Barney Rosenzweig

In his three-hour Archive interview, Barney Rosenzweig speaks for two-and-a-half hours solo and for thirty minutes with wife and Cagney & Lacey co-star Sharon Gless. Rosenzweig describes his entrance into show business at MGM, starting in the mailroom, and shortly thereafter rising through the ranks as a studio publicist. He recounts becoming an associate producer at 20th Century Fox for feature films, and outlines his first television work as a producer on Daniel Boone in the late 1960s. He explains reviving the series in its final seasons, with less emphasis on action and more on contemporary political views. He talks of producing Charlie's Angels, and then details the series with which he is most closely associated: Cagney & Lacey. Rosenzweig describes launching Cagney & Lacey, taking it from a feature film script, to a television movie, and finally to a series. He talks of casting the series, shooting at a downtown Los Angeles warehouse, and the series struggling in the ratings. He then discusses The Trials of Rosie O'Neill, recalling his approach to the series and marrying lead Sharon Gless during the run of the show. He also talks about producing the series Christy and the Cagney & Lacey television movies. In their joint interview, Rosenzweig and Gless talk about their work together and their personal relationship. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on October 15, 2008 in North Hollywood, CA.