Barbara Corday

Writer / Executive
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In her nearly three-hour interview, Barbara Corday talks about her early years working as a publicist. She describes her transition to writing, working on several popular sitcoms with her partner, Barbara Avedon. She discusses the way in which women writers were treated in the industry in the 1970s and 1980s. She talks about the six-year journey to get landmark police drama Cagney & Lacey on the air, which she co-created with Avedon. She talks about her work as an executive in development at ABC on such series as Bosom Buddies and American Dream. She describes her continued work as an independent producer and her later work in several executive positions including President of Columbia Television (a television first for a female executive) and Executive Vice President for Primetime Programming at CBS. Finally, she speaks about her then-recent association with USC's School of Cinema-Television. Darby Maloney conducted the interview on August 12, 2004 in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"As an executive, I think people have to be given their due. I think if you're hiring somebody because you think they're very talented, you need to let them do what it is that they do. I also think that you have to give them the opportunity in the community to be viewed as important. Otherwise, you have to be in every meeting, and what's the point of that?"

People Talking About ...
Barbara Corday
Highlights
Barbara Corday on the genesis and concept of Cagney & Lacey
03:32
Barbara Corday on being named Vice President of Comedy Series Development at ABC
04:30
Barbara Corday on developing Bosom Buddies
05:51
Barbara Corday on pitching a series with Barbara Avedon
05:41
Barbara Corday on the audience bringing Cagney & Lacey back from cancellation
02:29
Barbara Corday on the challenges of being a female executive in television
03:00
Full Interview

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Chapter 1
On her early life and influences; on television shows she watched growing up
On getting into publicity; on her responsibilities as a publicist and what she learned from working in publicity; on moving to Los Angeles to work with Rogers & Cowan

Chapter 2
On pitching a series with Barbara Avedon; on working on a pilot with Danny Arnold and Barbara Avedon for Barbara Eden; on writing for Sons and Daughters and various other Universal Television shows
On writing for Medical Center; on pitching Cagney & Lacey in 1974 and on being involved in the women's movement at the time; on writing for Wonder Woman and Turnabout, starring Sharon Gless

Chapter 3
On the genesis and concept of Cagney & Lacey; on the made-for-television movie of Cagney & Lacey; on taking Cagney & Lacey to series and the changes that were made from the TV movie to the series
On casting Tyne Daly as "Mary Beth Lacey" on Cagney & Lacey; on the premise of Cagney & Lacey and on dealing with women's issues on the show
On the first cancellation of Cagney & Lacey and on recasting Meg Foster as "Christine Cagney" with Sharon Gless; on the dynamic between Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly on Cagney & Lacey

Chapter 4
On her involvement as a creative consultant on Cagney & Lacey once it went to series; on writing the Cagney & Lacey episode "Who Says It's Fair" and on working with Tyne Daly as "Mary Beth Lacey"; on working with Sharon Gless as "Christine Cagney" on Cagney & Lacey
On Cagney & Lacey executive producer Barney Rosenzweig and the issues covered on the show; on how Cagney & Lacey evolved over the years and on her favorite episodes; on the cancellation of Cagney & Lacey and the influence of the show
On being named Vice President of Comedy Series Development at ABC; on her pilot American Dream; on her responsibilities as Vice President of Comedy Series Development at ABC

Chapter 5
On developing Bosom Buddies; on leaving ABC and starting her own production company; on the shows produced by her production company and being appointed president of Columbia Pictures Television
On the kinds of programs that were produced when she was at Columbia Pictures Television; on her favorite shows at Columbia including Who's the Boss?, Married... With Children, and Designing Women; on executive producing the made-for-television movie I Dream of Jeannie... 15 Years Later and on leaving Columbia

Chapter 6
On becoming Executive Vice President for Primetime Programming at CBS; on the challenges of being a female executive in television; on the development of Murphy Brown
On advice to aspiring television writers and television executives; on her mentors Barbara Avedon, Herman Rush, and Frank Biondi; on how the status of women in television has changed since she started
On her greatest career achievement and on then-current projects; on career regrets and how she'd like to be remembered
Shows

Bosom Buddies

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Barbara Corday on developing Bosom Buddies
05:51

