This is a list of fictional characters from Everybody Loves Raymond, an American sitcom, originally broadcast on CBS from September 13, 1996 to May 16, 2005.
The show revolves around the life of Italian-American Ray Barone, a sportswriter from Long Island, and his wife, Debra Barone. Other main characters include Ray's parents, Frank and Marie, Ray's children Ally, Michael and Geoffrey and his brother Robert, wife Amy.
Contents |
Main characters
Ray Barone
| Raymond Albert Barone | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | "Pilot" |
| Last appearance | Final Everybody Loves Raymond appearance: "The Finale" Final Character appearance: "Raygin' Bulls" |
| Cause/reason | Series end |
| Created by | Ray Romano |
| Episode count | 210 (Everybody Loves Raymond) 4 (The King of Queens) 1 (The Nanny) 1 (Cosby) 1 (Becker) |
| Information | |
| Age | 49 (in 2009) |
| Date of birth | 1960 |
| Occupation | Sportswriter/Head of Sports Features |
| Spouse(s) | Debra Barone |
Raymond Albert Barone, D. Litt. (Ray Romano) is an Italian-American, New York resident, and is a sportswriter for Newsday. He lives in Lynbrook, Long Island, New York with his wife, Debra, and their children Geoffrey (Sawyer Sweeten), Michael (Sullivan Sweeten) and Ally (Madylin Sweeten). Other members of his family, who live across the street, include his brother Robert, and his parents Frank and Marie. Ray's characters are loosely based on the real-life Romano; both are the father of twin boys and a girl.
Ray grew up in an unbalanced household where one parent nurtured him, sometimes to an extreme, while the other tried to reverse his wife's work and didn't provide enough love and attention. The legacy from Marie's overprotective upbringing is the co-dependent relationship the brothers share with her and their sibling rivalry that has persisted into adulthood, while Frank's lack of affection has caused Ray to become emotionally uncommunicative. Ray is also something of a hypochondriac, due to his upbringing.
Raymond rarely helps out his wife around the house or with the kids, partially because he is a sportswriter, and usually sits on the couch watching television. Ray and Debra are often visited—and bothered—by Frank and Marie, who barge into their house uninvited.
Very flippant, Ray doesn't take matters seriously, making corny jokes when one of his family members becomes upset with him, particularly his wife. He has a fear of confronting his mother, and the "psychological hold" that his mother has on him is Debra's pet peeve. Ray has a habit of making bad and sometimes inconsiderate choices; for example he tapes over his wedding video with the Super Bowl.
Ray Romano has also appeared in the role of Ray Barone in some other TV shows, such as The King of Queens, Cosby, and The Nanny, even after Everybody Loves Raymond ended.
Debra Barone
| Debra Louise Barone | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | "Pilot" |
| Last appearance | "The Finale" |
| Cause/reason | Series end |
| Information | |
| Age | 46 (in 2009) |
| Date of birth | 18 November 1963 |
| Occupation | Housewife |
| Family | Warren Whelan (father) Lois Whelan (mother) Jennifer Whelan (sister) |
| Spouse(s) | Raymond Barone |
Debra Louise Barone (Patricia Heaton), née Whelan, is Ray's wife, and the mother of Ally, Michael, and Geoffrey. Debra also appeared in an episode of The King of Queens in 1999.
Debra was brought up by her loving, wealthy parents, Warren and Lois Whelan (Robert Culp and Katherine Helmond). After Debra left home, they traveled across the world, but they experienced marital trouble and eventually divorced. After learning she was pregnant with twins, Ray brought up the issue that she and Ray would need to move in a bigger home, and once Ray's parents learned of this, they showed them a house across the street from their own. Ray was terrified at the idea of moving across the street from his parents, but Debra was able to convince him—though she soon regretted it.
Formerly in public relations for Madison Square Gardens, Debra is a housewife who's often seen resentful and stressed out; major reasons for this are not only having to deal with all the housework and her three rambunctious children (without much assistance from Ray), but also Ray's obnoxious, intrusive family members. Debra tends to hold back her feelings and usually only after Ray does something she lets loose, completely losing control of herself.
