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Margaret DePriest

Full Name

Margaret DePriest

Birthdate

April 19, 1931

Date of Death

September 29, 2005 (age 94)

Occupation

Writer

Years Active

1960s-1999

Margaret DePriest was a daytime serial writer and actress. DePriest's daytime career began as an actress on The Edge of Night. DePriest soon became a co-head writer at The Edge of Night. DePriest was co-creator and co-head writer of the short lived serial Where the Heart Is. DePriest has been a head writer at The Doctors, General Hospital, Days of our Lives, Another World, All My Children and Sunset Beach. DePriest died on September 29, 2025 at age 94.

Character/Storyline Creation

At DAYS paired Bo & Hope romantically & wrote their wedding in England

At AW created a new Frame family member, Jason, with John Whitesell. Jason was created for Chris Robinson. Created the dual role of Marisa LaSalle/Mary McKinnon for Denise Alexander. There were grand plans for these two who had such relationships at GH. Unfortunately there was a writer's strike, so the results, while good acting was in place, it fell short of expectations.

Single Most Notable Piece of Writing

At AW Jill Farren Phelps had used a focus group & set up a major event murder of Frankie Frame, much beloved, core family member, legacy character, mother of a small daughter, Cass's wife. De Priest wrote it & it was the most gruesome onscreen death I am aware of. Broadcast on 8-19-1966 Fax Neuman, very successful serial killer, offed Mary Frances Frame Winthrop (Frankie)

Notable Writing Quirk

She never watched the show. She was finished with the script & that was the end. Not during taping, nor on air.

Soapography[]

Awards and Nominations[]

Daytime Emmy Awards

YEAR CATEGORY SERIES W/N
1981 Writing Team General Hospital N
1984 Writing Team Days of our Lives N
1985 Writing Team Days of our Lives N
1990 Writing Team All My Children N
1992 Writing Team One Life to Live N

Writers Guild of America

YEAR CATEGORY SERIES W/N
1998 Daytime Serials Another World N