Cagney & Lacey

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Barbara Corday on pitching Cagney & Lacey in 1974 and on being involved in the women's movement at the time
05:11
Barbara Corday on the genesis and concept of Cagney & Lacey
03:32
Barbara Corday on the made-for-television movie of Cagney & Lacey
03:53
Barbara Corday on taking Cagney & Lacey to series and the changes that were made from the TV movie to the series
03:54
Barbara Corday on casting Tyne Daly as "Mary Beth Lacey" on Cagney & Lacey
03:01
Barbara Corday on the premise of Cagney & Lacey and on dealing with women's issues on the show
04:43
Barbara Corday on the first cancellation of Cagney & Lacey and on recasting Meg Foster as "Christine Cagney" with Sharon Gless
06:54
Barbara Corday on the dynamic between Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly on Cagney & Lacey
01:22
Barbara Corday on her involvement as a creative consultant on Cagney & Lacey once it went to series
04:56
Barbara Corday on writing the Cagney & Lacey episode "Who Says It's Fair" and on working with Tyne Daly as "Mary Beth Lacey"
01:46
Barbara Corday on working with Sharon Gless as "Christine Cagney" on Cagney & Lacey
02:27
Barbara Corday on Cagney & Lacey executive producer Barney Rosenzweig and the issues covered on the show
02:01
Barbara Corday on the audience bringing Cagney & Lacey back from cancellation
02:29
Barbara Corday on how Cagney & Lacey evolved over the years and on her favorite episodes
05:18
Barbara Corday on the cancellation of Cagney & Lacey and the influence of the show
01:23

Designing Women

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Barbara Corday on her favorite shows at Columbia including Who's the Boss?, Married... With Children, and Designing Women
05:35

I Dream of Jeannie… 15 Years Later

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Barbara Corday on executive producing the made-for-television movie I Dream of Jeannie... 15 Years Later
02:48

Married… With Children

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Barbara Corday on her favorite shows at Columbia including Who's the Boss?, Married... With Children, and Designing Women
05:35

Medical Center

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Barbara Corday on writing for Medical Center
02:01

Murphy Brown

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Barbara Corday on the development of Murphy Brown
01:51

Sons and Daughters (1974)

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Barbara Corday on writing for Sons and Daughters and various other Universal Television shows
04:33

Turnabout

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Barbara Corday on writing for Turnabout, starring Sharon Gless
03:19

Who's the Boss?

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Barbara Corday on her favorite shows at Columbia including Who's the Boss?, Married... With Children, and Designing Women
05:35

Wonder Woman

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Barbara Corday on writing for Wonder Woman
03:35
Topics

Advice

View Topic
Barbara Corday on advice to aspiring television writers
02:07
Barbara Corday on advice to aspiring television executives
01:19

Creative Influences and Inspiration

View Topic
Barbara Corday on pitching a series with Barbara Avedon
05:41
Barbara Corday on her mentors Barbara Avedon, Herman Rush, and Frank Biondi
01:47

First Big Break

View Topic
Barbara Corday on pitching a series with Barbara Avedon
05:41

Historic Events and Social Change

View Topic
Barbara Corday on pitching Cagney & Lacey in 1974 and on being involved in the women's movement at the time
05:11
Barbara Corday on the premise of Cagney & Lacey and on dealing with women's issues on the show
04:43
Barbara Corday on the challenges of being a female executive in television
03:00
Barbara Corday on how the status of women in television has changed since she started
04:45

Pivotal Career Moments

View Topic
Barbara Corday on pitching a series with Barbara Avedon
05:41
Barbara Corday on her mentors Barbara Avedon, Herman Rush, and Frank Biondi
01:47

Representation on Television

View Topic
Barbara Corday on pitching Cagney & Lacey in 1974 and on being involved in the women's movement at the time
05:11
Barbara Corday on the premise of Cagney & Lacey and on dealing with women's issues on the show
04:43
Barbara Corday on how the status of women in television has changed since she started
04:45
Barbara Corday on the challenges of being a female executive in television
03:00

Television Industry

View Topic
Barbara Corday on leaving ABC and starting her own production company
02:17
Barbara Corday on the shows produced by her production company and being appointed President of Columbia Pictures Television
06:10
Barbara Corday on the kinds of programs that were produced when she was at Columbia Pictures Television
04:17
Barbara Corday on becoming Chief Operating Office of Columbia/Embassy Television and on leaving Columbia
01:49
Barbara Corday on becoming Executive Vice President for Primetime Programming at CBS
05:49
Barbara Corday on advice to aspiring television writers
02:07
Barbara Corday on advice to aspiring television executives
01:19

