Barbara Corday

Writer / Executive

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About

About this interview

In her nearly three-hour Archive 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, later, her 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.

"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?"

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

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 Prime Time 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

Barbara Corday on developing Bosom Buddies

05:51

Cagney & Lacey

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 & Laceyand 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

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

Barbara Corday on Executive Producing the made-for-television movie I Dream of Jeannie... 15 Years Later

02:48

Married… With Children

Barbara Corday on her favorite shows at Columbia including Who's the Boss, Married with Children, and Designing Women

05:35

Medical Center

Barbara Corday on writing for Medical Center

02:01

Murphy Brown

Barbara Corday on the development of Murphy Brown

01:51

Sons and Daughters (1974)

Barbara Corday on writing for Sons and Daughters and various other Universal Television Shows

04:33

Turnabout

Barbara Corday on writing for Turnabout, starring Sharon Gless

03:19

Who's the Boss?

Barbara Corday on her favorite shows at Columbia including Who's the Boss, Married with Children, and Designing Women

05:35

Wonder Woman

Barbara Corday on writing for Wonder Woman

03:35

Topics

Advice

Barbara Corday on advice to aspiring television writers

02:07

Barbara Corday on advice to aspiring television executives

01:19

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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

Diversity in Television

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

First Big Break

Barbara Corday on pitching a series with Barbara Avedon

05:41

Historic Events and Social Change

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

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

Television Industry

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 Prime Time 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

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 advice to aspiring television executives

01:19

Television Executive

View Profession

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

Barbara Corday on writing for Wonder Woman

03:35

Comedy Series

Barbara Corday on writing for Turnabout, starring Sharon Gless

03:19

Barbara Corday on Murphy Brown

01:48

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

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

Barbara Corday on writing for Sons and Daughters and various other Universal Television Shows

04:34

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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 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

View Interview Page

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 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

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