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Sharon Gless

Sharon Gless

Actor, also producer · Born May 31, 1943 (83) · Los Angeles, California, USA

2 Primetime Emmys · 2 Golden Globes

Sharon Gless (born May 31, 1943) is an American actress known for her iconic TV roles, including Sgt. Christine Cagney in Cagney & Lacey, Debbie Novotny in Queer as Folk, and Madeline Westen in Burn Notice. She has won two Golden Globe Awards and two Emmy Awards for her performances. Gless began her career as a secretary before transitioning to acting and has also appeared in stage productions like Misery and The Vagina Monologues.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 31, 1943 (83)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
40 on MovieCove · 70 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

What are Sharon Gless' films like?

Across their 26 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
27%
Self
19%
Morality
19%
Power
14%
Society
10%
Survival
6%
Ideas
3%
Justice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 20 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 18 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 11 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 13 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 11 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 9 · Affecting 8 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 8 of 13 analyzed roles.

Hero
8 of 13
Mentor
3 of 13
Ally
2 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
14
Warm
12
Hopeful
8
Contemplative
9
Melancholic
5
Other
15

How their films linger

Hopeful12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet10
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sharon Gless' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 40 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Roku Channel (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sharon Gless' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

70 credits, 40 with a MovieCove page; 10 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Fast Charlie(2023)

    as Mavis

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Station 19(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Dottie

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • The Gifted(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ellen Strucker

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • The Exorcist(2016)

    Show 10 episodes · as Chris MacNeil

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Inequality for All(2013)

    as Christine Cagney (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Once Fallen(2010)

    as Sue

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Rizzoli & Isles(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Inmate

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Hannah Free(2009)

    Producer · as Older Hannah

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Burn Notice(2007)

    Show 111 episodes · as Madeline Westen

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The State Within(2006)

    Show 6 episodes · as Lynne Warner

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Nip/Tuck(2003)

    Show 5 episodes · as Colleen Rose

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Queer as Folk(2000)

    Show 83 episodes · as Debbie Novotny

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Bring Him Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • Smoke and Mirrors: A History of Denial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Narrator

  • Judging Amy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Sally Godwin

  • The Girl Next Door(1998)

    as Dr. Gayle Bennett

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Promised Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Cagney & Lacey: True Convictions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Christine Cagney

  • Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life(1996)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Cagney & Lacey: The View Through the Glass Ceiling(1995)

    as Christine Cagney

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Cagney & Lacey: Together Again(1995)

    as Christine Cagney

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Cagney & Lacey: The Return(1994)

    as Christine Cagney

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Touched by an Angel(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Ziggy

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Separated by Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Betty Gay Wilson / Holly Faye Walker / Peggy Joy Lowe / Lily Mae Stokely

  • Honor Thy Mother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Bonnie Von Stein

  • The Trials of Rosie O'Neill(1990)

    Show 34 episodes · as Rosie O'Neill

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • The Outside Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Joyce Mattox

  • Letting Go(1985)

    as Kate

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Sky's No Limit(1984)

    as Joanna Douglas

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Hobson's Choice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Maggie Hobson

  • The Star Chamber(1983)

    as Emily Hardin

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Magic Statue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Penny Alston

  • Cagney & Lacey(1981)

    Show 119 episodes · as Christine Cagney

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • The Miracle of Kathy Miller(1981)

    as Barbara Miller

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Revenge of the Stepford Wives(1980)

    as Kaye Foster

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Scarlett O'Hara War(1980)

    as Carole Lombard

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Kids Who Knew Too Much(1980)

    as Karen Goldner

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Hardhat & Legs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Patricia Botsford

  • House Calls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 24 episodes · as Jane Jeffries

  • The Last Convertible (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 3 episodes · as Kay Haddon

  • Tales of the Unexpected(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Caroline Coates

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Turnabout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

  • The Immigrants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Jean Seldon Lavetta

  • The Immigrants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jean Seldon Lavetta

  • Crash(1978)

    as Lesley Fuller

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Centennial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 12 episodes · as Sidney Endermann

  • The Islander (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Shauna Cooke

  • Baa Baa Black Sheep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Nurse 1st Lt.

  • The Flying Misfits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Nurse 1st Lt.

  • Switch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 70 episodes · as Maggie Philbin

  • Switch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Maggie Philbin

  • Airport 1975(1974)

    as Sharon

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Rockford Files(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Lori Jenivan · as Susan Jameson

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • My Darling Daughters' Anniversary(1973)

    as Jennifer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Kojak(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Nancy Parks

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Toma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Faraday and Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 4 episodes · as Holly Barrett

  • Chase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Sally

  • Bonnie's Kids(1972)

    as Sharon - Waitress

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • All My Darling Daughters(1972)

    as Jennifer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Cool Million (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Sandy Sherwood

  • The Bob Newhart Show(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Rosalie Shaeffer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Emergency!(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Sculptor · as Sheila

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • The Sixth Sense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • McCloud(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Marcus Welby, M.D.(1969)

    Show 171 episodes · as Dr. Susan Carr · as Kathleen Faverty · as Lynn Baker

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Adam-12(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Lynn Carmichael

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Ironside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Karen Goldner

  • Inside the Oasis: The Story of South Florida's Gay Mecca (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 69 titles, 68 of them dated from 1954 to 2023; peak year 2023.

Biggest box office

The Star Chamber (1983)

$5.6M worldwide

Highest rated

Inequality for All (2013)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Burn Notice (2007)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19542023

Peak 2023 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting69 of 69: 69 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score58th

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s3 · acting1970s27 · acting1980s12 · acting1990s12 · acting2000s6 · acting2010s6 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 5 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

Awards

2 Primetime Emmys and 2 Golden Globes from 17 major nominations, 1983–2010.

WinNomination
  1. 2010
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
  2. 2008
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
  3. 1992
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
  4. 1991
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
  5. 1989
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
  6. 1988
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
  7. 1987
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
  8. 1986
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
Show 3 earlier years
  1. 1985
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
  2. 1984
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
  3. 1983
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Sharon Gless' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 21; across their 20 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Approval · how many liked their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Reach · how many have seen their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Midcredits score across 40 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th16
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 40 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Cult Classic5
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

Letting Go (1985)

80th percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Inequality for All (2013)

Midcredits 97th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Sharon Gless' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 30 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 67 · intenseMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 62 · intenseMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 53 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Sharon Gless work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sharon Gless' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Tyne Daly shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers