''
Boston Legal'' is an American
legal
Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. ...
-
comedy-drama created by
David E. Kelley
David Edward Kelley (born April 4, 1956) is an American television writer, producer, and former attorney, known as the creator of '' Doogie Howser, M.D.'', '' Picket Fences'', ''Chicago Hope'', ''The Practice'', '' Ally McBeal'', ''Boston Publi ...
. The series, starring
James Spader
James Todd Spader (born February 7, 1960) is an American actor. He has portrayed eccentric characters in films such as the drama ''Sex, Lies, and Videotape'' (1989) for which he won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor, the action scie ...
, with
Candice Bergen
Candice Patricia Bergen (born May 9, 1946) is an American actress. She won five Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for her portrayal of the title character on the CBS sitcom ''Murphy Brown'' (1988–1998, 2018). She is also kno ...
, and
William Shatner
William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship ''Enterpris ...
, was produced in association with
20th Century Fox Television
20th Television (formerly 20th Century Fox Television, 20th Century-Fox Television, and TCF Television Productions, Inc.) is an American television production company that is a division of Disney Television Studios, part of The Walt Disney Co ...
for the
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
. ''Boston Legal'' aired from October 3, 2004, to December 8, 2008. The series is a
spin-off of the Kelley series ''
The Practice
''The Practice'' is an American legal drama television series created by David E. Kelley centering on partners and associates at a Boston law firm. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC, from March 4, 1997, to May 16, 2004. It won an Emmy in ...
'', and features ''Practice'' actors including Spader,
Rhona Mitra
Rhona is the name of:
* Rhona Adair (1878–1961), British golf champion
* Rhona Bennett (born 1976), American singer, actress and model
* Rhona Brankin (born 1950), Labour Co-operative politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament
* Rhona B ...
,
Lake Bell
Lake Siegel Bell (born March 24, 1979) is an American actress, screenwriter and director. She has starred in various television series, including ''Boston Legal'' (2004–2006), '' Surface'' (2005–2006), ''How to Make It in America'' (2010–2 ...
, and Shatner. It is set at the legal firm of ''Crane, Poole & Schmidt''.
''The Practice'' characters
The following characters originated during the eighth season of ''The Practice'', before appearing as part of ''Boston Legal'' regular ensemble. Both Spader and Mitra were main ''Practice'' cast members, while Lake Bell and William Shatner recurred in the series' final episodes.
Alan Shore
Alan Shore is a brilliant
lawyer with a strong moral core who nevertheless is not above obtaining ethical outcomes through unethical means. Illicit
computer hacking
A hacker is a person skilled in information technology who uses their technical knowledge to achieve a goal or overcome an obstacle, within a computerized system by non-standard means. Though the term ''hacker'' has become associated in popu ...
,
blackmail,
disguise
A disguise can be anything which conceals or changes a person's physical appearance, including a wig, glasses, makeup, fake moustache, costume or other items. Camouflage is a type of disguise for people, animals and objects. Hats, glasses, ch ...
and
bribery are all tools he uses without hesitation. Alan is, however, unwavering in his defense of the underdog (unless he is representing the other party). He is disappointed and disillusioned with how the country has changed in recent years, and routinely confronts these issues in open court. Wherever he works, he treats his coworkers with levity and refuses to take himself too seriously. Alan suffers from
night terrors
Night terror, also called sleep terror, is a sleep disorder causing feelings of panic or dread and typically occurring during the first hours of stage 3–4 non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and lasting for 1 to 10 minutes. It can last long ...
, has a fear of clowns, and gave up his home, preferring instead to live in hotels. He has resigned himself to the fact that he will never be made partner at the firm due to his unpredictable behavior and lack of trustworthiness; while the managing partners of Crane, Poole & Schmidt do not fully trust Alan, they do recognize his talent as an attorney. Alan is best friends with (and later husband of) Denny Crane despite their sharp differences in political ideologies.
Tara Wilson
Tara Wilson first appeared as a
paralegal at Young, Frutt & Berlutti. Fired from the firm after notifying Alan of his impending dismissal, Tara is hired to work at Crane, Poole & Schmidt, the firm representing Alan's civil case. Subsequently, she became a lawyer. Tara and Alan finally began a sexual relationship following his break-up with Sally Heep, though their relationship hit a rocky patch when he hired a group of men to attack a man he had previously fought with. When Tara reconnects with one of her ex-boyfriends, the two break up, and she promptly resigns from ''Crane, Poole & Schmidt''. Her departure leads to Alan questioning his emotional suitability for a relationship.
Sally Heep
Sally Heep first appeared as an associate at Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Introduced in ''The Practice'', Sally began a relationship with Alan that crossed over into ''Boston Legal''. However, after he used her to get information from a witness against their client so they could suppress his testimony, she broke up with him. Shortly after Shirley took over the
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
offices, she fired Sally for repeated errors in case preparation that called her competence as a lawyer into question. Sally returns in Season three as opposing counsel (“Whose God Is It Anyway?” and “The Verdict”).
