Cagney & Lacey off massive protest, and put Rosenzweig into high gear in his dealings with CBS. The cancellation of "House Calls" was announced among insider circles just before upfronts, and Rosenzweig pressured CBS executives to relaunch "Cagney & Lacey" in the fall with Gless replacing Foster. Gless met with "Cagney & Lacey" producers again to consider the role, but while always having taken to the character, had doubts about joining for the fall of 1982 because, after "House Calls", she "didn't want to make a career of replacing actresses." Ratings, however, were still low during the first year Daly and Gless co-starred
Sharon Gless had a large clientele of major film studio executives and actors. Wanting to become an actress, she sought her grandfather's advice and he told her, "Stay out of it, it's a filthy business!" A few years later, though, when she spoke to him again about acting, he encouraged her, and gave her money for acting classes. She worked as a secretary for the advertising agencies Grey Advertising and Young & Rubicam, and then for the independent movie production companies Sassafras Films and General Film Corporation. While she worked as a production assistant, Gless studied drama with acting coach Estelle Harman,