Here are the birthdays, and a few pictures, of the "Days" producers, writers and directors. Below that are biographies of the "Days" executive producers, writers and directors.
Edward James Scott
Co-Executive Producer
Birthday: September 15, 1944
Dena Anne Breshears Higley
Head Writer
Birthday: September 26, 1958
Kenneth Robert Corday
Executive Producer
Birthday: June 16, 1950
Producer/Director..........................Birthday
Noel Roger Maxam..........................September 26, 1967
Directors........................................Birthday
Albert Farrar Alarr.............................March 30, 1956
Michael Kenneth Denney..................December 24, 1946
Kathryn L. Foster.............................March 19, 1964
Grant A. Johnson..............................March 18, 1961
Phillip Wayne Sogard........................April 6, 1933
Herbert David Stein...........................August 8, 1945
Writers............................................Birthday
Richard Lamar Draughon...................July 14, 1968
Victor L. Gialanella...........................October 29, 1949
Renee Simone Godelia.....................October 27, 1977
Cydney Lee Kelley...........................March 11, 1974
John S. Newman..............................March 29, 1976
Jodie Evelyn Scholz.........................September 17, 1960
Coordinating Producers.................Birthday
Janet Ellen Spellman-Rider...............September 3, 1960
Timothy Stevens...............................N/A
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER BIOGRAPHIES
KEN CORDAY
Kenneth Robert Corday was born on June 16, 1950 in New York. His parents, Ted and Betty, created "Days of Our Lives" in 1965. His father, Ted, died in July 1966 and mother Betty assumed control of the show. Corday graduated from the University of California in 1977, with a master's degree in music composition. He had planned on teaching music composition when Linda Line, then the "Days" music coordinator, asked him to write some music cues (instrumental background music) for the show. He wrote his first music cue for the character of Maggie, and ended up staying with the show ever since. He worked as a production assistant from 1977-1978, fetching coffee for the staff and answering fan mail. In 1979, he was named assistant producer and also took over as music composer for the series, a title he still holds. In 1981, Corday was promoted to producer, and also was named Chief Executive Officer of Corday Productions Inc. In mid-1986, his mother Betty decided to semi-retire, and he was named executive producer, taking over day-to-day operations of the show. Betty held the title of executive producer along with her son until her death on November 17, 1987, at which point Ken assumed full control of the show. Corday has been nominated for 16 Daytime Emmys, eight as a producer, and eight as a music composer. He has won two Daytime Emmys for music, in 1990 and 1997. He married Sherry Williams in 1987. They have three children: Amanda Elizabeth (born 9/17/88), Kimberly Jane (born 3/27/92) and John Theodore (born 5/20/00).
EDWARD SCOTT
Edward James Scott was a producer at "The Young and the Restless" from 1976-2001 and again from 2004-2007. He is married to actress Melody Thomas Scott, who has played Nikki Newman on YR since 1979. They were married on 10/12/85 and have three children: Jennifer Michelle (9/18/72) and Alexandra Danielle (9/12/82) from previous marriages, and one daughter together, Elizabeth Frances (12/4/88). In 1989, the Scotts founded Save the Earth Foundation, an organization that hopes to create awareness about environmental issues. Scott has been nominated for 15 Daytime Emmys, winning 5 times (in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1993 and 2007). He was born in Los Angeles, California on September 15, 1944. Tenure: August 30, 2007-Present.
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY
NOEL MAXAM
Noel Roger Maxam was a director and producer at "The Young and the Restless" from 1997-2007. He has been nominated 8 times for a Daytime Emmy and won four of them (in 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2003). Maxam was born on September 26, 1967. He fills in several times a month as a director (first episode directed was on September 21, 2007). Tenure: September 10, 2007-Present.
DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHIES
ALBERT ALARR
Albert Farrar Alarr has directed primetime episodes of "Home Improvement" and "Homeboys In Outer Space." Alarr has also directed "Port Charles", "General Hospital" and "All My Children." He joined the "Days" staff in March, 2003. He was nominated in 2006 for a Daytime Emmy. Alarr was born March 30, 1956. Tenure: March 13, 2003-Present.
MIKE DENNEY
Michael Kenneth Denney worked on "The Young and the Restless" staff from 1989-2007 and was nominated 16 times for directing Emmys, winning six times (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002). He was born on December 24, 1946. Tenure: January 7, 2008-Present.
KATHRYN FOSTER
Kathryn L. Foster worked as a director and producer at "The Young and the Restless" from 1989-2006. She was nominated 23 times during her YR tenure and won nine Emmys (in 1989, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002 as a director; and 2004 and 2007 as a producer). Foster was born March 19, 1964. Tenure: September 5, 2007-Present.