Women

View Topic
Barbara Corday on pitching Cagney & Lacey in 1974 and on being involved in the women's movement at the time
05:11
Barbara Corday on the premise of Cagney & Lacey and on dealing with women's issues on the show
04:43
Barbara Corday on the challenges of being a female executive in television
03:00
Barbara Corday on how the status of women in television has changed since she started
04:45
Professions

Executives

View Profession
Barbara Corday on her responsibilities as Vice President of Comedy Series Development at ABC
01:28
Barbara Corday on being named Vice President of Comedy Series Development at ABC
04:30
Barbara Corday on the kinds of programs that were produced when she was at Columbia Pictures Television
04:17
Barbara Corday on advice to aspiring television executives
01:19

Publicist

View Profession
Barbara Corday on her responsibilities as a publicist and what she learned from working in publicity
04:38
Barbara Corday on getting into publicity
04:05

Representatives

View Profession
Barbara Corday on her responsibilities as a publicist and what she learned from working in publicity
04:38
Barbara Corday on getting into publicity
04:05

Television Executive

View Profession
Barbara Corday on her responsibilities as Vice President of Comedy Series Development at ABC
01:28
Barbara Corday on being named Vice President of Comedy Series Development at ABC
04:30
Barbara Corday on the kinds of programs that were produced when she was at Columbia Pictures Television
04:17
Barbara Corday on advice to aspiring television executives
01:19

Writers

View Profession
Barbara Corday on advice to aspiring television writers
02:07
Genres

Adventure/Espionage Series

View Genre
Barbara Corday on writing for Wonder Woman
03:35

Comedy Series

View Genre
Barbara Corday on writing for Turnabout, starring Sharon Gless
03:19
Barbara Corday on Murphy Brown
01:48

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

View Genre
Barbara Corday on pitching Cagney & Lacey in 1974 and on being involved in the women's movement at the time
05:11
Barbara Corday on Cagney & Lacey
27:21
Barbara Corday on creating Cagney and Lacey
20:20

Drama Series

View Genre
Barbara Corday on writing for Sons and Daughters and various other Universal Television shows
04:34

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

View Genre
Barbara Corday on executive producing the made-for-television movie I Dream of Jeannie... 15 Years Later
02:48
People

Danny Arnold

View Person Page
Barbara Corday on working on a pilot with Danny Arnold and Barbara Avedon for Barbara Eden
04:05

Barbara Avedon

View Person Page
Barbara Corday on pitching a series with Barbara Avedon
05:41
Barbara Corday on working on a pilot with Danny Arnold and Barbara Avedon for Barbara Eden
04:05
Barbara Corday on one of her mentors: Barbara Avedon
01:45

Frank Biondi

View Person Page
Barbara Corday on one of her mentors: Frank Biondi
00:37

Tyne Daly

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Barbara Corday on casting Tyne Daly as "Mary Beth Lacey" on Cagney & Lacey
02:59
Barbara Corday on the dynamic between Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly on Cagney & Lacey
01:22
Barbara Corday on writing the Cagney & Lacey episode "Who Says It's Fair" and on working with Tyne Daly as "Mary Beth Lacey"
01:46

Barbara Eden

View Interview Page
Barbara Corday on working on a pilot with Danny Arnold and Barbara Avedon for Barbara Eden
04:05

Sharon Gless

View Interview Page
Barbara Corday on writing for Turnabout, starring Sharon Gless
03:20
Barbara Corday on the first cancellation of Cagney & Lacey and on recasting Meg Foster as "Christine Cagney" with Sharon Gless
06:54
Barbara Corday on the dynamic between Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly on Cagney & Lacey
01:22
Barbara Corday on working with Sharon Gless as "Christine Cagney" on Cagney & Lacey
02:27

Tom Hanks

View Person Page
Barbara Corday on developing Bosom Buddies, starring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari
05:51

Barney Rosenzweig

View Interview Page
Barbara Corday on Cagney & Lacey executive producer Barney Rosenzweig and the issues covered on the show
02:01

Peter Scolari

View Person Page
Barbara Corday on developing Bosom Buddies, starring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari
05:51

All Interviews

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