A variety of fictional characters appear in the American comedy-drama television series Shameless, created by Paul Abbott. First broadcast on Showtime on January 9, 2011, it is based on the British series of the same name, and features many of its characters.
Shameless is set in Chicago's South SideDouglas S. "Hit Showtime series 'Shameless' filmed right in our backyard." Depauliaonline.com February 3, 2012. Accessed October 26, 2015. and tells the story of an alcoholic father, Frank Gallagher, and his six children who take care of each other in an attempt to better their lives despite Frank's poor influence. Abbott grew up in a family in the United Kingdom much like that portrayed in the British series.Jeffries S. "Why I write." The Guardian.com February 7, 2005. Accessed November 9, 2015
Cast overview
Legend/Key: (M = Main, G = Guest, R = Recurring role, A = Archive footage)
Main Actor Character Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 William H. Macy Frank Gallagher colspan="11" Emmy Rossum Fiona Gallagher colspan="9" colspan="1" A Justin Chatwin Steve Wilton / Jimmy Lishman colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="5" A Ethan Cutkosky Carl Gallagher colspan="11" Shanola Hampton Veronica Fisher colspan="11" Steve Howey Kevin "Kev" Ball colspan="11" Emma Kenney Debbie Gallagher colspan="11" Cameron Monaghan Ian Gallagher colspan="11" Jeremy Allen White Phillip "Lip" Gallagher colspan="11" Laura Slade Wiggins Karen Jackson colspan="2" colspan="8" Joan Cusack Sheila Jackson colspan="5" colspan="6" Noel Fisher Mickey Milkovich colspan="2" colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" Emma Greenwell Mandy Milkovich colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="5" Zach McGowan Jody Silverman colspan="8" Jake McDorman Mike Pratt colspan="2" colspan="7" Emily Bergl Sammi Slott colspan="3" colspan="6" Isidora Goreshter Svetlana Yevgenivna colspan="2" colspan="4" colspan="2" colspan="3" Richard Flood Ford Kellogg colspan="7" colspan="2" Christian Isaiah Liam Gallagher colspan="8" colspan="3" Kate Miner Tami Tamietti colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="2"
Recurring Actor Character Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Michael Patrick McGill Tommy colspan="11" Tyler Jacob Moore Tony Markovich colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="5" Pej Vahdat Kash colspan="9" Marguerite Moreau Linda colspan="9" Joel Murray Eddie Jackson colspan="10" Missy Doty Jess colspan="10" Louise Fletcher Peg Gallagher colspan="9" Dennis Boutsikaris Professor Hearst colspan="9" Kerry O'Malley Kate colspan="2" colspan="7" Madison Davenport Ethel colspan="2" colspan="9" Amy Smart Jasmine Hollander colspan="9" Jim Hoffmaster Kermit colspan="8" Alex Borstein Lou Deckner colspan="3" colspan="6" James Wolk Adam Lange colspan="9" Jack Carter Stan Kopchek colspan="8" Nicky Korba Little Hank colspan="9" Justin Mitchell Malik colspan="10" Stephanie Fantauzzi Estefânia colspan="2" colspan="8" Joanna Lee Hiram "Hymie" Jackson colspan="8" Danika Yarosh Holly Herkimer colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="6" Harry Hamlin Lloyd Lishman colspan="7" Ed Lauter Dick Healey colspan="8" J. Michael Trautmann Iggy Milkovich colspan="2" colspan="6" Maile Flanagan Connie colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="7" Bernardo de Paula Beto colspan="2" colspan="8" Eric Edelstein Bobby Mallison colspan="2" colspan="8" Keiko Agena Brittany Sturgess colspan="2" colspan="8" Sunkrish Bala Andy colspan="2" colspan="8" Bill Brochtrup Hal colspan="2" colspan="7" Sheldon Bailey Kenyatta colspan="2" colspan="6" Kellen Michael Charles "Chuckie" Slott colspan="3" colspan="3" colspan="5" Nichole Sakura Amanda colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="5" Teresa Ornelas Ellie colspan="3" colspan="4" James Allen McCune Matty Baker colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="6" Adam Cagley Ron Kuzner colspan="3" colspan="6" Nick Gehlfuss Robbie Pratt colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="7" Various babies and children Amy Ball colspan="3" colspan="7" Various babies and children Gemma Ball colspan="3" colspan="7" Various babies and children Yevgeny Milkovich colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan=3 Alessandra Balazs Jackie Scabello colspan="3" colspan="6" Dichen