Doug Heffernan - Background

Background

Doug was born on February 9, 1965 in Montreal, QC, Canada while his mother Janet (played by Jenny O'Hara) and father Joe (Dakin Matthews) were attending a friend's wedding there. He had been told by his parents that he had been born in New York City, and only discovered the truth as an adult, in the episode 'Dog Shelter.' He has one sister, a physical education teacher named Stephanie played by Ricki Lake.

Doug's father owned a small hardware store in Queens, and his mother was a homemaker. References in a number of episodes indicate that the Heffernan home was a Catholic one, although Doug seems to have strayed from this after moving out. It also appears that Doug's father Joe had wanted Doug to assume control over the hardware store when he came of age, but Doug showed little interest in this venture.

He was a chubby child and was even sent to "fat camp" by his parents. His weight battle was frequently a subject of contention between himself and his wife, with Carrie encouraging him to eat healthier but Doug steadfast in his enjoyment of fried foods and snacks. In fact, Carrie's domineering personality over the more easygoing Doug was another frequent subject matter, with Doug often secretly defying her demands (over clothing and type of cologne, for example).

Doug is an avid sports fan, and is often showing support for the New York Mets, New York Jets, New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. (He did, however, get tickets to a New York Islanders game in one episode, and a New Jersey Nets hat in another.) Doug, in fact, would propose to Carrie at a Jets game. One year for Christmas, when he was given a Miami Dolphins Christmas ornament, Doug openly didn't like it because both the Jets and Dolphins played in the AFC East. (Despite the Jets–Patriots rivalry becoming more intense during the show's run than the Dolphins–Jets rivalry, it was never mentioned on the show; however, the Monday Night Miracle did take place during the show's third season.) Doug's love for the Mets is reflective of James in real life; he named his daughter Shea Joelle after the then-home of the Mets, Shea Stadium.

Doug attended St. Gregory's High School in Queens, where he befriended Spence Olchin; he also went to school with his cousin Danny. Doug played high school football as a St. Gregory's Commodore, and was a star player and starting fullback. He was All-County in football during his Junior and Senior years. Frequent references to this era show that Doug was very popular in school, and it is because of this that he thinks of High School as the best years of his life. After graduation he went on to junior college (Nassau Community College, located on Long Island), but dropped out after eight days, without any clear plan. He tried out for the Nassau County Rebels, a semi-professional football team, but ultimately quit.

He later acquired a job as a bouncer at a bar. Around this time through his friend Richie Ianucchi, a firefighter for the FDNY, introduced him to his future wife, Carrie Spooner. While dating Carrie, Doug inadvertently landed his final, and longest standing, job as a truck driver for the fictional International Parcel Service (IPS).

Doug's trademark phrase is "Shutty!" as a means of telling people to "shut up".