List of Shameless (U.S. TV series) characters

The following is a list of the fictional characters appearing in the American comedy-drama television series Shameless, created by Paul Abbott. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2011 on the Showtime network. It is based on the UK series of the same name.

Shameless is set in Chicago's South Side. It tells the story of an alcoholic father, Frank Gallagher and his six children, who strive to take care of each other and create better lives despite Frank's poor influence. Abbott grew up in a family in the United Kingdom much like that portrayed in the UK series Shameless.

Vernon Francis "Frank" Gallagher (William H. Macy) is the father of six children. He is a deadbeat alcoholic, drug addict and morally deficient freeloader who relies on his children to barely get by. He also swindles the state welfare system and this type of opportunistic deceit has been learned by his children.

Frank begins affairs with almost any available woman, resulting in the births of even more children. For instance, he begins a relationship with Sheila Jackson when he discovers that she gets maximum disability benefits for her agoraphobia. Frank is the biological father of Sammi, Fiona, Lip, Debbie, Carl, and Liam, but not of Ian, who is the children's half-brother and cousin.

The children refer to their father as Frank. Although Frank pontificates self-righteously about political and social issues, he spends most of his time developing schemes to cheat the system and take advantage of others in order to make money. He pays little attention to his children but can display care and concern for them in drastic circumstances.

In season 4, his liver fails, as the result of his chronic alcoholism. He tracks down his daughter Sammi, and although she is not a match for a liver transplant, she and Sheila go out of their way to arrange Frank's liver surgery. They find an unlicensed Bangladeshi surgeon willing to do the operation, using a Bangladeshi donor. The surgeon initially asks for $30,000 but when the two women admit they can only pay $26,000, he reluctantly agrees to operate. With money acquired by Sammi from the sale of Sheila's furniture, along with Sheila's savings, the cost of the surgery is covered. The surgeon makes off with the money and one of Frank's kidneys, leaving Frank with his original failing liver. Nevertheless, Frank is supplied with a replacement liver from the emergency room that allows him to continue drinking.

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