Summary:

Award-winning American actress Sharon Gless (Cagney&Lacey co-star) in conversation with host Elena Lappin about her powerful memoir APPARENTLY THERE WERE COMPLAINTS (Simon&Schuster)..

Key topics:

• Sharon Gless’s childhood experiences and the impact of her parents’ divorce
• How acting served as a form of self-preservation and identity
• The motivation behind her memoir and its themes of honesty and humour
• Differences between acting roles and writing about her own life
• The significance of her role in pioneering TV roles for women in the 70s and 80s
• Insights into her process of developing characters and backstories
• The importance of active listening, both in acting and life
• Personal reflections on feeling like an outsider and the power of self-acceptance
• Behind-the-scenes stories from “Cagney and Lacey,” including collaboration on scripts
• Her experiences living and working in London and her love for the city
• The dynamic relationship with her co-star Tyne Daly and their off-screen bond
• The influence of her grandmother and family on her life and career
• Her thoughts on the evolution of television storytelling and female representation
• Her outlook on the future and embracing new roles and identities

Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro and Sharon Gless’s childhood struggles 00:44 – The role of acting as emotional self-defense 02:12 – Reading from her autobiography “Apparently There Were Complaints” 02:38 – Making wishes during storms and unexpected life changes 03:07 – How a CBS meeting led to her memoir 04:07 – Challenges of writing and self-reflection 05:06 – Feelings of not belonging and the comfort of acting 05:35 – Her loyalty to acting as her lifelong love 06:34 – Her approach to character development and authenticity 07:02 – Memorable performances and moments of belonging 07:31 – Universal Studios memories and her career beginnings 09:58 – Influences from her childhood and important figures like Monique James 10:18 – The power of her chapter reading and audience reactions 10:59 – Comparing past TV storytelling with today’s content 11:30 – The honesty and rawness of classic TV stories 12:47 – The material and brilliance behind “Cagney and Lacey” 13:25 – Contributing to scripts and character development 14:17 – Playing Cagney’s struggle with alcoholism and her real-life journey 15:26 – Differences between acting and writing her personal experiences 17:29 – Childhood family dynamics and influential figures 19:14 – The emotional muscles she developed to survive early trauma 20:17 – The significance of feeling dead inside and acting as a safety mechanism 21:19 – Celebrating her portrayal of diverse characters across roles 22:34 – Her acting technique of backstory development 23:21 – Using imagination and research to embody characters 24:11 – Her stage work in London and productions in the West End 25:01 – Her love for London and its cultural resonance 26:11 – Fascinating women in her memoir, like her grandmother and Monique James 27:33 – Lessons learned from her mentor about listening and authentic expression 29:23 – The importance of connection and understanding others in storytelling 30:03 – Her brother Michael’s inspiring story and personal struggles 31:09 – Imagining a film about her family and life stories 31:30 – The on-screen and off-screen relationship with Tyne Daly 32:44 – Her love for her career and early studio life 33:39 – The unique idea of quotes on her book’s back cover 35:37 – Final gratitude and appreciation for her candid storytellingResources & Links:

• Apparently There Were Complaints by Sharon Gless
• Sharon Gless – IMDb
• Universal Studios Official Site
• Audible – Apparently There Were Complaints
• stagram
• Official Website

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