Sharon Gless

Signed as one of Universal Studios last contract players, willowy blonde Sharon Gless worked her way up the ladder of episodic TV, appearing briefly on "McCloud" (NBC) and guesting on a few short-lived series before landing a season-long (1973-74) stint as secretary Holly Barrett on the NBC drama series "Faraday and Company". Her association with Robert Young in two ABC made-for-TV-movies, "All My Darling Daughters" (1972) and "My Darling Daughters' Anniversary" (1973), plus a guest spot on a 1972 episode of ABC's "Marcus Welby, M.D.", eventually led to permanent duty on that show, playing Nurse Kathleen Faverty in its final two seasons. She returned to secretarial duties for "Switch" (CBS, 1975-78), then worked as a regular on two sitcoms ("Turnabout" NBC 1979 and CBS' "House Calls", replacing Lynn Redgrave from 1981 to 1982). At the same time, Gless was upgrading her profile in two popular NBC miniseries ("Centennial" 1978 and "The Last Convertible" 1979) and as Carole Lombard in "Moviola: The Scarlet O'Hara War" (NBC, 1980).

After her long apprenticeship, Gless finally got the chance to star as a detective herself, replacing Meg Foster as Christine Cagney in 1982 in the CBS drama series "Cagney & Lacey". Overcoming initial criticism that she was too lightweight a talent for the part, she established a notable rapport with co-star Tyne Daly and won critical acclaim (including two Emmy Awards) for the combination of feisty vigor and bruised sensitivity she brought to the role. Gless subsequently lent similar qualities to the eponymous heroine of another CBS series, "The Trials of Rosie O'Neill" (1990-92). Since that show's demise, she has twice performed on the London stage, first in an adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery" (1992) and later opposite Tom Conti in Neil Simon's "Chapter Two" (1996). On TV Gless has reprised the Cagney character in a succession of "reunion" movies, beginning with "Cagney & Lacey: The Return" (CBS, 1994), as well as starring in fare like "Separated by Murder" (CBS, 1994) and the "Girl Next Door" (1998).

• Also Credited As:
  Sharon Marguerite Gless
• Born:
  May 31, 1943 in Los Angeles, California
• Job Titles:
  Actor, Production assistant, Secretary

Family

• Brother: Arick Dennis Gless. born in December 1950
• Brother: Michael McCarthy Gless. born in August 1940
• Grandfather: Neil S McCarthy. represented Howard Hughes, Louis B Mayer and Cecil B DeMille, among others
• Mother: Marjorie Gless. died on March 14, 1998 at age 84
• Niece: Bridget Gless. works at ICM

Milestones

• 1972 Played Jennifer, one of Robert Young's four fianced daughters, in the ABC TV-movie-cum-series-pilot "All My Darling Daughters" and its sequel "My Darling Daughters' Anniversary"
• 1979 Co-starred with John Schuck as Penny Alston in short-lived NBC sitcom "Turnabout"
• 1980 Played film star Carole Lombard in the NBC TV-movie "Moviola: The Scarlett O'Hara War"
• 1983 "Cagney & Lacey" cancelled
• 1983 Made feature film debut in "The Star Chamber"
• 1984 CBS restored "Cagney & Lacey" to its Monday night slot, thanks to a massive write-in campaign on behalf of loyal viewers, and Tyne Daly's Emmy win
• 1992 Appeared on London stage in adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery"
• 1994 Reprised Cagney role in "Cagney & Lacey: The Return" (CBS)
• 1994 Starred in dual role opposite Steve Railsback in CBS movie "Separated by Murder"
• 1995 Received a star on the Hollwood Walk of Fame
• 1996 Co-starred in fourth reunion movie, "Cagney & Lacey: True Convictions" (CBS)
• 1996 Narrated the documentary "Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life"
• 1996 Returned to London stage opposite Tom Conti in "Chapter Two"
• 1998 Starred in CBS movie "The Girl Next Door"
• 2000 Played the slightly overbearing mother of a gay man in the Americanized version of "Queer as Folk" (Showtime)
• Acted featured role of Jane Jeffreys during last two seasons of CBS comedy series "House Calls"
• Acted in the TV mini-series "The Immigrants" (syndicated), "Centennial" and "The Last Convertible" (both NBC)
• Appeared as Holly Barrett, secretary to detective Steve Faraday, in NBC series "Faraday and Company"
• Appeared in role of Sergeant Maggie Clinger in NBC TV series "McCloud"; replaced in role by Nancy Fox
• Essayed role of Detective Christine Cagney in CBS drama series "Cagney & Lacey"; replaced Meg Foster in the role
• Played Maggie Philbin, secretary to detectives Frank MacBride and Pete Ryan, in CBS TV series "Switch"
• Played Nurse Kathleen Faverty during last two seasons of long-running ABC series "Marcus Welby, M.D."
• Played the title role in the CBS drama series "The Trials of Rosie O'Neill"
• Signed (along with Jamie Lee Curtis) as one of Universal Studios' last contract players