Ray is frequently seen trying to get his wife to have sex with him, but is almost always rejected by Debra, who is often seen reading a book or rubbing lotion on her arms before going to sleep. Debra is active in the school PTA. In spite of taking out her frustrations on Raymond, Debra really does love her whole family. Debra is also shown to be very stubborn, when she tries to rejoin the work force at an advertising agency, she was fired after one day because she wouldn't stop pushing an obviously poor advertisment idea on her boss.
Marie Barone
| Marie Janella Barone | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | "Pilot" |
| Last appearance | "Finale" |
| Cause/reason | Series end |
| Information | |
| Age | 77 |
| Date of birth | 10 December 1932 |
| Occupation | Housewife |
| Spouse(s) | Frank Barone |
Marie Janella Barone (Doris Roberts) is Ray's mother, the wife of Frank, and the matriarch of the Barone family. Intrusive and over-nurturing, she is a housewife who excels in cooking, cleaning, and other things dealing with keeping a good home and bringing up a family. Marie claims that everything she does is for the family but she is shown to have narcissistic tendencies both intentional and not, (e.g. interrupts Amy and Robert's wedding to ask if Robert really wants to get married, believing it was best for him, when told of the self absorbed nature behind this at the reception she seems genuinely shocked, and instigating a short-lived feud with Amy over thank you letters from the wedding so that she (Marie) would be praised by a person who gave a gift she (Marie) suggested). Marie and Frank live across the street from Ray and Debra in Lynbrook, Long Island, New York. The houses used for the exterior shots of the two Barone households are really across the street from each other but actually are located in North Merrick.
Except for Frank, everyone in the family has a hard time standing up to Marie because of her guilt-tripping, although Debra sometimes does take a stand, much to the chagrin of Raymond. In addition to being a profound worrier, one of Marie's trademark acts is to be outwardly helpful and sweet, but in the most catty, disparaging way, especially towards her daughter-in-law. When she and Frank were kicked out of a retirement community she was said to single handedly bring down the moral of the entire community and caused everyone to quit a play she was a part of (it was heavily implied that Marie was considered the worst of the pair for this reason). Marie often barges into Debra's house and criticizes Debra's cooking and housekeeping, often re-cleaning after Debra. Frank believes that the reason behind her particular dislike for Debra is that she (Debra) married Ray and Marie "can't get over it". When he said that during a counselling session the reaction from the others indicates that there is at least some truth behind the statement. Marie has very high self esteem and believes herself to be the perfect example of what every wife, mother and woman should be and whenever she is criticized even in the slightest, will immediately go on the defensive,(often accusing people of attacking a sick old lady). Ironically, Marie states that Frank's mother was critical, overbearing and intrusive and she sees no parallels to her self when she makes the statement.
Though Marie smothers Raymond, she is generally neglectful to Robert. Her actions have a traumatizing effect on Ray's psyche, resulting in Raymond both simultaneously fearing his mother's love and seeking refuge in her.
Frank Barone
| Frank Barone | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | "Pilot" |
| Last appearance | "Finale" |
| Cause/reason | Series end |
| Information | |
| Date of birth | 1932 |
| Occupation | Bookkeeper (retired) |
| Spouse(s) | Marie Barone |
Francis Oscar "Frank" Barone (Peter Boyle) is Ray's father and Marie's husband, a former bookkeeper (he was fired, not retired) for a business called 'Pelk Accounting'. He is characterized by a stubborn, masculine and deadpan personality. Frank believes that he is literally always right and his way is the only way to do anything (it is believed that he was fired for this reason). Frank was born in 1932 (he turned 65 in Season 2, Episode 9: "The Gift"). Frank served in the Korean War, which he frequently brings up, to his sons' annoyance. He is a member of the Caribou Lodge (a fictional organization that appears to be inspired by the Elks), and was named Man of the Year by his Lodge (in spite of this it is implied during a video tribute that most of the lodge doesn't really like him). He also has a strong love for Jazz music, is an occasional Civil War reenactor, and is quite skilled at Ping pong, which he claims to have learned in Korea.
