Laverne & Shirley - Characters

Characters

• Laverne De Fazio (Penny Marshall)—Known for being a tough-talking tomboy, Laverne Marie De Fazio grew up in Brooklyn, with her Italian immigrant parents and grandmother; Laverne's parents moved to Milwaukee, where her mother died and was buried. Laverne works alongside best friend and roommate Shirley and is known for being the cynic of the pair. Despite her cynicism, she was also known for being hurt easily. Laverne enjoys dating tough guys of the "Purple Fiends" gang and picking up sailors at the dock with old lady neighbor Mrs. Colchek. Laverne is also a fan of the TV show Sea Hunt and enjoys 3-D Monster Movies, such as The Bride of Bwana Devil. Milk and Pepsi is Laverne's infamous favorite drink (Penny Marshall drank milk and Pepsi in real life and added it to her character). Along with her poodle skirts, her trademark is the letter "L" monogrammed on her shirts and sweaters (another idea introduced by Marshall).
• Shirley Feeney (Cindy Williams)—Shirley Wilhelmina Feeney is the perky, positive one. She also tends to be meek, while Laverne is more outspoken and athletic; this doesn't mean that Shirley is a wimp or a pushover, as she is quite capable of standing up for herself when necessary—she just isn't quite as aggressive about it as her friend. One of Shirley's most prized possessions is "Boo Boo Kitty", a large stuffed cat which sits next to her bed. Her favorite song is Frank Sinatra's "High Hopes" and that song is featured in several episodes, often used by one of the girls to cheer the other up. Shirley later becomes a huge fan of teen-idol Fabian. She has an overbearing mother named Lily (Pat Carroll) who had moved to California, and an alcoholic sailor brother Bobby (Ed Begley, Jr.). In the episode "Buddy Can You Spare a Father?", Shirley's father Jack Feeney was played by Scott Brady (who turned down the role of Archie Bunker on All in the Family). Shirley dotes on her never-seen nieces, nephews, and cousins and adores her "Feeney Family Photo Album". Shirley is also well known as a conservative in her personal life; for example, "a little vo-dee-o-doe-doe" was an early catchphrase. In an early exchange, Shirley insists that "I don't vo-dee-o-doe-doe" to which Laverne replies, "You vo-dee-o". After a beat, Shirley's response is a deadpan "Once", followed by a bit of babbling about the special circumstances. Shirley also has a diary which she protectively guards from prying eyes. In the series' earliest episodes, Cindy Williams used a coarser accent for her character, but it was soon softened considerably.
• Leonard "Lenny" Kosnowski (Michael McKean)—A lovable goof who pesters Laverne and Shirley along with his best friend and roommate Squiggy (who both live upstairs from Laverne and Shirley's basement apartment). Lenny works as a truck driver at the Shotz brewery. Raised by his father after his mother abandoned them, during the series it was learned that Lenny was the 89th in line to the Polish Throne. Lenny says that, while he is not completely sure, he thinks his last name (Kosnowski) is Polish for "Help, there's a hog in my kitchen".
• Andrew "Squiggy" Squigman (David Lander)—The most obnoxious of the bunch, the greasiest, and the antagonist of the series. Squiggy works and lives with childhood friend Lenny. Squiggy grew up with neglectful parents, and is often scheming to get rich or succeed by somewhat devious means. For some reason, he collects moths, and prizes a stuffed iguana named Jeffrey. Squiggy, like Lenny, loves the chocolate-flavored drink Bosco Chocolate Syrup, and makes nearly every entrance with his trademark "Hello" said in a slightly dopey voice. In the final season, Squiggy's lookalike sister named Squendoline is introduced.
• Frank De Fazio (Phil Foster)—Laverne's Italian-born father who runs the Pizza Bowl, a local hang out featuring pizza, beer, and bowling. He later opens up Cowboy Bills in Burbank, California. Although he could be harsh and lose his temper, he did have a heart of gold. He loved Laverne very much, having been her only parent for years. His pet name for his daughter was "Muffin".
• Carmine "The Big Ragu" Ragusa (Eddie Mekka)—Shirley's high school sweetheart and on-again, off-again romance. His nickname for Shirley was Angel Face. Carmine's occasional lady companion was wealthy divorcee Lucille Lockwash, which made Shirley jealous. "The Big Ragu" is a part-time boxer and former Golden Gloves champion who owns a dance studio and is constantly working to make it big as a dancer and singer. In the final episode of the series, he auditions for the musical Hair, at last landing a major role on Broadway.
• Edna Babish De Fazio (Betty Garrett)—The landlady who eventually marries Laverne's father, Edna occasionally sings and dances in the local brewery talent shows. Edna has had five divorces, and eventually divorces Frank too, toward the end of the series (when Garrett opted to leave the show at the beginning of the final season). In one episode, Edna's daughter Amy is introduced. She has been away at "school" and it is implied she is handicapped or a slow learner.
• Big Rosie Greenbaum (Carole Ita White)—A snob, and the girls' childhood nemesis. She married a rich doctor and rubs this in the girls' faces, though they make fun of the fact that he is a proctologist. She is Laverne's rival and upsets her by calling her a "bimbo". Big Rosie and fellow Milwaukee classmate Terri Buttefuco both return in the seventh-season episode Class of '56.
• Rhonda Lee (Leslie Easterbrook)—A ditzy blonde actress/singer/dancer/model trying to make it big. She is Laverne and Shirley's neighbor and a regular character after they move to Burbank.
• Sonny St. Jacques (Ed Marinaro)—A stuntman and Laverne and Shirley's landlord in Burbank.