Denny Crane
A named partner of Crane, Poole & Schmidt, Dennis 'Denny' Crane is a renowned attorney of some fifty years of practice who claims he has never lost a case, and never will. He is an eccentric who considers himself a legend and loves to say his own name to "sign" his verbal utterances. In one of the final episodes of ''The Practice'', he explained that often people don't believe they're in the room with a legend, so he says his own name to let them know it's true. Denny suffers from memory loss and confusion as part of the early stages of
Alzheimer's disease, but often refers to his troubles as "
mad cow disease
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, is an incurable and invariably fatal neurodegenerative disease of cattle. Symptoms include abnormal behavior, trouble walking, and weight loss. Later in the course of t ...
" when his utterances are confusing to others or when he himself becomes confused. While he is still trying cases frequently as late as Season 1 of ''Boston Legal'', by Season 2, he seems to have lost most of his talent for complex litigation, though he still shows flair in appealing to a jury in closing arguments. By Season 3 he mostly serves as a figurehead at the firm, rarely trying cases and appearing in court more often as a plaintiff and defendant due to his antics. When he does appear in court as a lawyer in later seasons, however, he still performs well.
Denny is a
conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
who loves firearms and believes
gun control is for "
communists". He also refuses to defend anyone who is accused of extremely heinous acts; in one episode, he shoots a client because of the nature of his crime (
raping
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or a ...
and
murdering a child). This is just one of several people he shoots over the course of the series, with several characters saying that Denny "shoots people". Denny enjoys an extremely close friendship with Alan Shore, is also a womanizer like Alan, and has no problem sleeping with the wives of judges and clients. Though he marries another woman in Season 2 (from whom he is quickly
divorce
Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...
d after engaging in an act of
infidelity
Infidelity (synonyms include cheating, straying, adultery, being unfaithful, two-timing, or having an affair) is a violation of a couple's emotional and/or sexual exclusivity that commonly results in feelings of anger, sexual jealousy, and ri ...
at their wedding reception), he still pines for Shirley Schmidt. Denny and Alan marry in the series finale.
''Boston Legal'' characters
The following characters first appeared in ''Boston Legal'', and formed part of the regular ensemble. The original cast includes Spader, Bell, Mitra, Shatner, Monica Potter, and Mark Valley. Candice Bergen joined the ensemble during season one, while René Auberjonois recurred for a short time before being promoted to series regular. Julie Bowen, Justin Mentell and Ryan Michelle Bathe joined the series in the second season, while Craig Bierko, Constance Zimmer, and Gary Anthony Williams first appeared in season three. John Larroquette, Saffron Burrows, Tara Summers, and Taraji Henson joined the series in season four, as did Christian Clemenson, who had recurred since season two.
Lori Colson
A junior partner at Crane, Poole & Schmidt and former prosecutor, Lori Colson found herself inexplicably attracted to Alan during the first season. Initially, Lori focuses her efforts on practicing civil law, though after working with Edwin Poole she becomes more comfortable with criminal cases, believing them to be incredibly rewarding emotionally. Though she was close friends with Shirley Schmidt, she files a
sexual harassment claim against Denny Crane in the first season. Denny later apologized to Lori, though she departed the firm shortly thereafter. Alan later comments that Shirley had "ushered" Lori out, suggesting she resigned under significant pressure from the managing partners.
Brad Chase
Brad Chase is the man who the others turn to when they need something done. He often relies on his
Marine Corps
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refl ...
background to both intimidate others and undertake physically demanding tasks. Brad is a self-proclaimed homophobe, though this manifests more as feeling uncomfortable around LGBTQ+ people than hatred or bigotry. He has even represented homosexual clients with all of his might, the same as any other clients of his. While Brad hated Alan initially, he later became slightly more tolerant of him. In the second season, Brad becomes a partner at the firm, though he finds his job at risk when he offers to pay Denny's fiancée not to marry him. Brad initially had a strong relationship with Lori Colson, though upon her departure from the firm he grows close to Denise Bauer. The two later have a child together, and marry shortly after. Shortly after the third season, he leaves the firm to begin work as an Assistant District Attorney.
Shirley Schmidt
Shirley Schmidt is a named partner of ''Crane, Poole & Schmidt'', a firm she founded with partners Denny Crane and Edwin Poole. With a propensity to remind her younger colleagues that she's "Schmidt", Shirley is tasked with reining in Denny's preposterous behavior, directing litigation, and practicing law. Prior to founding her firm, Shirley attended
Wellesley College where she met her share of intelligent
Harvard students. She spent a significant amount of time in New York, before being called to Boston by Paul Lewiston. Shirley used to have a romantic relationship with Denny, a past she now views with sardonic detachment, often making jokes about it. She is portrayed as extremely desirable in the series: smart, sexy, and sought after by many of the men around her, including her ex-husband Ivan Tiggs and fellow lawyers Denny, Alan, Jeffrey Coho and Carl Sack. She eventually marries Carl Sack in the series finale.
Paul Lewiston
Paul Lewiston is a managing partner of the Boston office and legal advisor of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Paul is skilled in client relations and is an expert in Far Eastern markets and legal problems of corporations doing business in that part of the world. Unlike Denny and Alan, Paul generally does things strictly "by the book." He has had several antagonistic run-ins with Denny and Alan over their apparent lack of respect for the law. His middle-aged daughter, Rachel, is introduced in Season 2 as a
meth
Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Methamphe ...
addict, and Paul has her abducted and placed in a rehab center. He takes custody of her daughter (his granddaughter) Fiona. After this, being tied up with being a father figure to his grandchild, he is seldom seen in the Boston office. It was Lewiston who negotiated the acquisition of Crane, Poole & Schmidt by a Chinese law firm in the series finale, though he later begins to regret this action.
