Rita Lakin ( Weisinger; January 24, 1930 – March 23, 2023) was an American screenwriter, active from around 1962 to 1981.Rita Lakin Collection @ University of Wyoming American Heritage Center (PDF). Accessed May 13, 2024. 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. Before moving to Hollywood she lived in Michigan, working as a teacher for Willow Run Community Schools and as a reporter and photographer for the Ypsilanti City Press. 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. Along with her husband, Robert Michael Lewis, she created a production company, R. L. Squared. 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. The two met when he directed an episode of The Mod Squad that she wrote. 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,WGA Awards, Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Drama the Edgar Allan Poe AwardProfile, fantasticfiction.co.uk; accessed November 29, 2014. and the Avery Hopwood Award from the University of Michigan.Official website, ritalakin.com; accessed November 29, 2014.
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.IMDb profile. Accessed May 12, 2024.
Series Episodes / Type Year Dr. Kildare A Candle in the Window 1964 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre The Shattered Glass 1964Daniel BooneThe Reunion 1965The VirginianJennifer 1965Peyton Place 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) 1965-1966Run for Your LifeA Choice of Evils 1967The InvadersMoonshot 1967The Doctors 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)