Lachman Angela colspan="3" colspan="6" Rebecca Metz Melinda colspan="4" colspan="3" colspan="4" Luca Oriel Derek Delgado colspan="4" colspan=3 Christopher Stills Chris colspan="4" colspan="5" Michael Reilly Burke Theo Wallace colspan="4" colspan="5" Bojana Novakovic Bianca Samson colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="6" José Julián Joaquin colspan="4" colspan="4" Alan Rosenberg Professor Youens colspan="5" colspan="3" colspan=3 Jaylen Barron Dominique Winslow colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="4" Peter Macon Luther Winslow colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="4" Jeff Pierre Caleb colspan="5" colspan="4" Victor Onuigbo Nick colspan="5" colspan="5" Paris Newton Frances Gallagher colspan="5" colspan="6" Sharon Lawrence Margo Mierzejewski colspan="6" colspan="2" colspan="2" Ruby Modine Sierra Morton colspan="6" colspan="2" colspan=3 Alicia Coppola Sue colspan="6" colspan="2" colspan=3 Elliot Fletcher Trevor colspan="6" colspan="2" colspan=3 Zack Pearlman Neil Morton colspan="6" colspan="2" colspan=3 Cooper J. Friedman Lucas Morton colspan="6" colspan="2" colspan=3 Tate Ellington Chad colspan="6" colspan="4" Scott Michael Campbell Brad colspan="6" colspan="4" Chet Hanks Charlie colspan="6" colspan=3 Levy TranEddie colspan="7" colspan="1" colspan=3 Jessica Szohr Nessa Chabon colspan="7" colspan=2 Sammi Hanratty Kassidi Gallagher colspan="7" colspan=2 Melissa Paladino Cami Tamietti colspan="7" colspan="4" Scarlet Spencer Alexandra "Xan" Galvez colspan="7" colspan="2" colspan="2" Juliette Angelo Geneva colspan=7 colspan=2 colspan="1" Neal Bledsoe Max Whitford colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="2" Patrick Davis Jason colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan=2 Ashley Romans Alex colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan=2 Jess Gabor Kelly Keefe colspan="8" colspan="2" colspan=2 Sarah Colonna Lori colspan="8" colspan="2" colspan=1 Rebecca Field Eliza colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan=2 Chelsea Rendon Anne Gonzalez colspan=9 Idara Victor Sarah colspan=9 Dylan Gelula Megan colspan=9 Danube Hermosillo Pepa colspan=9 Rachel Dratch Paula Bitterman colspan=9 Constance Zimmer Claudia Nicolo colspan=9 Alison Jaye Julia Nicolo colspan=9 Elise EberleSandy Milkovich colspan=9 colspan=2
Special guests + Actor Character Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Vanessa Bell Calloway Carol Fisher colspan="2" colspan="3" colspan="3" Dennis Cockrum Terry Milkovich colspan="4" colspan="4" colspan="2" Chloe Webb Monica Gallagher colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="3" A Bradley Whitford Abraham Paige colspan="2" colspan="8" Regina King Gail Johnson colspan="3" colspan="7" Jeffrey Dean Morgan Charlie Peters colspan="3" colspan="7" Dermot Mulroney Sean Pierce colspan="4" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="3" Sasha Alexander Helene Runyon Robinson colspan="4" colspan="2" colspan="4" Steve Kazee Gus Pfender colspan="4" colspan="2" colspan="5" Sherilyn Fenn Queenie Slott colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="5" June Squibb Etta Teasdale colspan="6" colspan="1" colspan="5" John HenniganCody colspan="6" colspan="4" Luis Guzmán Mikey O'Shea colspan="8" colspan="2" colspan="1" Bob Saget Father D'Amico colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="2" Dan Lauria Maurice "Mo" White colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="2" Katey Sagal Ingrid Jones colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="2" Courteney Cox Jen Wagner colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="2" Elizabeth Rodriguez Faye Donahue colspan="9" colspan="1" colspan="1" Chester Lockhart Cole colspan="9" colspan="1" colspan="1" Credited as "Special Guest Star" in the opening title. Credited only in the episodes they appear. Portrayed by Jane Levy in season 1 and Emma Greenwell in seasons 2 through 6. Portrayed by twins Brennan Kane and Blake Alexander Johnson during seasons 1 to 2, by twins Brandon and Brenden Sims from season 2 to season 7, and by Christian Isaiah since season 8. Portrayed by Dove Cameron in season 2 and Danika Yarosh in seasons 4 and 5. Portrayed by Luca Oriel during seasons 5 and 6 and by Damien Diaz in season 8. Parts of her body are seen in season 8.