Denise Bauer
Denise Bauer was introduced as an aggressive young attorney at the start of the show's second season. A senior associate at Crane, Poole & Schmidt, Denise is thrown when, on her first day in Boston, her husband files for divorce and insists that she pay him so he can live while setting up his career as a mediocre golf pro. Her distractions over the divorce cause her trouble with some cases, though she later settles on compensating her husband with a single-time alimony payment of one hundred thousand dollars. In season two, Denise begins a relationship with a terminally ill man named Daniel Post, a romance that leads to her travelling to a haunted house to retrieve his head following his death. Denise's first professional blow is delivered when she is passed over for partnership in Spring 2006, despite being considered a safe bet. In season three, Denise discovers she is pregnant with Brad's baby, and as of the seventeenth episode, she had decided to have the baby. She later marries Brad Chase, and after taking extended maternity leave, accepts a partner position at a different law firm. She later returns as opposing counsel. She is shown to be fluent in Italian.
Garrett Wells
Garrett Wells was introduced in the second-season premiere as a brash young attorney who is obviously attracted to Denise. He does go over her head with some clients but aids her by blackmailing her ex-husband's attorney/pastor to get him to back down from his demands for money. He is not all that effective in the courtroom, being humiliated on more than one occasion by no-nonsense judges. He is also intimidated by Catherine Piper, the caterer and former assistant to Alan Shore, who actually runs him out of his own office. He is not seen after the end of Season 2. It is unclear whether he is still with the firm or was let go by the partners, absent any explanation. During season two he begins a relationship with a paralegal, initially bringing disgrace to the firm due to their mistimed sexual encounters.
Sara Holt
Sara Holt is a smart lawyer who isn't above using her own beauty to help her client. A first year associate, Sara is shown to be good friends with her colleague Garrett Wells, and the two often conspire to win cases by unethical means - the most notable of which involved seducing and blackmailing a minister. Sara works primarily with Denise Bauer, though she entertains the idea of a relationship with Alan Shore, and the two date on one occasion. She departs the series in season two, absent any explanation.
Jeffrey Coho
Jeffrey Coho is an intense, grandiose
criminal defense attorney from the
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
branch of Crane, Poole & Schmidt who joins the
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
firm in Season 3, accompanied by Claire Simms. Jeffrey is as comfortable with making enemies as he is making friends. He had a fleeting relationship with Denise, and as such is cordially despised by Brad Chase. After finding out that Denise's baby is not his, Jeffrey leaves the firm in episode fifteen of Season three, wearing his
Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear is the main character in the ''Toy Story'' franchise created by Disney and Pixar mainly voiced by Tim Allen. He is a Superhero toy action figure based on the in-universe media franchise consisting of a blockbuster featur ...
costume.
Claire Simms
Claire Sims is a smart, sexy lawyer who, along with Jeffrey Coho, joins the firm in the second episode of Season three. She did undercover work in the Scott Little case, and has a penchant for flirting with witnesses. Claire initiated a relationship with Clarence Bell, who was first her assistant and later a fellow associate. She was written out following the end of season three, absent any explanation.
Clarence Bell
Also known as Clarice, Clevant and "
Oprah
Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', b ...
." In his default persona, Clarence is hopelessly shy and introverted, and frequently has trouble maintaining eye contact. To deal with this drawback, he role-plays as other people who embody the characteristics he cannot. He originally sued his place of employment for
gender discrimination
Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primaril ...
. He is hired by CP&S as Claire Simms' assistant, and after it is discovered he is a law school graduate who has been admitted to the bar, he becomes an associate. For a time, he and Claire are an item. Joining the Litigation Division, he and Jerry Espenson become friends, and he enjoys something of a mentoring relationship with Carl Sack. He disappeared at the end of Season 4 with no explanation.
Carl Sack
A senior partner at Crane, Poole & Schmidt, Carl transferred from the
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
office to help Shirley in managing the
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
branch following the withdrawal of Paul Lewiston from a leadership role to concentrate on raising his granddaughter. He is initially unable to come to terms with the carefree conduct of the Boston office and once considers moving back to New York. However, he finds his footing in the Boston office, becoming a mentor to the associates, particularly Katie Lloyd, Clarence Bell and Jerry Espenson. He also falls in with the sometimes surreal legal activities of the Litigation Division, notably by filing a lawsuit against the broadcast television networks in which the plaintiffs demanded that they air programs for people with working brains. Carl is an old flame of Shirley's and proposes to her in "Thanksgiving." Shirley and Carl are married in a civil ceremony by Supreme Court Justice
Antonin Scalia at Nimmo Bay in the series finale.
Jerry Espenson
An attorney diagnosed with
Asperger's syndrome
Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's, is a former neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavio ...
