Shirley Schmidt

Infobox character
series = Boston Legal
name = Shirley Schmidt


caption =
first = "Schmidt Happens"
January 9, 2005
last =
cause =
nickname = Schmidt
alias =
species =
gender = Female
occupation = Lawyer
title = Named partner of Crane, Poole & Schmidt
callsign =
family = Walter Schmidt (father)(Deceased)
Marlena Hoffman (granddaughter)
"Mitchy" Weston (nephew)
Michael Reiss (nephew)
spouse = Ivan Tiggs (divorced)
relationships=Carl Sack
children =
relatives =
residence = Boston
episode = 78
portrayer = Candice Bergen
creator = David E. Kelley

Shirley Schmidt is a fictional character in the ABC Television Network series "Boston Legal". She is portrayed by Candice Bergen.

Character history

Shirley is a woman in late middle age, who together with Denny Crane (William Shatner) and Edwin Poole (Larry Miller), founded the show's fictional Boston law firm, Crane, Poole & Schmidt (as she puts it to young junior associates, "I'm Schmidt"). She and Crane had a sexual/romantic relationship many years in the past but now her chief role aside from star litigator and top decision-maker, is to rein in Denny's excessive behavior and oversee damage control in the wake of his public statements. She had an elderly father who was an Alzheimer's patient in a local hospital, and she visited him periodically to talk with him and read aloud his favorite books until he died in the season 4 episode The Mighty Rogues. She was married for four years to Ivan Tiggs (Tom Selleck). She also sat on the board of directors of a university, two museums and a hospital. It was never revealed whether it was in Boston or New York.

In an episode tastefully titled "Schmidt Happens", Shirley first entered the Boston Offices when she was called back by Paul Lewiston. It was stated by Lori Colson that Shirley had spent the last three years in the New York Offices, and that Lewiston called her back to kick things into shape. This was brought on by the drop in litigation and the behavior of mostly Denny Crane. As soon as Shirley returned she butted heads with first Alan Shore, whom she had a confrontation with in the men's bathroom and then Denny Crane, who found he was still attracted to Shirley after she whispered those two, combustible little words: "Denny Crane". She then proceeded to fire an assistant; Maddie, who had filed a Title IX complaint stating, among other things, that the men had better fixtures. Maddie tried to stand up to Shirley, saying that she couldn't fire her for bringing a Title IX, to which Shirley merely replied by saying: "What are you going to do sweetheart, sue me? You've already done that. Call your persuasive lawyer, tell him to add a count for wrongful termination. Bye-bye." Shirley made waves only moments later by berating Sally Heep for her dress sense. Within the next day Shirley had taken on a massive case involving a man suing the United States Government. Whereas nobody else seemed able to get the Federal Judge to see their cause of action, Shirley did so, resulting in the Judge denying the United State's motion to dismiss. It is unknown what became of that law suit.

Within the next week Shirley fired Sally Heep, stating that whilst her work was good, it wasn't up to the standard expected at Crane, Poole & Schmidt. When Sally asked her how she could come in and after one week fire someone she didn't know, Shirley replied: "I'm Schmidt." She then dealt with Alan Shore's sexual harassment of Nora Jacobs and proceeded to take a position as top woman at the firm, becoming an immensely feared but respected woman. Although good friends with Lori Colson, she later ushered her out of the firm when Lori brought a sexual harassment case against Denny Crane. This proved that Shirley was not to be messed with.

She most recently had to suppress the auctioning of some "tasteful" nude photographs of her which had been taken by a photographer with whom she had had an adulterous sexual liaison decades ago (the photographer was married at the time, whereas Schmidt was not). Alan Shore finally persuaded the photographer's vengeful widow to sell him the photos so as to keep the public (and Schmidt's grandchildren) from seeing them.

Recently, she and Ivan were on opposing sides in a case, Ivan saying he still wanted Shirley. He told her he and his new wife (a bubbly young woman named Missy) were divorcing and he and Shirley renewed their relationship. However, when Missy came to Shirley, saying she suspected Ivan was cheating on her, Shirley realized Ivan had lied about the marriage being over and broke it off. She then helped Missy create a "post-nup" so that if Ivan cheated on her, Missy would get a sizable portion of his earnings and estate. Missy thanked Shirley for making sure Ivan would never cheat on her with anyone and Shirley realized Missy had known all along about them and used Shirley's guilt to get the post-nup created. Although soon after that Ivan challenged the post-nup with Alan Shore as his attorney.

Denny tried to cheer her up afterward by telling her that men knew they weren't worthy of Shirley "but the mere possibility sustains us."

Shirley was recently kidnapped by the somewhat psychotic Lincoln Meyers, one of the witnesses in the Judge Hooper Murder Trial, during which Jeffrey Coho accused him of murdering Martia Hooper and being a sexual predator.Just when Shirley was going to dinner with Jeffrey, Lincoln, using a pistol forced Shirley to his house, where she was tied to a chair and made to wait with him, while he sang Christmas carols to her. Eventually Shirley realized that his relationship with Martia was indeed real as he said many times, although nobody believed him, and now he was trying to replace Martia with Shirley. Eventually the police broke into Lincoln's house and the scenario ended with Lincoln being shot with a crossbow; all part of a trap he had set up to stop any intruders. Shirley was rescued and Lincoln presumably taken to hospital and then jail; since he also killed another Judge who called him a pedophile and whacked Gracie Jane on the back of the head with a shovel.

Shirley is portrayed in the series as the ultimate ideal woman: smart, sexy, graceful, dignified, a great lawyer and businesswoman, phenomenal in bed, easy to fall in love with and impossible to get over. She routinely wins her court cases; effortlessly manages the hectic office of Crane, Poole & Schmidt; balances the fragile relationship between the reckless Denny Crane and the senior partners who want him out; and juggles the affections of all the men (young and old) who desire her: Denny, Ivan, Judge Simon Devon, Alan Shore, Jeffrey Coho and Lincoln Meyer. As of the fourth season, she is involved with Carl Sack. Denny, who gladly shares everything he owns with Alan, steadfastly refuses to accept (or even allow) a relationship between Alan and Shirley because his feelings for her are so strong. When Alan often discusses problems with his current love interests, Denny will usually request permission to pursue the woman himself. In response, Alan will often allude to his desire to pursue Shirley in kind. Such discussions are abruptly terminated when Denny forcefully states that "she's grandfathered" or more comically, "she's grandmothered", indicating that since his relationship with Shirley occurred prior to his friendship with Alan, he is not obligated to "share" her with him.

It should be noted that, despite her differences with Denny and often having to rein in his excessive behavior, she still maintains a strong bond with him. In the wake of her ruined attempt at a second relationship with Ivan Tiggs, during which he was still married (unbeknownst to Shirley), it was Denny that comforted her and, as she put it "Denny, where your concerned, I'm always on the market", showing the connection and friendship between them, also Denny requested Ivan not to hurt Shirley. At the end of the second season, when Denny asked her for a kiss "in case he fell dead, and she never got that last tonsil-brushing", Shirley complied, whispering "Just in case". Within the fourth season she shared a tender moment with Denny, during which they both confided that they wore costumes (Shirley's a cheerleader, Denny's his fishing waders) to make themselves feel better. She stated that though they were getting older, and didn't fit in their outfits anymore, they weren't over - Denny wasn't over. They spoke of the past, and Denny said he felt best "when they were them", and she used to put her head on his shoulder, and he would sing "You are my sunshine" - they recreated a similar scene, watched quietly by Carl Sack, who could only smile.