This pilot film for the TV detective series Cagney and Lacey stars Loretta Swit as Chris Cagney and Tyne Daly as Mary Beth Lacey. C and L are NYPD undercover officers, spending their first week on the job disguised as hookers. It's all part of a plan to flush out the person who's been going around beating up prostitutes. The storyline, which also includes the murder of a diamond merchant, shifts from Cagney and Lacey's street duty to their constant struggle against sexism at precinct headquarters and at home. Executive producer Barney Rosenzweig claimed that he'd come up with the idea of Cagney and Lacey after reading a Molly Haskell piece concerning the patronizing treatment of women in films. First telecast on October 8, 1981, the pilot film for Cagney and Lacey held its own opposite the season premiere of Taxi, leading to a weekly series which lasted from 1982 to 1988. But when the series proper went into production, Loretta Swit was replaced by Meg Foster, who in turn was replaced by Sharon Gless (later the wife of executive producer Rosenzweig). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Harvey Atkin - Desk Sergeant; Anna Berger - Mrs. Goldman; Jack Blum - 2nd Hasid; Patrick Brymer - Macho John; Joan Copeland - Mrs. Friedlander; Lili Francks - Honey; Michael Gorrin - Hassidic Broker; Ben Hammer - Schirmer; Yvette Hawkins - Female; Ronald Hunter - Harvey Lacey; Taborah Johnson - Tenny; Anni Lantuch - Gloria; Jefferson Mappin - Isbecki; Gino Marrocco - Davidson; Miriam Newhouse - Ruby; Nick Nichols - Haun; Gerard Parkes - Capt. Wells; Gerry Salsberg - Indecisive John; Tucker Smallwood - Ace Truck Driver; Dennis Strong - Sugar; Caroline Yeager - Deena; Jamie Dick - Harvey Lacey Jr.; Nicky Fylan - Pickpocket; Len Doncheff - Patrolman; Mina E. Mina - Mannie Silverman; Dave Nichols - Bachelor; Al Waxman - Lt. Bert Samuels; Carl Lumbly - Det. Mark Petrie; Neil Daird - Taylor; Jerry Jarrett - Bubov Merchant; Moish Kanatkin - 1st Hasid; Evan Routbard - Michael Lacey; Reuben Singer - 1st Merchant; Richard Yearwood - Randy
Credit
Douglas Higgins - Art Director, Abe Milrad - Associate Producer, Ted Post - Director, Michael Hill - Editor, Gregory Prange - Editor, Barney Rosenzweig - Executive Producer, Mark Snow - Composer (Music Score), Douglas Higgins - Production Designer, Albert J. Dunk - Cinematographer, Richard Rosenbloom - Producer, Barbara Corday - Screen Story, Barbara Avedon - Screenwriter