, whose quirks include
purr
A purr is a tonal fluttering sound made by some species of felids and two species of genets. It varies in loudness and tone among species and in the same animal. Felids are a family of mammals that belong to the order Carnivora and are info ...
ing whenever he feels anxious and upset; constantly exclaiming "Bingo!" as an affirmative;
hopping when excited; and awkwardly walking with his hands pressed to his thighs (which earned him the moniker "Hands Espenson" among the other CP&S attorneys). Since his diagnosis, Jerry has received mental and
behavior modification
Behavior modification is an early approach that used respondent and operant conditioning to change behavior. Based on methodological behaviorism, overt behavior was modified with consequences, including positive and negative reinforcement conti ...
therapy which has increased his confidence in dealing with people. Before his disorder was diagnosed, he was arrested for holding a knife to Shirley's throat after being denied partnership in the firm for the third time. Shirley dropped the charges against him after Alan promised to get Jerry the therapy he needed. After therapy, he founded his own successful law firm and opposed Alan Shore in several cases, defeating him in court despite Alan's employment of various tricks intended to rattle him. Jerry was able to use his firm and its client list as leverage to rejoin CP&S, moving from the Corporate Law department to Litigation, where he was surprisingly successful, to the delight of Alan and Shirley. Alan has even admitted that he considers Jerry to be one of the finest attorneys he has ever known. He made partner in the final season, following a declaration of support from Denny Crane and an eloquent speech of his own to the partners. Carl Sack, who had initially been dubious about him, was proud to extend the offer of partnership in the firm to Jerry. Jerry attended
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
, where he obtained
J.D. and
MBA
A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
degrees.
Lorraine Weller
An Englishwoman by birth, Lorraine came to America as a result of an agreement with the British government. She had been a high class madam in London, with a string of escorts who serviced ''very'' senior members of the British government (and, it was rumored, the Royal Family). Her current citizenship is unclear, though it may be presumed she is a naturalized American. She graduated from
Harvard Law School and was admitted to the Massachusetts bar. Joining Crane Poole & Schmidt as a litigator, her background is discovered by Whitney Rome and Katie Lloyd—who also discover, following Jerry's losing his virginity to an escort who had fallen for him, that Lorraine is still a practitioner of "the oldest profession," running strings of high-priced escorts in Boston, New York, and Washington, DC. Shortly after this information became known at the firm, Lorraine left Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Whether she resigned or was fired is unclear.
Whitney Rome
A strong-willed associate who transferred to Crane, Poole & Schmidt's New York offices after a break-up. In her arrival at the firm, Whitney is immediately thrown into a case involving a bullfighting child whose mother wants sole custody.
Katie Lloyd
A young associate from England and a recent Harvard Law graduate, she is taken under the wing of Shirley Schmidt and assigned to share an office with Jerry Espenson, with whom she tries cases frequently and develops a platonic friendship and later romantic relationship.
Notable recurring cast and characters
* Judge Clark Brown (played by
Henry Gibson
Henry Gibson (born James Bateman; September 21, 1935 – September 14, 2009) was an American actor and poet. His best-known roles include his time as a cast member of the TV sketch-comedy series ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' from 1968 to 19 ...
, 24 episodes): A Boston judge the Crane, Poole & Schmidt lawyers appear before often and even take on as a client in one episode. A 70-year-old who still lives with his mother, Judge Brown likes to humiliate criminals he convicts in addition to normal punishment. Although Judge Brown claims to be a "conscientious fact finder", both Alan and Denny are able to appeal to his insecurities to gain favorable rulings. Initially thought to be a virgin, Brown admitted to having relationships with men in the Season 3 episode "Selling Sickness." He also often utters strong adjectives like "Shocking!" or "Disgusting!" during witness testimony, and often describes things as "Outrageous!" Despite his eccentricities, Brown often delivers thoughtful and eloquent verbal opinions on his cases and is willing to entertain unconventional but moral lawsuits.
* Bethany Horowitz (played by
Meredith Eaton-Gilden, 18 episodes): A feisty
dwarf
Dwarf or dwarves may refer to:
Common uses
*Dwarf (folklore), a being from Germanic mythology and folklore
* Dwarf, a person or animal with dwarfism
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Dwarf (''Dungeons & Dragons''), a humanoid ...
attorney nicknamed "The Badger", and an on-again-off-again romantic interest of Denny. Bethany is also the daughter of an old girlfriend of Denny's. At one point it was suspected Bethany was actually Denny's daughter, which theory was disproved by
DNA tests
Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...
. Bethany ultimately was unable to reconcile the fact her mother had had a relationship with Denny, plus the fact that she was a practicing Jew while Denny was (nominally) Christian, and the two parted for good.
![Betty White 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Betty_White_2010.jpg)
* (played by
Betty White
Betty Marion White (January 17, 1922December 31, 2021) was an American actress and comedian. A pioneer of Golden Age of Television, early television, with a television career spanning almost seven decades, White was noted for her vast work i ...
, 16 episodes): Alan's former assistant, first introduced in ''The Practice''. A church-going woman who enjoyed being privy to the goings-on at Crane, Poole & Schmidt, Catherine took to the matricidal Bernard Ferrion in an attempt to introduce him to
God
In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
. Convinced Ferrion would kill again, she later murdered him. With Alan's representation, Catherine was acquitted of the crime but was subsequently fired by Shirley. However, Catherine returned and was hired as a food delivery person at Crane, Poole & Schmidt and even after retiring from that job continued to be a frequent client of the firm for numerous reasons.
