Candice Patricia Bergen (born May 9, 1946) appears as Shirley Schmidt, a founding partner in the Crane, Poole & Schmidt law firm on Boston Legal. An actress, producer and former fashion model, Candice is known for starring in two TV series, as the title character on the situation comedy Murphy Brown, for which she won five Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards; and her role as Shirley Schmidt on "BL", for which she was nominated for two Emmys, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Candice is the daughter of famed ventrilquist, actor and entertainer Edgar Bergen and Frances Westcott Bergen, a former Powers model.