Linda Bloodworth-Thomason (born April 15, 1947 Linda Joyce Bloodworth) is a screenwriter, producer, director and novelist known for creating and writing TV shows with strong female characters, most famously "Designing Women", "Evening Shade", "Heart Afire", and "Women of the House". Through the course of her writing career, she has secured 7 Emmy nominations and 9 other awards.
Bloodworth-Thomason studied law at the University of Missouri and later moved to Los Angeles where she worked for a while as a journalist and teacher for disadvantaged children. However her career took a dramatic turn when her friend Mary Kay Place suggested that they collaborate to write a spec script for the "Mary Tyler Moore Show". The script was rejected but caught the eye of M*A*S*H executive producer Larry Gelbart who invited them to write for M*A*S*H.[1]
Reflecting on this invitation during an interview for the Memories of M*A*S*H TV Special in 1991, Bloodworth-Thomason called it the kind of Hollywood call that comes once in fifty years.
Their first effort was the Season 2 "Hot Lips and Empty Arms", an episode when Margaret receives news from a happily married and prosperous old college friend which causes her to seriously re-evaluate the direction her life and career was taking. This episode is the first to focus almost entire on Margaret. It is generally considered a key milestone in the development of her character and is one of Loretta Swit's favorite episodes.
This first script netted Place and Bloodworth-Thomason an Emmy nomination. Although it did not win, it was enough to convince Bloodworth-Thomason to take up screenwriting and film as a career. The pair next wrote "Springtime" in Season 2 and then the Season 3 episode "Mad Dogs and Servicemen". Bloodworth-Thomason went on to write "Soldier of the Month" for Season 4 and finally "The Nurses" for Season 5. This episode which focuses on the confrontation between 4 nurses and their boss, Major Margaret Houlihan features particularly powerful roles for Carol Locatell as Lieutenant Gaynor and Linda Kelsey as Lieutenant Mickey Baker and is another of Loretta Swit's firm favorites.
Bloodworth-Thomason married Harry Thomason in 1983 and together founded Mozark Productions, which produced many of her shows, including "Lime Street" and most notably "Designing Women". Bloodworth-Thomason also later became involved in the Clinton presidency, producing promotional films, contributing to speeches and advising on public relations matters.
Following the Clinton Presidency, she returned to film production and authoring, publishing her first novel "Liberating Paris" in 2005. In 1989, she founded the Claudia company which supports disadvantaged young people, especially girls, in the Missouri-Arkansas area by providing scholarships and opportunities for community service and positions in the film industry.
References[]
External links[]
- Linda Bloodworth-Thomason article at Wikipedia
Linda Bloodworth-Thomason at the Internet Movie Database