* (played by Jill Brennan, 13 episodes): A thinly-veiled parody of
Nancy Grace
Nancy Ann Grace (born October 23, 1959) is an American legal commentator and television journalist. She hosted '' Nancy Grace'', a nightly celebrity news and current affairs show on HLN, from 2005 to 2016, and Court TV's ''Closing Arguments ...
. Jane frequently uses her television program to comment on high-profile cases the firm is trying and has a relationship with Denny, first meeting him while filling in as a guest-host on ''
Larry King Live
''Larry King Live'' was an American television talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was the channel's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly.
Mainly aired from CNN's Los Angeles ...
''.
*Melissa Hughes (played by
Marisa Coughlan, 12 episodes): Alan's former assistant. Alan hires her to replace Catherine Piper, and enlists her to help him combat his night terrors. He helps her discharge her credit card debt and avoid jail time for tax evasion and falls briefly for her, only to later reject her advances.
* Judge Robert Sanders (played by
Shelley Berman, 11 episodes): A crotchety old judge, who seems to be senile and utters comic-sounding phrases such as "jibber-jabber" and "poopycock." He also, in a jab by the writers at then-President George W. Bush, frequently claims to be "the decider." Judge Sanders often appears oblivious to the rules of evidence, blatantly sustaining and overruling objections incorrectly, and can be manipulated by attorneys, particularly Alan Shore. He also married Brad Chase and Denise Bauer in the labor room of a hospital moments before the baby was born after Denise went into labor at her wedding, because Brad insisted no child of his would come into the world a bastard.
![Kerry Washington Django avp](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Kerry_Washington_Django_avp.jpg)
* Doris Thumper (played by
Yvette Nicole Brown
Yvette Nicole Brown (born August 12, 1971) is an American actress, comedian, writer and host. She starred as Shirley Bennett on the NBC sitcom ''Community'', as Dani in the 2015 version of '' The Odd Couple'' on CBS and as Dina Rose on the AB ...
, 2 episodes): A friend of Clarence Bell who is a shy and recovered borderline agoraphobic but is a talented singer. She is introduced in the Season 4 episode entitled “Green Christmas “. Clarence informs her that he must drop out of the singing competition if he wants to keep his job at the Law Firm once a video of them performing goes viral but later on is able to keep his job and continue to sing in the competition . By the end of the episode Doris and Clarence advance to the semifinals after singing “Big Blonde and Beautiful” from the musical Hairspray.
* ADA Frank Ginsberg (played by
Currie Graham
Currie Graham (born February 26, 1967) is a Canadian stage, film and television actor. While primarily recognized as a TV actor, he has numerous film credits, including the action thrillers ''Rancid'' (2004) and ''Assault on Precinct 13'' (200 ...
, 9 episodes): An assistant district attorney with political ambitions. He wants to get elected district attorney, and has tried to further this goal by promoting himself to the public with cases of questionable merit. Some instances of his misguided intentions include prosecuting a
sexual surrogate
Sex surrogates, sometimes referred to as surrogate partners, are practitioners trained in addressing issues of intimacy and sexuality. A surrogate partner works in collaboration with a sex therapist to meet the goals of their client. This triadic ...
and her patient (Jerry) for prostitution, trying to imprison a homeless man who
cannibalized a dead body when death by starvation became imminent, and attempting to put Denny behind bars for illegally exporting
medical waste. On each occasion, Ginsberg's plans to use his cases as sensational self-promotion were ruined (typically by Alan Shore) when his targets were acquitted.
* Lincoln Meyer (played by
David Dean Bottrell
David Dean Bottrell is an American actor, comedian and screenwriter best known for playing on numerous TV series & as Lincoln Meyer on 8 episodes of the ABC television series '' Boston Legal''. He is also the author of "Working Actor: Breakin ...
, 8 episodes): A
campy
Camp is an aesthetic style and sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its bad taste and ironic value. Camp aesthetics disrupt many of modernism's notions of what art is and what can be classified as high art by inverting ae ...
eccentric, Meyer was a witness in the murder trial of his neighbor, a female judge on whom he had an unrequited crush. Meyer is a lonely
peeping Tom
Lady Godiva (; died between 1066 and 1086), in Old English , was a late Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who is relatively well documented as the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and a patron of various churches and monasteries. Today, she is mainly re ...
, and is revealed to have developed
psychosis
Psychosis is a condition of the mind that results in difficulties determining what is real and what is not real. Symptoms may include delusions and hallucinations, among other features. Additional symptoms are incoherent speech and behavior ...
, which causes him to sue anyone who calls out his eccentricity, and later cause physical harm to the point of murdering the judge who denied his motion, trying to murder a TV show hostess, and even kidnapping Shirley following her refusal to go out on a date. Meyer's house is eventually raided by the police following a hunch from the Crane, Poole & Schmidt partners and associates, and he is shot in the chest by his own
crossbow
A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an elastic launching device consisting of a bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar fashion to the stock of a long fire ...
, which he set up as a
booby trap to prevent Shirley's rescue.
