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Sharon Marguerite Gless (born May 31, 1943, Los Angeles) is an American actress whose work has been principally in television drama. After early work under a contract with Universal and frequent guest turns in 1970s series, she became widely known as Maggie Philbin on Switch (1975–1978) and then as Detective Sgt. Christine Cagney on the landmark police series Cagney & Lacey (1982–1988). Her portrayal of Cagney earned back-to-back Primetime Emmy Awards (1986, 1987) and a Golden Globe, and established Gless as a prominent leading actress on US television. In later decades she sustained a steady screen career with prominent roles including the title role in The Trials of Rosie O'Neill, Debbie Novotny on Showtime’s Queer as Folk (2000–2005) and Madeline Westen on USA Network’s Burn Notice (2007–2013).

... Sharon Gless is a fifth-generation Californian who trained for the stage and moved into television and film work in the early 1970s. Under a multi-year contract with Universal she built a long list of guest appearances and supporting parts before being cast as Maggie Philbin on the CBS series Switch, which brought her regular exposure. Her breakthrough came when she assumed the role of Detective Sgt. Christine Cagney on Cagney & Lacey, a role that won her two consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe and that made her a household name. Producer Barney Rosenzweig later created The Trials of Rosie O’Neill for her; she continued to take both lead and memorable supporting parts, narrating the documentary Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life (1997) and starring in independent films such as Hannah Free (2009). In the 2000s she enjoyed renewed prominence as Debbie Novotny on Queer as Folk and as Madeline Westen on Burn Notice. Gless has also maintained a stage career — creating the role of Annie Wilkes in the West End production of Misery (1992) and appearing in Neil Simon’s Chapter Two in 1996 — and she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1995. Her career spans ensemble television, lead dramatic roles and steady character work across four decades. Then & Now The 1980s In the 1980s Sharon Gless became a national figure through her starring turn as Detective Sgt. Christine Cagney on the landmark police drama Cagney & Lacey (1982–1988). Her gritty, nuanced portrayal earned back-to-back Primetime Emmy Awards (1986, 1987) and a Golden Globe, establishing her as one of television’s leading actresses. The show's willingness to tackle social issues and to center two complex professional women helped redefine female representation on American TV and made Gless a household name. The visibility and prestige she gained in that decade shaped the rest of her career and opened the door to subsequent leading roles. Now (2026) As of 2026 Gless, now in her early eighties, is chiefly celebrated for a long television career that includes her Emmy-winning work on Cagney & Lacey and notable later roles on The Trials of Rosie O'Neill, Queer as Folk and Burn Notice. She has largely stepped back from steady series work but remains a respected presence in retrospectives, interviews and the occasional public appearance, with her performances continuing to be cited by actors and creators. Her enduring legacy is as a trailblazer for strong, complex female leads in television drama. Career timeline 1943 Born May 31 in Los Angeles as Sharon Marguerite Gless. Early 1970s Signed a multi-year contract with Universal Studios and began accumulating guest and supporting TV roles. 1975–1978 Regular cast member as Maggie Philbin on the CBS detective series Switch. 1979–1982 Appearances in a variety of television films and series, including a stint on the sitcom House Calls. 1982–1988 Starred as Det. Sgt. Christine Cagney on Cagney & Lacey, partnering with Tyne Daly. 1986–1987 Won consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Cagney & Lacey. 1990–1992 Starred in the title role of the CBS drama The Trials of Rosie O'Neill. 1995 Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 2000–2005 Played Debbie Novotny on Showtime’s Queer as Folk, a prominent recurring role on cable television. 2007–2013 Played Madeline Westen on USA Network’s Burn Notice, a long-running supporting role. Public reference sources Public biography and credit reference.Public biographical overview of Sharon Gless Public biography and credit reference.Sharon Gless – Wikipedia reference search Biographical and credit details were checked against Public biographical overview of Sharon Gless, Sharon Gless – Wikipedia reference search.