Cagney & Lacey (1981–1988)

Two female police detectives cooperate with each other both in their professions and in their personal lives.

Creators:

Barbara Avedon, Barbara Corday

Stars:

Tyne Daly, John Karlen, Al Waxman

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 34 wins & 55 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Tyne Daly	...	Det. Mary Beth Lacey (126 episodes, 1981-1988)
John Karlen	...	Harvey Lacey (121 episodes, 1982-1988)
Al Waxman	...	Lt. Bert Samuels (120 episodes, 1981-1988)
Sharon Gless	...	Det. Sgt. Christine Cagney (119 episodes, 1982-1988)
Martin Kove	...	Det. Victor Isbecki (117 episodes, 1982-1988)
Carl Lumbly	...	Det. Mark Petrie (104 episodes, 1981-1988)
Harvey Atkin	...	Desk Sgt. Ronald Coleman (89 episodes, 1981-1988)
Troy W. Slaten	...	Michael Lacey (72 episodes, 1982-1988)
Sidney Clute	...	Det. Paul La Guardia (68 episodes, 1982-1988)
Tony La Torre	...	Harvey Lacey, Jr. (66 episodes, 1982-1988)
Paul Mantee	...	Det. Al Corassa (54 episodes, 1983-1988)

Storyline

Television police drama starring two female cops as partners. Their contrasting personalities (one is tough and the other sensitive) strengthen them as a team, allowing each a different perspective on both personal and professional situations.

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Plot Keywords:

police | detective | police detective | unemployment | househusband | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 July 1982 (UK)

Also Known As:

Cagney et Lacey

Filming Locations:

Lacy Street Production Center - 2630 Lacy Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Filmways Pictures, Orion Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (125 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cast member Sidney Clute passed away during the run of the show. The producers included his name and picture during the opening credits of every episode after his death as a tribute to him.

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Quotes

Mary Beth Lacey: We go in together and it's 'Hello, Sgt. Cagney,' 'How ya doing, Sgt. Cagney?' I may as well have stayed in the car.
Christine Cagney: Oh Mary Beth.
Mary Beth Lacey: And when we go to the lab, Solomon offers you sushi, me, I get fiber samples. Don't tell me you never noticed.
Christine Cagney: Well, maybe one or two times. You know how men are.

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Crazy Credits

Actor Sidney Clute passed away during the run of the series. In every episode after his death, his name and picture still appeared in the opening credits. That was done by the producers as a tribute to him.

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Connections

Referenced in Married with Children: Kelly's Gotta Habit (1996)

User Reviews

Not Nice! But Excellent!

Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly redefined female relationships. No, they were never lovers and the thought had never occurred back in the 1980s. They were partners, allies, friends, and comrades in a man's profession. They were unlikely heroines. Mary Beth was married to Harvey with two sons and a daughter. Christine was the troubled single woman. Partnered together, they formed a dynamic duo with the likes of Starsky and Hutch and Miami Vice but with estrogen and a women's touch. As Cagney and Lacey, the audience realized that women can be more serious and intelligent than the other female duo of Laverne and Shirley. No, this show was serious, thought-provoking, and entertaining. We loved Cagney and Lacey and it was a show that it's audience fought to bring back to the airwaves with passion. Unfortunately, shows like Cagney and Lacey probably wouldn't come back. The idea of having mature, plain women like Daly and Gless is gone. Although the show garnered plenty of honors including Emmys for both Daly and Gless, it is hard to imagine that nowadays a show like Cagney and Lacey wouldn't be more Police Woman and less serious. On screen, Daly and Gless proved to be a dynamic duo. You knew you had two strong actresses giving the performance of their lives as female cops. Gone was the glamor and present was the seriousness that women should be taken more seriously. Unfortunately, actresses like Daly and Gless who are terrific American actresses of the highest caliber who can turn any guest appearance into an Emmy nomination should not be forgotten and discarded like yesterday's garbage. Daly and Gless proved that audiences didn't always go for glamorous, attractive, but a realistic portrayal of women in a man's department. It's still a man's world but Cagney and Lacey proved that they had what it took to make it there after all.