Gary is the owner of Gary's Shoes & Accessories for Today's Woman, the employer of Al Bundy and Griff and one time "Sugar Mama" to Bud Bundy.
She appears in several episodes of Married... with Children between Season 9 and Season 11, beginning with the Season 9 episode, "Business Still Sucks (Part 2)".
The part of Gary appears in seven episodes by actress Janet Carroll.
Description[]
Background[]
Seasons 1-8[]
Although Gary had been mentioned since Season 1, Al had been under the impression that Gary was a man or possibly didn't exist, noting that he had never met him in the first place.
In the Season 1 episode, "Where's the Boss?", Al receives word that Gary had died in a plane crash. As he plans to send $300 worth of flowers to his widow, Steve Rhoades and Rhoades, stop by and inform him that Gary was actually alive and lives a rather lavish lifestyle. He then writes to Gary, asking to meet him in person, but he never replied back. After Al felt that he did not get the recognition that he deserved and briefly quits working at the shoe store, he pays his friend Nick, (played by Geoffrey Scott), to pretend he is Gary.
Using his charm, Nick convinces Peggy Bundy, customer Nancy, and his fellow New Market Mall employees that he is there to personal thank and recognize Al for all he has done. Later, in the backroom, as Al slowly counts and hands him $50 in cash to thank him, Nick confesses that he was willing to do anything to help pay off his alimony payments.
Not much else is said about Gary after this episode. In the season 7 episode, "It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This", Gary (though not actually mentioned by name) lets Al use his mountain cabin for a week. A few episodes later, in "'Tis Time to Smell the Roses" Al states that the shoe store (along with Homeplate Athletic Shoes, where Al was temporarily managing following his retirement) had been sold to a new owner, though it still has the name "Gary's Shoes". Al also specified that it was a man who bought both stores and gave him his old job back.
Seasons 9-11[]
Gary's first appearance in the series came in Season 9, following the events of Sucklegate after Al turned her women's shoe store into a men's shoe store, assuming Gary was male and therefore wouldn't notice.
Gary is incredibly wealthy (she would have been in the Forbes 400, but only reached #401 because of the shoe store—her sole failing business venture). In the first appearance she said she owns, among other things, men, prompting Al to offer himself; she then points out that she said "men." Over the course of the series she makes several more appearances, always to the chagrin of Al, and in one episode even becomes the Sugar Momma of Bud, much to the chagrin of those who still thought she was a man; however, she became too possessive, leading Bud to break up with her, as he puts his dignity over her money.
Although she noted that the shoe store is her sole failing business venture, her first venture was also a failure. That business, "The Larry Storch School of Heating and Air Conditioning Repair", caused her to promise herself to never let her business ventures fail and to also get vengeance on the actor. Gary also owns a children's sweatshop called "Happy Soles Footwear". Al and Griff try to get her in trouble, but she is able to turn it around and make herself the victim, with promises to make the conditions better (and also cutting Al and Griff's pay in half)
Comic Book[]
In the comic book version of Married... with Children, Gary is a man named Gary Smedley, a short, bald, bespectacled older male with a short temper. In contrast to the television version, the store is Gary's only business. He also has his own office within the store, allowing him to be there to watch his employees.
In The Love Line, after he finds out that his wife has been getting advice from Madame X, he tells Al to make his wife quit her job or else he'll lose his job.
In Psychodad, after Al is injured on the job, Gary convinces Bud to work at the store while Al recovers. He teaches Bud on how to schmooze with the customers, leading to the store becoming more profitable and forcing Mr. Smedley to fire Al. After Al goes crazy and plots out a way to kill his family, (only to be stopped by Psycho Dad himself during Al's state of delusion), he begs Mr. Smedley for a second chance and then competes with Bud in a sales competition to get his job back. Bud remains in the lead until he sees Al on the verge of going insane again, causing him to have a change of heart and let Al take the win.
In From Baltic to Boardwalk, after a busy day at the store, Gary calls Al one of the worst shoe salesman that he's ever had. Despite having plans with his family after work, Gary then makes Al stay late to do inventory. After getting chewed out by the family, Al goes out for a six pack and ends up getting a lottery ticket. At work, he finds out that he won and then tells Gary that he quits, just before dropping his pants and mooning his now former boss.
Appearances[]
- Season 9
- Season 10
- Season 11