Episode 102 - Apparently There Were Complaints With Emmy Award Winning Actress Sharon Gless - Part 2
During the second half of Tony's conversation with Emmy Award-winning actress Sharon Gless, they reminisced about her role as Christine Cagney on the acclaimed TV drama "Cagney and Lacey." She discusses the character's evolution and shares her admiration for co-star Tyne Daly, as well as the criticism they faced as the first women to lead a prime-time series. Sharon reflects on the fan letter campaign that followed the show's cancellation and her surprise at being brought back. She recounts filming her Emmy-winning performance in the two-part episode "Turn, Turn, Turn" and shares her thoughts on Cagney's alcoholism storyline & the audience's response. Additionally, she talks about her feelings upon receiving the Emmy and her lifelong friendship with Tyne, including the four TV movies they made together after the series ended.
She also reflects on her work in the Showtime series "Queer As Folk," explaining how she pursued the role of Debbie Novotny and discusses the show's impact on gay viewers, which inspired her to become an LGBTQ activist. She recalls her famous on-screen kiss with Rosie O'Donnell and shares her experience on "Burn Notice," filmed in Miami, where she was pleasantly surprised by the show's success and how her character, Madeline Westen, evolved over the seven seasons. Furthermore, she also mentions her Emmy-nominated role on "Nip/Tuck," expresses her disappointment at not being cast by Ryan Murphy since then, & describes the challenges she faced while filming "The Exorcist" TV series. Finally, Sharon describes the thrill of receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and discusses her new film with Pierce Brosnan, titled "Fast Charlie."
SHARON GLESS
Few actresses have the distinction of being recognized and revered worldwide for multiple iconic roles in groundbreaking television shows. Sharon Gless is one of them.
Sharon Gless was born into a prominent Hollywood family and always knew she wanted to be an actress. She was an exclusive contract player for Universal Studios from 1972 until 1982, when the studio ended all talent contracts. She was the last contract player in the history of Hollywood. While at Universal, Gless appeared on series such as The Rockford Files; The Bob Newhart Show; and Marcus Welby, MD; among others. In 1982, she accepted the role of Cagney in Cagney & Lacey, eventually winning two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for Best Leading Actress in a Drama Series. In 2000, Gless started playing Debbie Novotny in Queer as Folk, which ran for five seasons. Since then, she’s starred in Burn Notice, Nip/Tuck, and many other shows, movies, and plays. Gless married Barney Rosenzweig, the Executive Producer of Cagney & Lacey, in 1991. They’ve been together for twenty-seven years.
Gless has her star on the renowned Hollywood Walk of Fame, an award for Excellence in the Arts from DePaul University in Chicago, and has many recorded radio plays, including ‘Night, Mother, which earned her the International Sony Award.
Always the happiest when acting in a series or on screen, Gless also finds great fulfillment in lending her indomitable voice to issues involving human rights and LGBTQ causes and was honored by Norman Lear’s People for the American Way for her unwavering dedication to helping others.
She currently resides both in Los Angeles and on Fisher Island, off the coast of Miami, Florida.
Sharon Gless Official Website –
Sharon’s Memoir “Apparently There Were Complaints” –
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Apparently-There-Were-Complaints/Sharon-Gless/9781501125966
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Sharon Gless
Actress / Author
Few actresses have the distinction of being recognized and revered worldwide for multiple iconic roles in groundbreaking television shows. Sharon Gless is one of them.
Generations of TV viewers know and love the remarkable characters brought to life by this standout multi Emmy and Golden Globe winning actress: Christine Cagney (Cagney & Lacey), Rosie O’Neill (The Trials of Rosie O’Neill), Debbie Novotny (Queer As Folk)and Madeline Westen (Burn Notice), among many others. With over four decades of indelible television, film, and stage roles to her credit, Gless continues to enchant her long time followers and captivate new fans with every appearance.
In 1972, the head of Talent at Universal Studios perceived a take-notice quality in Sharon Gless and signed her as an exclusive contract player, a coveted breakthrough opportunity for any young actress. Gless remained under contract for the next decade, until the studio ended all talent contracts in 1981. Gless was held until 1982, earmarking her as the last contract player in the history of Hollywood.
During her contract years with Universal, Gless appeared in top-rated television series including: "The Rockford Files", "The Bob Newhart Show", "Kojack", "Adam-12", and "Faraday and Company". After re-occurring guest-star spots on "Marcus Welby, M.D." (with 25 million weekly viewers in the 1970’s), Gless was offered the role of Kathleen Faverty, James Brolin’s intended first love interest. That one didn’t work out. Robert Young appre… Read More
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