Gallagher family
Frank Gallagher
Francis "Frank" Gallagher (William H. Macy and, in flashbacks, Jacob DeMonte-Finn) is the father of seven children. He is a deadbeat alcoholic and drug addict who relies on his children to get by. He also swindles the state welfare system and taught this type of opportunistic deceit to his children. Since Frank refuses to work and most of the children are underage, the family lives far below the federal poverty threshold for a family of their size. As mentioned by one of his sons, Lip, Frank is intelligent and finished high school before he attended college to study psychology, where he met Monica. They dated for about 2 weeks before he dropped out of school and they got married.
Frank has sex with almost any available woman to support himself. For instance, he begins a relationship with Sheila Jackson when he discovers that she gets maximum disability benefits for her agoraphobia. He is the biological father of Sammi, Fiona, Lip, Debbie, Carl, and Liam, but not to Ian, who is presumed to be the son of Frank's brother Clayton, making him Frank's nephew as well as the children's half-brother and cousin. Despite that, he refers to Ian as his son. Frank is also the grandfather of Chuckie, Frances, Fred, and Carl's unnamed twins (caused by another scam by Frank).
The children do not think highly of him and refer to him primarily by his first name, though there have been occasions where they have called him "Dad". Although Frank preaches self-righteously about political and social issues, he spends most of his time developing schemes to cheat the system and takes advantage of others to make money. He pays little attention to his children but displays care and concern for them in drastic circumstances, having shown on occasion that he does indeed love his children, and at times proves himself to be a better parent than Monica or his own mother.
In season 1, he is introduced as an alcoholic deadbeat who neglects his children after his wife abandons the family. The older Gallagher children resent him while the younger ones still have faith in him. After returning from Canada (illegally taken there by Fiona's boyfriend Steve), Frank gloms on to Sheila Jackson, mother to Lip's friends-with-benefits girlfriend Karen, after finding out that she lives on government benefits for her agoraphobia. He attempts to cash a settlement check only to find that he needs it to be signed by his estranged wife Monica and tracks her down. She agrees to sign the check on the condition that he give up their youngest child Liam so that she and her new girlfriend can raise him. Frank learns through two paternity tests that he is indeed Liam's father but not Ian, who is the result of an affair. The pair make amends after the event and Frank walks away.
In season 2, his mother Peggy is released from prison and the root of Frank's bad parenting is revealed to stem from his own childhood with his abusive parents. The main factor was his mother, who was often neglectful and condescending of him and left him scarred. Frank finds himself at her beck and call, as she puts him down at any opportunity. A saddened Frank finds comfort in Fiona, who now sees what her father went through as a child and finds him better than Peggy. After Peggy moves in to Frank's house, Frank's former trauma returns, such as his bedwetting and being his mother's personal servant. He briefly contemplates killing his mother in her sleep, but continues to assist her as her health deteriorates. After Sheila suffocates Peggy to death, he rejoices at being free of his mother's influence.