PRODUCER HUBRIS

Regarding “Cagney & Lacey” executive producer Barney Rosenzweig’s opinions about the Directors Guild of America (“Down to the Wire on Directors’ Drama,” by Diane Haithman, July 2): Perhaps Rosenzweig might examine his own hubris, as he accuses DGA of crossing “every picket line in this community.”

Would he truly have supported--even if it meant missing an air date or two--a director working on his show whose conscience dictated that he not cross a picket line? I would expect, more likely, that Rosenzweig would have reached for the phone to inform the DGA of a breach of contract by the director and by the Directors Guild, if they supported such action.

He accuses the DGA of being an elitist corps unsympathetic to the concerns of women and minorities. The DGA is not empowered to press for the employment of any particular member or group of members in preference to the membership at large. This is the desire of the producers, who do not wish to be told, least of all by the DGA, whom or whom not to hire.

Apparently, Rosenzweig is unaware that the DGA took a stand on an affirmative action platform for women and minorities and sued Warner Brothers on their behalf--DGA lost the case in federal court.

Rosenzweig is a producer and can hire whomever he wishes to further the cause of women and minorities and correct inequities as he sees them. He should look to his colleagues to address his complaints, not confound the issue by blaming the DGA.

I think the bottom line lies in Rosenzweig’s statement that “Cagney & Lacey” has nothing in the “can” to start the fall season. If the show is canceled by default, he may be canceled as well.

GEORGE E. MARSHALL

Los Angeles