Mildred Pierce characters

Appears from the start

A capable Glendale housewife separated from her unemployed husband during the Depression. Determined to support her daughters, she turns her skill at baking and cooking into paid work, while her need to win Veda's admiration makes her vulnerable to shame and manipulation.

Appears from the start

Mildred's older daughter, intelligent, musically gifted, and intensely conscious of class. Even as a teenager she treats ordinary work and modest origins with contempt, and Mildred's devotion gives her unusual power within the family.

Appears from the start

Mildred's affectionate younger daughter. Less demanding than Veda, she takes pleasure in ordinary family life and receives less of the anxious attention that Mildred directs toward her older sister.

Appears from the start

Mildred's estranged husband, formerly prosperous in real estate and now struggling financially. His affair with Maggie Biederhof helps break the household apart, though he remains involved with his daughters and retains a complicated bond with Mildred.

First appears in chapter 2

Bert's former business partner, a confident real-estate man who remains useful to Mildred after the separation. He combines practical business knowledge with a personal and sexual interest in her.

First appears in chapter 2

Mildred's neighbor and friend, an experienced and outspoken woman who understands the realities of jobs, men, and money. She urges Mildred toward practical independence and gives advice without sharing Mildred's illusions about Veda.

First appears in chapter 3

A friendly waitress who helps Mildred learn restaurant work. Her lack of embarrassment about the job contrasts with Mildred's fear that Veda will discover how she earns her wages.

First appears in chapter 7

An idle, charming member of a formerly wealthy Pasadena family. His social polish and inherited estate embody the status Veda desires, while his declining finances make his relationship with the industrious Mildred materially unequal.

First appears in chapter 10

A well-to-do young man drawn into Veda's calculated claim that she is pregnant. His frightened response and his family's concern for respectability make him a target for financial pressure.

First appears in chapter 10

Sammy's mother, a socially assured woman who investigates Veda's pregnancy claim. Her confrontation with Mildred exposes the scheme and forces Mildred to see how deliberately her daughter has used both families.

First appears in chapter 11

A musician who recognizes the exceptional quality of Veda's singing voice and helps redirect her ambitions toward classical performance. His professional interest gives Veda a path to status independent of Mildred's restaurants.

First appears in chapter 12

A concert and radio impresario involved in Veda's rise as a singer. He treats her voice as a valuable professional asset and helps move her career beyond her mother's control.