The Election (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) The Fish Fry (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) A Mother's Revenge (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) The Titus Tapes (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) Illicit Weekend (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) The Hostages: Part 2 (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) The Hostages: Part 1 (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer) Pilot (1980) ... (teleplay) | 1980-1982 |
| Emerald Point NAS | 7 episodes, TV Series The Wedding (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant) Pandora's Box (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant) Friends and Lovers (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant) The Best Laid Plans (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant) The Climax (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant) Lost and Found (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant) Disguises (1984) ... (story, creative consultant) | 1984 |
| Her Life as a Man | TV movie, Executive Consultant | 1984 |
| Peyton Place: The Next Generation | TV movie | 1985 |
| Strong Medicine | TV Miniseries | 1986 |
| Dynasty | 10 episodes, TV Series Shadow Play (1987) ... (story) The Affair (1987) ... (story) The Confession (1987) ... (story) The Sublet (1987) ... (story) Valez (1987) ... (story) The Dress (1987) ... (story) The Shower (1987) ... (story) The Garage (1987) ... (story) The Surgery (1987) ... (story) The Mothers (1987) ... (story) | 1987 |
| Nightingales | Creator, Supervising Producer, Writer TV Movie | 1988 |
| Voice of the Heart | TV Miniseries | 1989 |
| Nightingales | 13 episodes, TV Series Episode #1.13 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.12 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.11 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.10 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.9 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.8 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.7 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.6 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.5 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.4 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.3 (1989) ... (creator) Episode #1.2 (1989) ... (creator) Pilot (1989) ... (creator) | 1989 |