Frank is the one member of the Barone family who will unleash anything that is on his mind. Crude and insulting, Frank does things like keep his zipper open, walk out every morning to retrieve the daily paper wearing his underwear or less and use names like Nancy and Shirley to describe men (mostly Ray and Robert) who are not macho enough. Refusing to pay for any kind of repair, Frank also considers himself a general handyman and attempts to make repairs around Ray's household, often with disastrous results. Frank is also very stingy with money in other aspects of life, such as finding it acceptable to eat supermarket food in the store and leave the box there without paying.
Frank's misbehavior often results in many people disliking him. When he and Marie were kicked out of a retirement community his behavior was described as "something like a maniac", such as nearly running people over with his golf cart while shouting "hit the monkey, win a cookie" and getting caught in the walk-in refrigerator eating a whole balogna. Despite his transgressions, Frank also (although not apparent to the audience) secretly cares deeply for Marie as he admitted when she said they had a "loveless marriage." He frequently utters his trademark phrase "holy crap". His parenting style was generally believed to be far too strict, mean and unloving, however during a moment of father-son bonding, Raymond and Robert discover that their grandfather was a physically abusive disciplinarian towards Frank, and that Frank had vowed never to be like him with his own children. Like Marie, who is sometimes perceived to have her heart in the right place, Frank also has shown responsibility and respect to others in time of need, particularly Debra since he understands her attitude toward Marie.
Robert Barone
| Robert Charles Barone | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 53 (2009) |
| Occupation | Police Officer (NYPD) |
| Spouse(s) | Joanne Glotz (1993-1995) Amy MacDougall-Barone (2003-) |
Robert Charles Barone (Brad Garrett) is Ray's brother and the son of Frank and Marie, conceived out of wedlock. Standing at 6' 8.5", he is the tallest Barone, and has several quirks, the biggest being a nervous habit of touching food to his chin before eating it, commonly known as the "Crazy Chin", which he developed to cope with stress which started when Raymond was born and all of Marie's attention turned to Raymond. Robert is a caring uncle and still deeply cares for little brother Raymond. Robert has been a Police Officer with the New York City Police Department for 27 years, eventually attaining the rank of Sergeant and then, by the end of the series, Lieutenant. His height, appearance and demeanor are the source of much humor, but despite his huge size, Robert is a very skilled dancer.
After divorcing his first wife Joanne, Robert moved back in with his parents, became a workaholic and was acknowledged by the NYPD for never being absent one day of his career. Robert's diverse skills as a police officer even got him an interview with the FBI, but his mother interfered in the interview process, and he was passed over. He was injured on the job when he was gored by a bull. When he returned, he left the police force out of fear, and became a telemarketer. Later he took a side job as an alarm salesman for a brief time (one episode) but continued to return to the NYPD.
Robert dated Debra's best friend Amy MacDougall for several years, despite a number of breakups. After a bad date with yet another woman, Robert ran into Amy in a bar and they soon got back together and married in 2003. In 2004, they purchased Frank and Marie's home for $26,000, but they had to welcome them back in when they were kicked out of a retirement community in New Jersey in the episode "Not so Fast".
Robert is very jealous of his brother Raymond, who was favored by their mother, and though Robert is four years older than Ray, he constantly feels as if he's stuck in Ray's shadow. Despite the obvious favoring of Ray, Marie has claimed that there was never any favoritism. He has a very cruel sense of humour and will make fun of Raymond to no end to get revenge and to get attention. While not averse to picking on Ray himself, Robert does seem, however, to be protective of his younger brother; in one episode, he overhears a journalist insulting Ray at length and angrily tells him off. Robert serves as the moral conscience in the family, as the most virtuous of the characters, and often pleads with others when they are considering doing something questionable.
