Classic TV Collection # 1 - From my own personal archives!
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(NEW SEASON PORTRAIT) Sharon Gless stars as Chris Cagney, a single, attractive, ambitious police detective who battles sexism in the precinct house and crime on the streets, in 'Cagney & Lacey', to be broadcast MONDAYS (10:00-11:00 PM, ET) starting this fall on the CBS Television Network." 8/18/82.
Although well remembered today, most people seem to forget that
Cagney & Lacey, one of the best cop shows of the 1980s, actually got off to a very rocky start. This innovative and multi-award winning program was canceled more than once before it could find just the right combination of stars and acquire an audience for its unique and new kind of police story. Although actress Sharon Gless is the one that nearly everyone thinks of as the tough, career minded Detective Christine Cagney, she was in reality the third actress to take on the role. Loretta Swit played the character in the original TV movie, she had wanted to continue with the new series but was unable to get out of her contract with the producers of another CBS program, the hit comedy
M*A*S*H. The second Cagney, played by Meg Foster in
season one of the show, never really "clicked" with the character or her co-stars and left after only six episodes. Finally in the fall of 1982, starting with season two, Gless came onboard bringing her own distinctive take on Detective Christine Cagney. This time though there was magic, everything just came together and along with Tyne Daly, the only actress to ever play Mary Beth Lacey, as well as a great ensemble cast of supporting players they were able to create the much loved program that is still fondly thought of to this very day. Cagney & Lacey still had tough times ahead, but eventually it would find its audience and would go on for five more outstanding seasons, going places that cop shows had never gone before or since...
"(NEW SEASON PORTRAIT) Sharon Gless stars as Chris Cagney, a single, attractive, ambitious police detective who battles sexism in the precinct house and crime on the streets, in 'Cagney & Lacey', to be broadcast MONDAYS (10:00-11:00 PM, ET) starting this fall on the CBS Television Network." 8/18/82.
Although well remembered today, most people seem to forget that Cagney & Lacey, one of the best cop shows of the 1980s, actually got off to a very rocky start. This innovative and multi-award winning program was canceled more than once before it could find just the right combination of stars and acquire an audience for its unique and new kind of police story. Although actress Sharon Gless is the one that nearly everyone thinks of as the tough, career minded Detective Christine Cagney, she was in reality the third actress to take on the role. Loretta Swit played the character in the original TV movie, she had wanted to continue with the new series but was unable to get out of her contract with the producers of another CBS program, the hit comedy M*A*S*H. The second Cagney, played by Meg Foster in
season one of the show, never really "clicked" with the character or her co-stars and left after only six episodes. Finally in the fall of 1982, starting with season two, Gless came onboard bringing her own distinctive take on Detective Christine Cagney. This time though there was magic, everything just came together and along with Tyne Daly, the only actress to ever play Mary Beth Lacey, as well as a great ensemble cast of supporting players they were able to create the much loved program that is still fondly thought of to this very day. Cagney & Lacey still had tough times ahead, but eventually it would find its audience and would go on for five more outstanding seasons, going places that cop shows had never gone before or since...
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