born in the mississippi city of holly springs, vendig created "the edge of night" for procter and gamble productions and cbs daytime in 1956. he had been a writer on the "perry mason" radio show and when erle stanley gardner refused to allow the show to become a soap opera, vendig refashioned the show into "the edge of night", and brought actor john larkin, who played mason on the radio, to the show as series star mike karr. the character of mike's daughter, laurie ann karr, was named for vendig's daughter laurie ann.