* Judge Harvey Cooper (played by
Anthony Heald
Philip Anthony Mair Heald (born August 25, 1944) is an American character actor known for portraying Hannibal Lecter's jailer, Dr. Frederick Chilton, in '' The Silence of the Lambs'' and '' Red Dragon'', and for playing assistant principal Sco ...
, 8 episodes): First introduced in ''The Practice'', Judge Cooper becomes a nemesis of Alan Shore, Denny Crane and Jeffrey Coho. A transplant from Los Angeles to Boston, he frequently puts unnecessary emphasis on the syllables in Massachusetts. After presiding over several high-profile trials involving Crane, Poole & Schmidt, he appeals for their help in representing him in the Season 4 finale.
* Judge Gloria Weldon (played by
Gail O'Grady
Gail Ann O'Grady (born January 23, 1963), an American actress and producer, is best known for her roles on television. Her roles include Donna Abandando in the ABC police drama '' NYPD Blue'', and Helen Pryor in the NBC drama series ''American Dre ...
, 7 episodes): A beautiful judge that Alan rekindles a relationship with during Seasons 3 and 4. They eventually split over her desire to have children and Alan's reluctance.
* Daniel Post (played by
Michael J. Fox
Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian-American retired actor. Beginning his career in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ''Family Ties'' (1 ...
, 6 episodes): Denise's love interest with terminal
lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...
. Daniel is a hugely wealthy businessman who initially goes to Denise for help winning a case against a man who is suing him for using his influence to get a test drug that might save his life. Their relationship develops until he restarts his
radiation therapy
Radiation therapy or radiotherapy, often abbreviated RT, RTx, or XRT, is a therapy using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells and normally delivered by a linear accelerator. Radi ...
and then goes off to
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
, presumably to die. Daniel returns in the season finale, alive, and proposes to Denise. In the third season, he dies during a lung transplant, however, and his remains are lost on the
black market. Denise was able to recover his head in a
haunted house
A haunted house, spook house or ghost house in ghostlore is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the prope ...
Halloween attraction in
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...
.
* Bernard Ferrion (played by
Leslie Jordan
Leslie Allen Jordan (April 29, 1955 – October 24, 2022) was an American actor, comedian, writer, and singer. His television roles include Supporting characters on Will & Grace, Beverley Leslie on ''Will & Grace'' (2001–2006 and 2017–2020) ...
, 6 episodes): A short statured man, who whacked his mother over the head with a frying pan and proceeded to hire Alan as his lawyer. Bernard's mother dies shortly thereafter, but manages to tell about Bernard's act; however, Alan manages to acquit Bernard due to lack of evidence. Bernard's neighbor witnesses the killing, and for fear of incrimination, Bernard murders her in the same manner. He seeks Alan's help once more, but Alan deems him evil and turns him over to Tara, who also acquits him due to lack of evidence. Bernard keeps returning to Crane, Poole & Schmidt in unsuccessful attempts to regain his friendship with Alan, and befriends Catherine, who tries to "save his soul" by introducing him to religion. However, as Bernard keeps displaying signs of willingness to kill again just for the thrill and attention, Catherine starts to fear for her own life, and so kills Bernard in the same manner he killed his mother and neighbor, and hides his body in a freezer.
* (played by
Christopher Rich, 6 episodes): A
Texan
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by bo ...
lawyer and Alan's nemesis. He is extremely (but falsely) friendly and charming, and uses this as a strategy in nearly all his cases. Only once does he drop his facade, revealing him to be a cold, amoral and manipulative lawyer. Alan immediately despises him, and he occupies the role of an antagonist until near the end of the show, where he defends Denny and Alan from adultery charges. This leads to Melvin and Denny becoming good friends, which irritates Alan further.
* Chelina Hall (played by
Kerry Washington
Kerry Marisa Washington (born January 31, 1977) SidebarCertificate of Live Birth: Isabelle Amarachi Asomugha(County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health). Gives Kerry Washington birth dateArchivedfrom the original on May 2, 2016.Note: Fi ...
, 5 episodes): Prior to coming to work for Crane, Poole & Schmidt in Boston, Chelina worked on behalf of
death row inmates for the Texas Innocence Project by petitioning the Texas High Court to reconsider execution sentence. She lost her
temper
Temper, tempered or tempering may refer to:
Heat treatment
* Tempering (metallurgy), a heat treatment technique to increase the toughness of iron-based alloys
** Temper mill, a steel processing line
* Tempering (spices), a cooking technique where ...
during her final appearance before the court, calling the chief judge "a disgusting, fat pig." Later, when one of her previous cases comes up for appeal, Chelina fears this incident may have prejudiced the judge against her and convinces Alan to argue the case in her stead. She was originally intended to appear in several episodes near the end of the first season, but when these episodes were retooled to appear at the beginning of the second season, her burgeoning romance with Alan was apparently cut short. Alan re-encounters Chelina in the second-season episode "Race Ipsa" (actually a holdover from season one) and in a comment that broke the fourth wall, Alan says that she has left the show "to be in movies" (which she did in real life), also making reference to the change in the show's airing time.
