Apparently There Were Complaints

A Memoir

Sharon Gless

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781501125973
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Social Science Biographies
• Index: Social Sciences

Emmy Award–winning actress Sharon Gless tells all in this laugh-out-loud, juicy, "unforgettably memorable" (Lily Tomlin) memoir about her five decades in Hollywood, where she took on some of the most groundbreaking roles of her time. Anyone who has seen Sharon Gless act in Cagney & Lacey, Queer as Folk, Burn Notice, and countless other shows and movies, knows that she's someone who gives every role her all. She holds nothing back in Apparently There Were Complaints, a hilarious, deeply personal memoir that spills all about Gless's five decades in Hollywood.A fifth-generation Californian, Sharon Gless knew from a young age that she wanted to be an actress. After some rocky teenage years that included Sharon's parents' divorce and some minor (and not-so-minor) rebellion, Gless landed a coveted spot as an exclusive contract player for Universal Studios. In 1982, she stepped into the role of New York Police Detective Christine Cagney for the series Cagney & Lacey, which eventually reached an audience of 30 million weekly viewers and garnered Gless with two Emmy Awards. The show made history as the first hour-long drama to feature two women in the leading roles. Gless continued to make history long after Cagney & Lacey was over. In 2000, she took on the role of outrageous Debbie Novotny in Queer as Folk. Her portrayal of a devoted mother to a gay son and confidant to his gay friends touched countless hearts and changed the definition of family for millions of viewers. Apparently There Were Complaints delves into Gless's remarkable career and explores Gless's complicated family, her struggles with alcoholism, and her fear of romantic commitment as well as her encounters with some of Hollywood's biggest names. Brutally honest and incredibly relatable, Gless puts it all out on the page in the same way she has lived—never with moderation.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Introduction
• Chapter One: Bubbles
• Chapter Two: Miss Gless Is About to Perform
• Chapter Three: So Everyone Can See You
• Chapter Four: If It Walks Like a Duck
• Chapter Five: Inevitable
• Chapter Six: Broken Promise
• Chapter Seven: Misplaced Praise
• Chapter Eight: Sex Ed, Losing My Virginity 101 & 102
• Chapter Nine: Pink Suit and Paychecks
• Chapter Ten: You’ve Got $150. Now What?
• Chapter Eleven: I Got Seven Years for Being in a School Play
• Chapter Twelve: Something Happens
• Chapter Thirteen: America’s Sweetheart (Not Me)
• Chapter Fourteen: No One Messes with Sweet Pea
• Chapter Fifteen: Wunderkind (Not Me)
• Chapter Sixteen: Bitch (Still Not Me)
• Chapter Seventeen: Hired, Fired, Hired, and Canceled (All Me)
• Chapter Eighteen: Barefoot in Brooks Brothers
• Chapter Nineteen: Funny or Die
• Chapter Twenty: But CBS Loves Her
• Chapter Twenty-One: The One with the Beard
• Chapter Twenty-Two: Champagne and Chagrin
• Chapter Twenty-Three: Best Intentions
• Chapter Twenty-Four: Are You Irish?
• Chapter Twenty-Five: Raised from the Dead
• Chapter Twenty-Six: “Frank-ly” the Best
• Chapter Twenty-Seven: Blondes Never Win
• Chapter Twenty-Eight: Buckle Up!
• Chapter Twenty-Nine: “Blow”-ing My Cover
• Chapter Thirty: We’ve Got Issues
• Chapter Thirty-One: We Had Issues
• Chapter Thirty-Two: Any Room You’re In
• Chapter Thirty-Three: Five of Twelve
• Chapter Thirty-Four: His Best Doll
• Chapter Thirty-Five: Fan-atic
• Chapter Thirty-Six: Dick About Theater
• Chapter Thirty-Seven: Starmaker
• Chapter Thirty-Eight: I Do. We Did. Twice.
• Chapter Thirty-Nine: How Would You Like to Be Me?
• Chapter Forty: Get Off My Ass
• Chapter Forty-One: Every Nine Years
• Chapter Forty-Two: I Love Trouble
• Chapter Forty-Three: I’ll Be There
• Chapter Forty-Four: Apparently There Were Complaints
• Chapter Forty-Five: Characters Welcome
• Chapter Forty-Six: The Wish
• Photographs
• Acknowledgments
• About the Author
• Copyright