GRANT JOHNSON
Grant A. Johnson began his daytime career as a production coordinator on "Capitol." He then became a production assistant and associate director at "Santa Barbara", staying with the show through its finale in 1993. From 1997-1999, he worked on "Sunset Beach" as an editor and associate director, becoming a full-time director in 1998. Johnson then was a director at "Passions" from 2000-2003 and "General Hospital" in 2004. Johnson has been nominated for six Daytime Emmy Awards, winning twice (once in 1999 as an editor on "Sunset Beach" and once as a director in 2005 for "General Hospital"). Johnson is married to wife Christine. He was born on March 18, 1961. Tenure: July 26, 2007-Present.
PHIL SOGARD
Phillip Wayne Sogard directed "General Hospital" before joining "Days" full-time in mid-1993. He has been nominated for Daytime Emmys six times, in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003 and 2006. Sogard was born April 6, 1933, and, at age 75, is the oldest director on staff. Tenure: 1993-Present.
HERB STEIN
Herbert David Stein is the dean of the "Days" directors, having been with the show full-time since January, 1983. In 1991, he won a Daytime Emmy for writing the "CBS Schoolbreak Special: American Eyes." He's been nominated for 11 Daytime Emmys while with "Days", in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003 and 2006. Stein also directs many theater productions in his spare time and is a professor at UCLA in California. He is married to wife Jessica. Tenure: January 12, 1983-Present.
WRITER BIOGRAPHIES
DENA HIGLEY
Dena Anne Breshears Higley first joined the "Days" staff in 1985 and stayed with the show for over 19 years until November 2004, including a short stint as head writer from March 7-August 15, 2003. From 2004-2007, she was the head writer of "One Life to Live." Higley has been Emmy-nominated six times (five during her last stint at "Days", in 1987, 1994, 1997, 1998, and 1999, and once for "One Life to Live" in 2006). She was born September 26, 1958 in Tulare, California and is married to former "Days" writer Mark Christopher Higley. They have four children: Connor "CK" (1988), Jensen (1990), Helio (1994; adopted from Ethiopia), Adelle (1996; adopted from Vietnam). Tenure: 1985-November 26, 2004; April 23, 2008-Present.
RICK DRAUGHON
Richard Lamar Draughon began his career as the assistant to the executive producers
of "Party of Five" from 1994-1997. During this time, he began writing several scripts for
"Loving" in 1994 and "Another World" in 1996. Draughon then went on to write for
"Sunset Beach" from 1997-1999. From 2000-2001, he was the "Days" website
producer, in charge of all the web content on the official site. Draughon was on the
"Days" writing staff from 2002-2006. He wrote briefly for "The Young and the Restless"
in late 2006. In 2007, he created and wrote the Internet soap "Coastal Dreams."
Draughon was born July 14, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. Tenure: January
2002-November 16, 2006; April 23, 2008-Present.
VICTOR GIALANELLA
Victor L. Gialanella's first claim to fame was his Broadway play "Frankenstein", which ended up opening and closing on the same day in 1981. He wrote for "Guiding Light" from 1983-1987 and first joined the "Days" staff in 1995, staying for over 10 years until June 2006. Gialanella wrote for "One Life to Live" from 2006-2007. He has been nominated for four Daytime Emmys (three nominations while at "Days" in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and winning once in 1986 for "Guiding Light"). Gialanella was born on October 29, 1949 in New Jersey. He still resides there with his wife, Cindy, and daughters Alicia (1996) and Rebecca (1999). Tenure: 1995-June 19, 2006; April 23, 2008-Present.
RENEE GODELIA
Renee Simone Godelia originally joined the "Days" staff as a writer's assistant in 2001. She was later promoted to writer's office manager. She was a member of the writing staff in 2006 before returning in 2007. Godelia was born on October 27, 1977 in Harris County, Texas. At 30, she is the youngest writer currently on the "Days" staff. Tenure: 2001-2006; October 15, 2007-January 16, 2008; April 23, 2008-Present.
CYDNEY KELLEY
Cydney Lee Kelley started out acting as an extra in shows such as "Family Matters", "Party of Five", and "7th Heaven." She then became an intern at "Party of Five", and in 1998, started interning at "Days of Our Lives." Kelley worked her way up to a writer's assistant before becoming a full time writer in 2007. Kelley was born on March 11, 1974 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Tenure: March 22, 2007-January 16, 2008; April 23, 2008-Present.
JOHN NEWMAN
John S. Newman was born into a soap opera family. His parents are former "Guiding Light" actors Roger Newman and Fran Myers. Both later became writers, including a stint by his mother for "Days." Newman's first stint for "Days of Our Lives" was from March 2003-December 2004. In his spare time, Newman is a musician. His debut album as Johnnie Newman was "The Golden Coast." He was born on March 29, 1976 in New York City, New York. Tenure: March 12, 2003-December 28, 2004; April 23, 2008-Present.
JODIE SCHOLZ
Jodie Evelyn Scholz began her writing career with "Sunset Beach" from 1997-1999. She later wrote for "Port Charles" from 1999-2003, before joining the "Days" staff in 2003. She was born September 17, 1960 in California. Tenure: October 3, 2003-January 16, 2008; April 23, 2008-Present.