* Beverly Bridge (played by
Joanna Cassidy
Joanna Cassidy (born Joanna Virginia Caskey, August 2, 1945 Brady, James"In Step With: Joanna Cassidy" ''Miami Herald'', November 25, 1990. Accessed March 14, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Born: Aug.2, 1944, in Camden, N.J.") is an American actress. ...
, 5 episodes): A woman that Denny meets, courts and marries in short order during Season 2. Other members of the firm are concerned she is a gold-digger only after Denny's money and that she will force him to retire and cash out his stake in the firm. The two divorce after Denny commits adultery at their wedding reception.
![Parker Posey @ Fox Upfronts 2007 02 (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Parker_Posey_%40_Fox_Upfronts_2007_02_%28cropped%29.jpg)
* Bella Horowitz (played by
Delta Burke
Delta Ramona Leah Burke (born July 30, 1956) is an American actress, producer, and author. From 1986 to 1991, she starred as Suzanne Sugarbaker in the CBS sitcom ''Designing Women'', for which she was nominated for two Emmy Awards for Outstan ...
, 5 episodes): Mother of Bethany, Bella attempts to rekindle her relationship with Denny while her daughter is dating him. She also claims Denny is Bethany's father, only to see this claim dis-proven.
* Barbara Little (played by
Katey Sagal
Catherine Louise "Katey" Sagal (; born January 19, 1954) is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing Peggy Bundy on '' Married... with Children'' (1987–1997), Leela on ''Futurama'' (1999–2003, 2008–2013, 2023), Cate Hennes ...
, 5 episodes): The mother of Scott Little and a key player in the high-profile murder case the firm tries throughout the beginning of Season 3. She is secretly carrying on an incestuous relationship with Scott and commits perjury to prevent him from being convicted.
* ADA Christopher Palmer (played by
William Russ
William Russ (born October 20, 1950) is an American actor and television director. He played Alan Matthews on the sitcom '' Boy Meets World'' (1993–2000) and appeared in the television series '' Wiseguy'', the soap operas '' Another World'' an ...
, 5 episodes): A frequent nemesis of the firm, Palmer usually appears in cases as an advocate for gun control.
* (played by
Larry Miller, 4 episodes): Named Partner at Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Edwin arrived at a staff meeting pantless and was sent to a psychiatric hospital in the first few minutes of the pilot. He later escaped, much to Denny's concern, and he successfully participated in one case before deciding to go back. He returned again for one episode in Season 2 after being released, focusing his efforts on finding someone to sue. Edwin returned to the hospital on Shirley's advice. He reappeared in the final season, released from the hospital and retired, as the foster parent of a black boy and was present at the Thanksgiving Day dinner where Carl Sack asked Shirley to marry him and the possibility of the firm going under was discussed.
* Marlene Stanger (played by
Parker Posey
Parker Christian Posey (born November 8, 1968) is an American actress and musician. Posey is the recipient of a Golden Globe Award nomination, a Satellite Award nomination and two Independent Spirit Award nominations.
Posey made her film debu ...
, 4 episodes): A stone-cold, ruthless attorney. Known at her old firm as "The
Squid" (apparently the only animal that can kill a
shark
Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachi ...
, a term commonly used to describe someone with aggressive ambition in the legal or corporate world), Marlene is not above using underhanded tactics to win cases, and specializes in undermining her associates. She finds herself very unnerved by Alan, and eventually had sex with him in his office. Her hostile relationship with Denise led to the ruining of Denise's chance to make partner. At the end of Season 2, in accordance with the contract by which she joined Crane, Poole & Schmidt Marlene was made a partner; but in the third-season premiere, she transferred from Boston to the New York office.
![Rachelle Lefevre comic-con 2013 under the dome](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Rachelle_Lefevre_comic-con_2013_under_the_dome.jpg)
* Ivan Tiggs (played by
Tom Selleck
Thomas William Selleck (; born January 29, 1945) is an American actor. His breakout role was playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the television series '' Magnum, P.I.'' (1980–1988), for which he received five Emmy Award nominations ...
, 4 episodes): Shirley Schmidt's ex-husband and a
womanizer
Womanizer may refer to:
* "Womanizer" (term), a promiscuous heterosexual man
* "Womanizer" (song), a 2008 song by Britney Spears
* "Womanizer", a 1977 song by Blood, Sweat & Tears from '' Brand New Day''
* ''Womanizer'', a 2004 album by Absolute ...
. After announcing his engagement to his sixth wife Missy, he attempted to rekindle his former relationship with Shirley, saying he would dump Missy if Shirley would take him back. When Shirley refused, he married Missy and later lied about leaving her to reunite with Shirley. The ploy worked, and he and Shirley were briefly reunited. When Shirley learned of his deception, she drafted a "post-nuptial agreement" that would relinquish virtually all of Ivan's possessions to Missy if he were ever caught cheating on her. He attempted to legally void the agreement (with Alan as his representation), but eventually handed everything over to Missy if Shirley would give him another chance. Shirley refused, saying "I can't love you anymore," and Ivan was last seen alone and penniless.
* Missy Tiggs (played by
Meredith Patterson
Meredith Ann Patterson (born November 24, 1975) is an American musical theatre and television actress. She is best known for her Broadway performances such as Peggy Sawyer in 2001 Revival of "42nd Street", '' The Boy Friend'' and '' White Christ ...
