John William Masius (July 30, 1950 – September 13, 2025) was an American screenwriter. He was credited with creating the series Touched by an Angel (1994–2003), Providence (1999–2002) and Hawthorne (2009–2011).
Life and career Masius was born in Manhattan, New York City on July 30, 1950, and grew up in Scarsdale, New York. He graduated from Scarsdale High School.
He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
In 1986, Masius married actress Ellen Bry, who was a series regular on St. Elsewhere. They divorced in 1999. They had three children: son Max, daughter Hannah and son Sam.
Masius died from complications of ALS at his home in Los Angeles on September 13, 2025, at the age of 75.
Awards and nominations Masius won two writing Emmy Awards for the drama St. Elsewhere. He also received a Writers Guild award and the Humanitas Prize for his writing on St. Elsewhere.
Masius also received The Humanitas Prize for the series Brooklyn Bridge.
Filmography Film YearTitleContributionNotesProducerWriter1975Las Vegas LadyProduction Assistant1976Bittersweet LoveProduction Assistant1976TracksProduction Assistant2009Dead like Me: Life After DeathWriter; Direct-to-Video
Television YearTitleContributionNotesCreatorWriterProducer1979–1981The White ShadowStory Consultant for 7 episodesWriter of 3 episodesCoordinating Producer of 12 episodesProduction Assistant for 2 episodesProduction Associate Episode: "On the Line"1982–1987St. ElsewhereCreator of 137 episodesWriter of 26 episodesStory by of 59 episodesTeleplay by of 7 episodesProducer of 54 episodes1988–1989Tattingers'sCreator of 13 episodesWriter of Episode: "Pilot"1989Dolphin CoveExecutive Producer of Episode: "Two Shots and a Splash"1990Ferris BuellerCreator of 11 episodesWriter of 2 episodesExecutive Producer of 2 episodes1991–1992Brooklyn Bridge3 episodes1992–1993L.A. LawWriter of 3 episodesCo-Executive Producer of 14 episodes1994–2003Touched by an AngelCreator of 211 episodes1995–1997The Single GuyCreative Consultant for 14 episodesWriter of Episode: "Starting Over"1997–1998The VisitorWriter of Episode: "Fear of Flying"Executive Producer of 13 episodes1999–2002ProvidenceCreator of 96 episodesWriter of 3 episodesExecutive Producer of 62 episodes2001Chestnut HillTelevision Movie2003–2004Dead Like MeWriter of 3 episodesExecutive Producer of 28 episodes2009–2011HawthorneCreator of 30 episodesExecutive Consultant of 3 episodesWriter of 4 episodesExecutive Producer of 23 episodes
Awards and nominations YearTitleAccoladeCategoryResultsRef1981The White ShadowPrimetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Drama Series1983St. ElsewherePrimetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Drama Series1984Humanitas Prize Award60 Minute Category for episode ("Ties That Bind")Humanitas Prize Award60 Minute Category for episode ("All About Eve")Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Drama SeriesPrimetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing in a Drama Series for episode ("The Women")Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing in a Drama Series for episode ("All About Eve")Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing in a Drama Series for episode ("Newheart")Writers Guild AwardEpisodic Drama for episode ("Addiction")1985Humanitas Prize Award60 Minute Category (shared with Tom Fontana)Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Drama SeriesPrimetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing in a Drama Series for episode ("Sweet Dreams")Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing in a Drama Series for episode ("Murder, She Rote")Writers Guild AwardEpisodic Drama for episode ("Hello, Goodbye")Writers Guild AwardEpisodic Drama for episode ("The Women")1986Humanitas Prize Award60 Minute Category for episode ("Sanctuary")Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Drama SeriesPrimetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing in a Drama Series for episode ("Haunted")Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing in a Drama Series for episode ("Time Heals")Writers Guild AwardEpisodic Drama for episode ("Sweet Dreams")1987Humanitas Prize Award60 Minute Category for episode ("A Room with a View")Humanitas Prize Award60 Minute Category for episode ("Where There's Hope, There's Crosby")Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Drama SeriesPrimetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing in a Drama Series for episode ("Afterlife")Writers Guild AwardEpisodic Drama for episode ("Remembrance of Things Past")1988Writers Guild AwardEpisodic Drama for episode ("A Room with a View")1992Brooklyn BridgeHumanitas Prize Award30 Minute Network or Syndicated Television
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