Amy MacDougall-Barone
| Amy Louise MacDougall-Barone | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Age | 46 (in 2009) |
| Family | Hank MacDougall (father) Pat MacDougall (mother) Peter MacDougall (brother) |
| Spouse(s) | Robert Barone |
Amy Louise MacDougall-Barone (Monica Horan) is Robert Barone's wife, and the best friend of Debra, who introduced Amy to Robert. Although Amy marries Robert in Season 7, Episode 24: "Robert's Wedding", she also appears in the previous seasons. Many issues have caused Amy and Robert to break up in the first six seasons, with one being caused by Raymond. Quite often, Amy apologizes to someone even if she didn't do anything wrong.
She is a soft-spoken girl who was raised in a family of devout Protestants, who live in Pennsylvania. She describes her parents as "people who wouldn't yell if they were on fire". Amy was a virgin when she met Robert, which Ray had a hard time believing, as Amy was 33 at the time. She eventually lost her virginity to Robert before they were married, but they were spotted having sex by their neighbors, causing Robert's neighbors to sign a sheet mandating bedroom curtains in the apartment building.
Supporting characters
Hank and Pat MacDougall
Henry and Patricia MacDougall (Fred Willard and Georgia Engel) are Amy's parents and they first appear in Season 7, Episode 14: "Just a Formality". Devout conservative Protestants, they oppose their daughter's marriage because of Robert's previous marital status and Catholic faith. These matters are not helped as they soon learn that the MacDougalls and the Barones are not the most compatible of families; the two sides still do not like each other after many tries at truce, although the Barones have always loved Amy, and the MacDougalls come to accept Robert. Hank refers to his wife as "mother."
Peter MacDougall
Peter MacDougall (Chris Elliott) is Amy's older brother. He has a strange personality and a sneaky, clever mind. Also opposed to his sister's marriage, he insists that he will keep trying to break it up. Peter is single but lives with his pet house cat, Miss Puss. At first, Peter and Robert do not get along very well, but in "Peter on the Couch," the two find common ground in the fact that they both suffered from being the overshadowed older sibling and living with their parents. He is also fond of Ray, although the feeling isn't mutual.
Peter was originally introduced as "Russell", the owner of a comic book shop, and was played by comedian Paul Reubens in a one-time appearance. Russell abruptly became Peter because in Season 7, Episode 14: "Just a Formality", Peter (Chris Elliott) mentions meeting Ray at the comic book store (which was Russell).
Barone children
- Alexandra "Ally" Barone (Madylin Sweeten) – Ray and Debra's only daughter. She is five years old at the beginning of the series, and is fourteen by the series finale. She was named for Romano's real-life daughter. In the beginning, she is rude and naughty much like her brothers, but becomes loyal and helpful by the end. However, she still occasionally fibs and answers back to her parents if she doesn't get what she wants, for example, a $250 silk dress which was only going to be worn once.
- Geoffrey and Michael Barone (Sullivan and Sawyer Sweeten) – Ray and Debra's identical twin sons. They are one-year-olds at the beginning of the series and are ten by the series finale. A running joke is Frank's insistence that Geoffrey may have homosexual tendencies, such as when he walks into the two boys training to be fairies in a school play. The two are stereotypically playful, energetic, and are prone to causing chaos even without trying but in general very well behaved. (In the pilot episode, Ray's twin boys were not played by Sullivan and Sawyer Sweeten, but by a different set of twins and a set of triplets. In addition, his sons were named "Gregory" and "Matthew", after Romano's real-life twin sons).
Recurring characters
- Lois Whelan (Katherine Helmond) – Debra's mother, who is gentle and sweet but easily insulted.
- Warren Whelan (Robert Culp) – Debra's father, who has a love of collecting antiques.
- Jennifer Whelan (Ashley Crow) - Debra's sister. Appears as a nun in season 4, episode 6.
- Uncle Mel (Phil Leeds) – A relative of the family who makes several appearances. A running gag is since he was never married, he mentions at least once in every episode he is in fact, not gay.
- Gerard (Fred Stoller) – Ray's annoying, unintelligent cousin who makes several appearances. He plays the accordion.
