Apparently There Were Complaints

A Memoir

By: Sharon Gless

Narrated by: 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.

Critic reviews

"Actor Sharon Gless's animated yet intimate tone, gentle pacing, and husky timbre will keep listeners glued to her fascinating memoir. Gless holds little back as she exposes her flaws and vulnerabilities."

I listened from beginning to end

I never intended to. I have other things to do, important work I should be doing instead; it just happened. Personally, I blame Sharon Gless.

A Performance In Life, Love and Career

I've not been around for the entirety of Sharon Gless's career, I was introduced to reruns of Cagney and Lacey. I was enthralled by the show, relating mostly to Christine, her love for independence, her need for freedom, her trials in her life that she simply could not face. Sharon made Christine Cagney a household name, someone that was not just a character, but a memory like a friend that we've all known, been, walked on the same path as. To be able to listen to her tell her story as Sharon Gless, the actress, the woman, the debutante, and so much more, was just beyond compelling. I don't think I knew the gravity of her need for the acting world until now, and I surely understand it as a fellow actor myself.
Her emotion is raw and relevant, her telling of the story is likened to that of relaying the memories to a close friend.

Being brought into her world, you see things in her career and life that make so much more sense now. Her desire to remain working and her need to play interesting and intriguing characters is laden throughout. Her description of misogyny in the press as well as in the acting world stings me from afar, I feel her pain as you can hear it in her voice.

She doesn't utter a single bad word about Tyne Daly or really any of her costars from any show, aside from Dodi who rented her house... but you should hear that on your own.

If Ms. Gless is not nominated for some type of award for this stellar performance of her own work, it just won't make any sense to me and I will indeed be shocked.

Definitely worth the read, I highly recommend to anyone who has an admiration for her work and her career.

Wow; Sharon Gless ! Just awesome !

This book is a must read ! Thank you Sharon Gless for sharing the sweet, emotional, heart-breaking, triumphant, funny stories of your life.
So very glad you were the one to record your audiobook; nobody could have done your story justice but you.
I admit, I chose your book because I’m a die hard Cagney & Lacey fan, but to my great delight what I got from your book was vastly bigger than Christine & Mary Beth. Thank you so much for sharing yourself with us.

Just hearing Sharon’s reading was fun!

For anyone who loves to hear about old Hollywood this is an interesting book. Sharon’s reading is so animated and engaging! I loved hearing stories about her Cagney and Lacey days. That show was and is still one of the best that was ever on TV.

Highly entertaining, hilarious, and heartfelt

I love autobiographies and this is one of the most enjoyable I’ve ever encountered. Sharon Gless is a terrific actress and an incredible raconteur. I can’t really imagine experiencing this book without her phenomenal voice reading it to me. This is the first book review I’ve written on Audible. I was just so thrilled with this book I had to let others know. Enjoy!