Sunday, April 8, 2012

SPRING BREAK 2012


There is really no bigger piece of news than the simple announcement just past that after more than 20 years of trying, the complete Cagney & Lacey series will be put into one package of DVDs for sale as a collectable for our fans. It has been a long time coming and I am more delighted than anyone… well, almost anyone. Of course now comes the real test… just how many of the folks out there will really care and how many of these “units” will be sold by the distributor. It would be fun to see a record-breaking number. It would be delightful to point out this potential success story to a bunch of execs at MGM who have demonstrated little or no interest and to prove the nay-sayers wrong. I will wait and hope. Order as many of these packages as you can find a home for. Christmas is coming, followed by Mom’s or Grandmother’s birthday and, of course, Mother’s Day. It will make a great gift for all the women on your list.

I have had some other gifts of late. Hard to compare the excitement of watching my spouse on the London stage taking a bow before an audience giving her a standing ovation on boards occupied for 25 years by the Royal Shakespeare Company. A Round-Heeled Woman brought her great personal satisfaction and now she moves on back to season six of Burn Notice right here in Miami. Tyne Daly once again wowed the critics opening in London in Master Class the same week Sharon was closing. What a kick for me to have my dynamic duo being the toast of London…. And you have to know that the 30th anniversary celebration given by the British Film Institute honoring Sharon, Tyne and me was… well… more than special. I am hoping we can clear up a few legal issues to have the tape of that evening included in the package of all episodes which we will be soon selling via the Internet.

The grand kids (two of them, anyway) came to Miami for their spring break from school and now that these holidays are coming to a close I am preparing to take a trip out to the West Coast where I will have my right shoulder surgically replaced. I have asked for the Andy Roddick model, but there is no telling just yet how well this will work out for future tennis matches. Fingers… if not shoulders… crossed. And a sad note as I learned this week of the passing of yet another former associate, Academy Award winner (both an Oscar and an Emmy) Neil Travis. He was the film editor for Dances With Wolves (Oscar winner) and for Roots (Emmy award). We worked together on a far less prestigious project called Men of the Dragon about a year before Neil got his Emmy for Roots and a couple of seasons before I got my Emmy nomination for John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. I have a Neil Travis story or two that I like to tell and may do so in a soon-to-come future blog. One of them was in my book, Cagney & Lacey… and Me, until the very last edit. I will dig through those last-minute “lifts” and share it soon. Until then… spread the word about the coming of the complete series on DVD and let us hear from you.



Barney Rosenzweig   

10 comments:

Rachelle B said...

That's great news about the DVD boxed set. Looking forward to it. I will await further news of it's release as it's available.
I wish you a speedy recovery with your shoulder. I'm sure you'll be back posting soon..... Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend.

Take care!

Vel's Picks said...

Thank you, Barney, for your non-stop work on bringing C&L to the masses. Speedy recovery on your shoulder! I'm sorry that another great one has passed. My thoughts are with you, his family and friends. I can't wait for the DVD set. I'm saving my pennies. Best of luck to you!

--Velicia

Karen said...

Heres hoping great luck for both the DVD set and your new shoulder! As my grandson has said to me "Are they making you bionic?" Maybe the tennis game will be a bit better, maybe not, just so long as the writing arm is still good!!

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the new shoulder Barney...maybe if push came to shove, an Andy Murray version might do! Love n hugs, Helen C xx

Dianne from Dallas said...

Awesome! Cagney and Lacey was the best part of the 80's for me. I dressed like Christine and sported the same haircut. I bought one of those(then)NEW and expensive devices called a VHS recorder just for taping C&L! Now you can't even find the damn things! I'm so glad to have a chance to get the complete series on DVD. Barney, you could not have paired the two any better. The chemistry between Tyne and Sharon still sparkles with a streak of mischief that always brings a smile to my face. LMAO at the Graham Norton appearance. Would enjoy any opportunity to see Sharon and Tyne work together again. You've done the menopause years, how about the girls having a senior moment?

Anonymous said...

Will the cagney and lacey box set be available in region 2

Von7up said...

Hello, Barney
Cagney & Lacey have many fans in France and it would be great to organize a day, a meeting with Tine Daly and Sharon Gless for all these years of happiness that this series has maintained over time. It was the first series where women were the main actors, racism, homosexuality, all questions of society were in episodes. So it is time to review the series, whether on dvd or tv channel. Thank you, thank

Aurelio Rapp said...

Oh my god oh my god. Is all I keep repeating in my head. I never thought Id see the day that we fans would be blessed with this. I grew up with Cagney & Lacey since I was a young kid. Went through some rough times and great times with these two beautifully
talented women. I was so sadened to see netflix took the series down but now I can have them on dvd forever and to one day share with my kids as my mother shared this show with me. Thank you so much. Rock on Cagney & Lacey

Nickie England. said...

Great news the chance to be able to get all C and L episodes. Please let us know if they will be availqble in region 2. Good luck with the shoulder

Laura H said...

Fantastic news about the DVD release :) Generations young and old will enjoy this, I shall be saving all my money to buy a copy for me and my Gran, who loved the show! Thank you Barney, for your consistent hard work, determination and dedication to the series, even 25years later! Its producers like you who are to thank for outstanding timeless TV.
I hope you are recovering well after the operation.
With love, Laura x