- Joanne "Cinnamon" Glotz (Suzie Plakson) - Robert's ex-wife, who formerly worked as a stripper.
- Bernie and Linda (Tom McGowan and Maggie Wheeler) – Married couple, friends of Ray & Debra.
- Claude Gianni (Jon Manfrellotti) – A contractor, ex-futon repairman, and friend of Raymond. He was also on The King of Queens. Jon Manfrellotti first appeared as a cable guy from Lynbrook cable in Season 1, Episode 17: "The Game".
- Andy (Andy Kindler) – A fellow sportswriter and friend of Raymond.
- Doug Heffernan (Kevin James) – A friend and golf buddy of Raymond's and an IPS deliveryman (a takeoff on UPS). Before 1998 James appeared as Kevin Daniels, the announcer for the Mets. He also hosted "Sports Talk with Roy Firestone" in Season 2, Episode 1: "Ray's on TV".
- Judy (Sherri Shepherd) – Robert's NYPD patrol partner.
- Lee and Stan – Friends of Marie and Frank.
- Harriet Lichtman – Marie's bridge partner, and Frank's fantasy woman. Often talked about but only appears in Season 7, Episode 20: "Who's Next".
- Garvin (Len Lesser) – A friend of Frank. A running gag is that when he sees Ray, he goes, "Hey, Ray's here! Ha-ha!" while moving his arms in the air.
- Albert (Ray Romano's actual father, Albert Romano) – A lodge friend of Frank, seen in various lodge-related episodes.
- Max (Phil Rosenthal's actual father) - A lodge friend of Frank, seen in various lodge-related episodes
- Father Hubley (Charles Durning) - The local parish priest. He loves Marie's lasagna. Very wary of the Barones, his long-time parishoners, but usually has helpful advice to offer.
- Nemo (Joseph V. Perry, Robert Ruth) – Pizza restaurant owner. Disappears when Marco takes over his pizzeria and calls it Marco's.
- Angelina (Tina Arning) - a very attractive waitress from Nemo's. Appears in 4 episodes.
- Bill Parker (David Hunt) – Ray's nemesis neighbor (played by Patricia Heaton's real-life husband). Parker is often seen showing-up Ray as a father, and Ray often makes jokes that Debra wishes she had married him instead. Ray's character has said lines that has him thinking out loud that his kids are possibly Bill Parker's doing, because all the kids playing his children on the show are blond, like Bill Parker.
- Peggy Ardolino (Amy Aquino) – Single mother of Ally's best friend who has bullied Ray and later becomes Peter's girlfriend. Referred to as "The Cookie Lady" and "Peggy Hitler" by Ray. Whenever they see each other, Peggy says, "hello, Ally's dad," while he just says "hello.. Peggy," in a very intimidating way.
- Molly Ardolino (Ray Romano's actual daughter, Alexandra Romano) – Daughter of Peggy Ardolino and Ally's best friend. However, she was first seen as a flower girl in a flashback of Ray and Debra's wedding.
- Stefania Fogagnolo (Alex Meneses) – Robert's hot and jilted Italian ex-girlfriend he met while vacationing with the Barone clan in Italy.
- Marco Fogagnolo (David Proval) – The intimidating and threatening Italian father of Stefania, who takes over Nemo's Pizza after the family moves to America, jokingly implying that he "did away with" Nemo. Although he dislikes Robert, he befriends Frank and Marie but the two end up fighting for his friendship.
- Richard (Ray Romano's real-life brother) – Plays a cop in Season 7, Episode 14: "Just a Formality," where Robert Proposes to Amy.
- Aunt Alda (Jean Stapleton) – Marie's sister. Only appears in Season 1, Episode 3: "I Wish I Were Gus."
- Brian Trenberth (Dan Castellaneta) - Was the T-ball "healthy snacks" overseer that Debra tangled with and Ray finally blew up on. Episode# 42, Season 2, "T-Ball." He was also Coach Brian in Season 6, Episode 8: "It's Supposed To Be Fun."
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