The script for the movie was written in the mid-1970's. It took many years for the script to be produced because the networks felt that there was no audience for a realistic show about policewomen. When the TV movie aired, it was a ratings smash and inspired a successful series of the same name.
Every year the show was on the air, the Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series went to one of the stars of this show. Tyne Daly won the award four times and Sharon Gless won twice.
In the TV movie that inspired the series, the original choice to play Chris Cagney was Sharon Gless. She was not available because of her contract to Universal. Gless eventually played the part in the series based on this film.
In the TV movie that inspired the series, Christine Cagney was played by Loretta Swit. When the show first began, Meg Foster took over the role of Christine Cagney. After a few episodes, Sharon Gless eventually won the role and played Cagney for six years.
The show was canceled at the end of the 1982-83 season, due to low ratings. In response, viewers wrote to CBS, protesting the cancellation. This effort, combined with the show's increasing ratings during the summer reruns, prompted the network to reverse the decision. Although the cast members had just been released from their contracts, they were soon brought back to work on the show. The series was reinstated in March of 1984, and ran until 1988.
Sharon Gless (Christine Cagney) married the producer of the show, Barney Rosenzweig, in 1991. A year earlier, Rosenzweig had divorced his wife of 11 years, Barbara Corday, who was the creator / writer of "Cagney & Lacey".
Tyne Daly (Mary Beth Lacey) played Insp. Kate Moore in the 1976 movie "The Enforcer" with Clint Eastwood, before starring in "Cagney & Lacey".
Carl Lumbly (Mark Petrie) played an inmate, with his friend Danny Glover, in the 1979 movie "Escape from Alcatraz" with Clint Eastwood, before starring in "Cagney & Lacey".
Harvey Atkin (Ronald Coleman) played Sergeant Talbot in the 1961 series "The Avengers", before starring in "Cagney & Lacey".
John Karlen's (Harvey Lacey) then-wife, Betty Karlen, guest-starred in an episode of "Cagney & Lacey", marking the only time they appeared on the same TV series at the same time, though they did not have a scene together.
Carl Lumbly (Mark Petrie) went on to play Marcus R. Dixon in the 2001 series "Alias".
In 1997, Al Waxman (Bert Samuels) received the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honor.
Martin Kove (Victor Isbecki) is a Vietnam-vet.
John Karlen's (Harvey Lacey) has guest starred on "The Streets of San Francisco", "Hawaii Five-O", "Charlie's Angels", "Kojak", "The Rockford Files", "Starsky and Hutch", "Quincy", "Hill Street Blues", "Mike Hammer", and "Murder, She Wrote".
Harvey Atkin (Ronald Coleman) guest starred in "The Littlest Hobo", "Law & Order", and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit".
Cast member Sidney Clute (Paul La Guardia) 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.
