ENTERTAINMENT
stitutional issues!' He adds that his
character "believes in ideals, as I do!'
Macht is beginning to sound a lot
like David Keeler. Does he confuse the
two? "No, not really. My training has
been in the classical theater. What ap-
pealed to me so much was that David
Keeler didn't run around being
serious all the time!'
Is David going to propose to his
lady love? "Yes. I'm going to ask her
to marry me," he confesses. "Barney
(Rosenzweig, the show's producer)
wants the millions of women over 40
to hear those words out of my mouth.
And he also wants the audience to
hear her refuse," he adds, "so that if
you're single and don't have children
— it's okay in this life!'
Actress Sharon Gless, who por-
trays Christine Cagney, finds Macht
"sexy and talented;' and is one of his
biggest supporters. Thanks to Gless
and her manager, Monique James,
Actor Stephen Macht
is very close to the
`Cagney and Lacey'
character he
portrays.
Stephen Macht plays Sharon Gless' love interest on "Cagney and Lacey."
Following
The Script
ILENE LEHRMAN
Special to The Jewish News
Kristine Cagney trudges
into the precinct tired.
She's had a frustrating,
exhausting day as any-
one who's been wat-
ching the Cagney and Lacey episode
can attest. The desk sergeant calls
out to her, "David Keeler phoned;'
and suddenly the pep and energy is
back in her step as she glides to her
desk, picks up the phone and dials a
number. And, oh yes, she's got that
Mona Lisa smile on her face.
Who is the heartthrob that no-
nonsense super detective Cagney
drops her defenses for? He is por-
trayed by Stephen Macht, 45, a sleek,
sensual actor who was immediately
attracted to the part because he's so
C
much like the character of David
Keeler. For instance, Keeler is well
educated, Macht was a tenured
associate professor at Queens College,
taught acting at Smith, went on to
train in England at the prestigious
London Academy of Music and
Dramatic Art, received his M.A.
degree at Tufts, his Ph.D. degree in
dramatic literature at Indiana
University. At present, he teaches
Aristotelian Story Structure as part
of UCLA's faculty, where he's describ-
ed as a stern but passionate and
delightful instructor. Another
parallel is that David Keeler is an
ACLU attorney, Macht is a member
of the ACLU. "I started out just doing
research for the role, but got so involv-
ed with the ACLU that I joined;' he
offers. "I believe you need a thorn in
your side to remind people about con-
Macht will direct episodes of Cagney
and Lacey very shortly. "They went to
bat for me," he gratefully acknowl-
edges. "They went to Barney and got
me the directing assignment. I owe
them both so much!'
An executive at Universal in New
York first spotted Macht in a 1975
Stratford, Ont., Shakespeare Festival.
She notified then vice president of
new talent for Universal in
Hollywood, Ms. James, about the pro-
mising performer. James, a powerful
woman with an exceptionally keen
eye for up and coming actors (she's
responsible for guiding Gless' career),
brought Macht to California in 1976.
Along with him came his wife,
Suzanne. The couple, married 23
years, are the parents of four children.
Macht's first professional job was
at the Boston Theater Club opposite
Dustin Hoffman in End Game. Then
came New York without great success,
and he ended up teaching swimming
at the Paris Swimming Pool where
one of his students was Shelley
Winters. Eventually, he began
building his career on and off-
Broadway. His first Broadway part
was a few lines in Five Act Regina op-
posite Claire Bloom and Eileen
Atkins.
One of his first television
challenges was the ultra-controversial
1975 TV movie, The 10th Level, film-
ed in New York and brought Macht to
the attention of then CBS president,
Fred Silverman. Silverman, always
on the search for new talent, signed
Macht to a "holding deal;' paying
I GOING PLACES I
WEEK OF May 13-19
COMEDY
COMEDY CASTLE
2593 Woodward, Berkley,
"Kozak," today and Saturday,
Thom Sharp, Tuesday through
May 14, admission. 542-9900.
COMEDY CASTLE AT
PUZZLES
29900 Van Dyke, Warren, Diane
Nichols today and Saturday,
Larry Amoros, Tuesday through
May 14, admission.
THEATER
ATTIC THEATER
Attic Theater Playhouse, 7339
Third Avenue, Detroit, Learn to
Fall, now through May 22,
admission. 875-8284.
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
Bilberry Theater, Nicholas
Nickleby, today and Saturday,
Tuesday through May 14,
admission, 577-2972.
MEADOW BROOK THEATER
Oakland University campus,
Rochester, Harvey, now through
Thursday, admission, 377-3300.
DETROIT REPERTORY
THEATER
13103 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit,
The Colored Museum, Mornings
at Seven, now through Sunday,
admission, 868-1347.
BIRMINGHAM THEATER
211 S. Woodward, Birmingham,
Doubles, now through Sunday,
David Groh, admission,
644-3533.
FISHER THEATER
Fisher Building, Detroit, Don't
Get God Started, now through
May 15, admission. 872-1000.
HENRY FORD MUSEUM
Henry Ford Museum Theater,
Dearborn, Peg 0' My Heart, now
through May 14, admission.
271-1620.
SHAW FESTIVAL
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario,
You Never Can Tell, now through
October 15. Dangerous Corner,
Wednesday through Oct. 15, Hit
the Deck, Wednesday through
October 16, admission.
416-468-2172.
MICHIGAN OPERA
THEATER
Masonic Temple, Detroit, Il
Trovatore, Saturday, admission.
874-7850.
THEATER SHOWCASE
Henry Ford Community College,
Adray Auditorium, Oklahoma!,
today and Saturday, admission.
845-9634.
ROSEDALE COMMUNITY
PLAYERS
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
63