Karen Arthur broke barriers as the first woman to win for directing.
CBS’ Cagney & Lacey, the female-fronted police procedural, made history for women when it premiered in 1982. The 1985 Emmy Awards were also a significant moment for the show starring Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless as NYPD detectives. At the Pasadena Civic Auditorium ceremony, Karen Arthur became the first woman to win an Emmy for outstanding directing for a drama series, honored for the fourth-season episode “Heat.”
Arthur understood the significance of her win, breaking a barrier in an industry where men had dominated the category for over three decades. Another woman wouldn’t win until Mimi Leder in 1996 for ER. Arthur reflected on her victory, saying, “I was up against the big dogs, men. The big guys who always win. And so the fact that I got that over them said something also, which would have helped break the glass ceiling at that point,” Arthur, now 82, shared on the 80s TV Ladies podcast.
Cagney & Lacey received a total of six Emmys that night, including outstanding drama series and lead actress for Daly. The show had faced cancellation in 1983 but was brought back after a fan campaign. THR praised the series upon its return in season three, stating, “Even on characterization and acting strength alone, this series deserves to be around for a while.” The show concluded in 1988 after seven seasons and a total of 14 Emmys.
This story first appeared in a June standalone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.