Apparently There Were Complaints

A Memoir

De: Sharon Gless

Narrado por: Sharon Gless

Emmy Award–winning actress Sharon Gless tells all in this laugh-out-loud, juicy, “unforgettably memorable” (Lily Tomlin) memoir about her five decades in Hollywood, where she took on some of the most groundbreaking roles of her time.

Anyone who has seen Sharon Gless act in Cagney & Lacey, Queer as Folk, Burn Notice, and countless other shows and movies, knows that she’s someone who gives every role her all. She holds nothing back in Apparently There Were Complaints, a hilarious, deeply personal memoir that spills all about Gless’s five decades in Hollywood.

A fifth-generation Californian, Sharon Gless knew from a young age that she wanted to be an actress. After some rocky teenage years that included Sharon’s parents’ divorce and some minor (and not-so-minor) rebellion, Gless landed a coveted spot as an exclusive contract player for Universal Studios. In 1982, she stepped into the role of New York Police Detective Christine Cagney for the series Cagney & Lacey, which eventually reached an audience of 30 million weekly viewers and garnered Gless with two Emmy Awards. The show made history as the first hour-long drama to feature two women in the leading roles.

Gless continued to make history long after Cagney & Lacey was over. In 2000, she took on the role of outrageous Debbie Novotny in Queer as Folk. Her portrayal of a devoted mother to a gay son and confidant to his gay friends touched countless hearts and changed the definition of family for millions of viewers.

Apparently There Were Complaints delves into Gless’s remarkable career and explores Gless’s complicated family, her struggles with alcoholism, and her fear of romantic commitment as well as her encounters with some of Hollywood’s biggest names. Brutally honest and incredibly relatable, Gless puts it all out on the page in the same way she has lived—never with moderation.

©2021 The Glessworks, Inc. "Not While I'm Around" From SWEENEY TODD Words and Music by Stephen Sondheim RITLING MUSIC, INC. All Rights Administered by WC MUSIC CORP. All Rights Reserved Used by Permission Reprinted by Permission of Hal Leonard LLC (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

What a great comedian telling her life story!

This book is so funny! Gless just tells stories of her life and then surprises us with this amazing funny situations and comments! I really enjoyed listening to her telling (reading) her life story - I laughed and also cried.

No complaints here -- zounds, what a life!

Full confession: I never watched "Cagney and Lacey" but it is on my list now!

However, "Michael's Mom" on "Burn Notice" was amazing, a dazzling interpretation of a fifty-something Florida matron who loved deeply, inhaled deeply (Marlboro Reds) and argued frequently. Sassy, passionate, wounded, proud and, when it counted most, indomitable and courageous. Run, run to watch "Burn Notice" .

There were some hilariously uncomfortable moments when I realized only a scant year or two separate our ages how often her life and mine were shatteringly similar. Mostly ... well, mostly men. Okay, all men, all the time! ! I rarely drink, so that was out. I still smoke, so that was in. I have a loud voice, so that was in, too, although her celebrated huskiness -- well, I demur. She is the Champion. White hair: ditto. Sharon, where have you been? We need to talk! Call me!

And so it goes, women of our generation, of which you IPhone gazing hair-flicking whippersnappers know next to nothing. You would not be here without us, for all the thanks we get!

I laughed, I cried, I laughed more than I cried and I felt, deeply, every inch, every mile, every failure (except we call them "lessons" nowadasy), every victory, every scintilla of her rich rollercoaster of a life.

This is the book which had me curled up on the sofa drinking coffee at 4am because I could not bear to sleep without knowing what the gosh darn heck would this brilliant and impulsive dame do next?

And certainly do not operate heavy machinery while reading this book.

No complaints here!

Sharon Gless may not see it, but she is very much a mirror to Christine Cagney. They, like many alcoholics, are both walking bundles of contradictions. Selfish, but generous. Cold, but compassionate. Fiery, yet cool. All the ways she describes herself in the final chapter are true. The biggest thing that she shares with Christine is her heart. They both have huge hearts that break big and love big.
My heart breaks for her that so many in her life were focused on her physical appearance at the detriment of her heart & soul.
I was a Sharon Gless fan before I listened and that has not changed. She is perfectly imperfect.

Fantastic

Sharon had me laughing out loud within the first minutes of this wonderful memoir and I never stopped. Even smiled through tears at the more tender and sad moments. Highly recommend!

Fascinating Life..

I had no idea Sharon was part of old Hollywood. Loved it, she voiced it beautifully. Thank you form a fellow McCarthy clan member.😅

Had Me Almost until the End

I always liked Sharon Gless as an actress. I can't remember a performance I didn't enjoy. I was drawn to her bio because of her rich childhood as the granddaughter of one of Old Hollywood's most powerful men and her connection to old money Los Angeles which exists quite separate from the "movie people." The stories of her dysfunctional childhood with her mother and grandmother are the most compelling aspect of this book. Her grandfather left her Hancock Park society maven grandmother and moved into a mansion on "Sunset." Her mom had a society wedding that brought together old Los Angeles and the movie colony. However, her father may not have known that he was marrying into a family without trust funds. Her father left her mom, and Sharon and her mom lived with "Grimmy" in a huge house and the ghosts of failed marriages. For me, her story stopped being "interesting" when she begins her affair with Barney Rosenzweig. She had already slept with the cinematographer and was now sleeping with the married producer. Sharon became quite ordinary in my mind at this point.

Overall, though, this was a very good listen. I would have loved to know why she disliked her Aunt Rosemary so much, other than the furniture pilfering incident. She should really follow up with a more detailed biography of her family, especially her granfather.. The stories of her grandparents, on both sides, were rich and compelling. (note: Jane Fonda didn't win an Oscar for They Shoot Horses... An editor didn't catch this?)

An Amazing Life

The only thing I knew about Sharon Gless was Burn Notice and Cagney & Lacey. She has had an amazing life, full of ups and downs. I really enjoyed this book and her narration was full of emotion which made it very personal and lovely.

Simply wonderful!

All the over-the-top enthusiasm and energy you’d expect from Sharon Gless. Her story is moving, interesting, exhausting, and entertaining, and I’m so glad she did the reading herself so the tone and nuance of every sentence was authentically her.

Didn’t want it to end.

Very entertaining. Great stories and it kept me involved to the end. Sharon Gless is terrific . Loved it.

The honesty, an outstanding read!

Liked like nobody’s business ….laughed and cried and will definitely watch every movie Ms. Gless mentioned throughout…