, 4 episodes): The eccentric, obnoxious,
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
musical-loving, singing, snort-laughing, and very young sixth ex-wife of Ivan Tiggs. Despite the fact she is marrying her ex-husband, Shirley befriends her and even serves as the
maid of honor
Bridesmaids are members of the bride's party in a Western traditional wedding ceremony. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman and often a close friend or relative. She attends to the bride on the day of a wedding or marriage ceremony. Tradit ...
at Ivan and Missy's wedding. After divorcing Ivan, she is last seen when brought into court by a black man with whom she had protected sex, after Missy took his sperm from a condom and used it to
impregnate herself with an "Obama baby." The black man brought suit against her, which case was resolved to the satisfaction of no one. It is unknown if Missy gave birth or not as she disappeared after that episode.
* Rachel Lewiston (played by
Jayne Brook
Jayne Brook (born Jane Anderson) is an American actress, best known for her roles as Dr. Diane Grad on the medical drama ''Chicago Hope'', as a series regular for five of the show's six seasons, and Mary Ann Mitchell on ''The District'' from 200 ...
, 4 episodes): Paul Lewiston's estranged daughter who is addicted to crystal meth. The two reconnect and Paul discovers he has a granddaughter, Fiona. He enlists Brad Chase to force Rachel to go to rehab and takes custody of Fiona, only to have Brad fall for Rachel.
* ADA Holly Raines (played by
Ana Ortiz, 4 episodes): An assistant district attorney with whom Alan and Brad clash with during Season 2. She attempts to obtain employment at the firm with the help of Alan, only to be disrespected by Brad and later faces him in court.
* Joanna Monroe (played by
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian and author. She is known for starring as Sue Sylvester in the musical comedy series '' Glee'' (2009–2015), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Lynch also gained recog ...
, 4 episodes): A
sexual surrogate
Sex surrogates, sometimes referred to as surrogate partners, are practitioners trained in addressing issues of intimacy and sexuality. A surrogate partner works in collaboration with a sex therapist to meet the goals of their client. This triadic ...
who retains Alan's services as a lawyer multiple times, as Alan is a former client of hers. She also provides sexual surrogacy for Jerry Espenson to combat his intimacy issues.
* Leigh Swift (played by
Mary Gross
Mary Martha Gross is an American voice actress, comedian, and actress known for her four-year stint on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1981 to 1985. Her credits also include minor roles on ''Animaniacs'', ''Boston Legal'', ''That's So Raven'', '' ...
, 4 episodes): A woman with Paraphilia and Asperger's syndrome becomes a client of and girlfriend to Jerry Espenson. The two break up because of her intense, violent jealousy of Katie Lloyd.
* Emma Path (played by
Pamela Adlon
Pamela Fionna Adlon (; ; born July 9, 1966) is an American actress. She is known for voicing Bobby Hill in the animated comedy series ''King of the Hill'' (1997–2010), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award. She also voiced Baloo in '' Jung ...
, 4 episodes): A lawyer that frequently appears against Alan Shore and who is the target of his sexual harassment.
* Nora Jacobs (played by
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe (born October 10, 1978) is an American actress, model, and fashion designer. She came to prominence as Cassidy Bridges on the television series '' Nash Bridges'' (1996–2001) and played Gretchen Morgan on '' Prison Break'' (20 ...
, 3 episodes): assistant to Alan Shore (he flirts with her which causes her to feel uncomfortable and harassed)
* (played by
Freddie Prinze, Jr., 3 episodes): A young lawyer who was believed to be Denny's illegitimate son, the product of an affair with an anonymous woman. Denny, however, did not see him for fifteen years. Denny later confessed to Alan that when Donny's mother slapped him with a paternity suit, he settled, and Donny's mother later admitted that he wasn't the father. Many jokes were made about the closeness of Donny and Denny's names. When Donny found out that Denny was not his biological father, he was crushed, and his relationship with Denny became very strained; however, Denny still considers him his son and has referred to him as such on occasion. Just like Denny, Donny uses his own name as an exclamation at inappropriate times.
*Judge Robert Thompson (played by
Howard Hesseman, 3 episodes): A laid-back and unorthodox judge whose trademark is that he almost never actually sits on the bench when hearing a case, preferring to lean against the witness stand or the jury box during testimony (a fact which greatly unnerves Jerry Espenson).
* Professor Clifford Cabot (played by
Ed Begley Jr., 3 episodes): A
sexology professor who is a longtime and frequent client of the firm.
*Dana Strickland (played by
Rachelle Lefevre, 3 episodes): A high-priced escort prostitute who works for Lorraine Weller who became Jerry Espenson's "girlfriend." She sued Jerry for sexual assault. Later on, she gets arrested for prostitution and asks for Jerry's help, but is faced with a difficult choice of walking free by revealing who her boss, Lorraine, is. She decides she will not take the deal and flip on Lorraine. She never arrives to court, missing her hearing and when asked by Katie and Jerry if she knows where she is, Lorraine shrugs off the question and denies knowing anything. She is never heard from again, nor mentioned.
See also
* ''
Boston Legal''
*
List of ''Boston Legal'' episodes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boston Legal
Lists of American comedy-drama television series characters
Characters
Character or Characters may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk
* ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...