BIRTH OF A GENRE

Nancy Mills’ “Hollywood Cultivates Female Friendships” (Sept. 2) not only trivializes the role played by “Cagney & Lacey,” it is just plain wrong.

The article concedes that television has been in the forefront of the female-buddy genre but then goes on to credit a 26-share movie, “Games Mother Never Taught You” on CBS, which was exhibited on Nov. 27, 1982, for this, ignoring the fact that 13 months earlier, on Oct. 8, 1981, “Cagney & Lacey” earned a 42 share of audience on the same network!

Credit is one of the basics in this community. What every show mentioned in Mills’ article has in common is the simple fact that they all post-date “Cagney & Lacey” and all owe something to this fight made for the female-buddy genre.

Molly Haskell, in her book, “From Reverence to Rape,” pointed out in the pre-”Cagney & Lacey” era that there had never been such a film or television show.

Say what you want about us, but know we were there first.

BARNEY ROSENZWEIG

Executive Producer

“Cagney & Lacey”