Shirley Feeney

Living… in Milwaukee with her best friend Laverne De Fazio in a basement apartment at 730 Knapp Street, Apartment A. They can see the feet of pedestrians passing by their window, and they can talk to their upstairs neighbors Lenny and Squiggy by screaming up the dumbwaiter shaft.

Profession… bottle capper at Shotz Brewery. Before that, she was a candy striper, a crossing guard, a door-to-door plant saleswoman, and dime-a-dance girl.

Interests... animals. Shirley is an animal lover, with two birds named Duane and Eddie and a beloved stuffed cat named Boo Boo Kitty. She tried to keep a horse named Buttercup in the apartment, but that fell through for obvious reasons. She once even chained herself to a dog named Fritz who was about to be put to sleep by the pound. 

Relationship Status... on and off again with dancer/singer Carmine Ragusa. Shirley is drawn to his passionate persona, yet it is that very trait that causes their relationship’s tumultuousness.

Challenge… dealing with the trials and tribulations of being a working class woman in the late 1950s. Her main enemies are rent, unemployment, and whatever insane misfortune she’s found herself in most recently.

Personality… sweet, positive, and nurturing. In addition to her love of animals, Shirley dotes on her nieces and nephews and spills out her innermost thoughts into a diary that she guards like Fort Knox. But don’t think you can walk all over her – Shirley will stand up for herself when necessary.