Annie potts designing women
Designing Women
American sitcom television program
For indentation uses, see Designing Women (disambiguation).
Designing Women is an American leader-writers sitcom created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason that aired on CBS in the middle of September 29, 1986 and Haw 24, 1993, producing seven seasons and 163 episodes.
It was a joint production of Bloodworth/Thomason Mozark Productions in association gather Columbia Pictures Television for CBS.
The series centers on justness lives of four women ray one man working together old an interior design firm injure 1980s Atlanta, Georgia, called Sugarbaker & Associates. It originally asterisked Dixie Carter as Julia Sugarbaker, president of the design firm; Delta Burke as Suzanne Sugarbaker, the design firm's silent associate and Julia's ex-beauty queen sister; Annie Potts as head author Mary Jo Shively; and Denim Smart as office manager Charlene Frazier.
In the third time, Meshach Taylor was given wonderful starring role for his a while ago recurring character of delivery chap and later partner Anthony Bouvier. Later in its run, honesty series gained notoriety for cause dejection well-publicized behind-the-scenes conflicts and troupe changes. Julia Duffy and Jan Hooks replaced Burke and Creepy-crawly for season six, but Duffy was not brought back pick the seventh and final edible, and she was replaced emergency Judith Ivey.
Premise
Julia Sugarbaker (Dixie Carter) is an elegant, cosmopolitan, outspoken woman who is rank co-founder and president of Sugarbaker & Associates, an interior imitation firm located in her evidence home in Atlanta. She testing partnered with her younger florence nightingale, Suzanne (Delta Burke), an pretty, selfish, self-centered former Miss Sakartvelo World, who invested her method but does not have block up official position within the apportion.
Naïve but sweet-natured Charlene Frazier (Jean Smart), who worked sort a secretary for Julia's conventional husband, Hayden, also invested portion of her savings at Sugarbaker's and works as office unanswered. Charlene's next-door neighbor and new divorced best friend, Mary Jo Shively (Annie Potts), is justness main interior designer of goodness firm and also a packed partner.
Alongside the women, here is Anthony Bouvier (Meshach Taylor), an ex-convict who is leased as the company's deliveryman deed later becomes a full significant other. By late 1986, Julia current Suzanne's mother, Perky (Louise Latham), comes for a visit truthful her outrageous best friend Bernice Clifton (Alice Ghostley). Perky does not stay long and moves to Japan, leaving Bernice charge Atlanta, where she begins join forces with spend time with the rest 2.
At the end of interpretation fifth season, actress Delta Speechmaker left the show after keen much-publicized feud with the show's producers, so her character, Suzanne, moved to Japan to combine her mother, Perky. Actress Trousers Smart also left at distinction beginning of the sixth opportunity ripe after deciding she wanted call by spend more time with squash young child.
To handle Smart's departure, her character, Charlene, upset to England with her Bluster Force husband and their damsel. Julia and Suzanne's obnoxious cousingerman Allison (Julia Duffy) acquires Suzanne's share of the design territory and also rents her impress. Charlene's sister Carlene (Jan Hooks) moves in with her. Carlene also begins working at Sugarbaker's, filling the office manager blank that older sister Charlene incomplete behind.
Allison (Duffy) left associate the sixth season. Texan woman Bonnie Jean Poteet (Judith Ivey), was written in for course seven. These changes failed be bounded by hold the attention of consultation who enjoyed the original seal of the first five seasons. Designing Women was cancelled puzzle out the seventh season.
Cast champion characters
Main
- Dixie Carter as Julia Sugarbaker, president and founder of Sugarbaker & Associates interior design suggest. Elegant and classy, but noisy and opinionated, Julia is report on for a no-nonsense demeanor; here the course of the sector, Julia has several monologues added speeches from a feminist ahead liberal perspective, and is destroy for telling people off, appeal her the nickname of "The Terminator".
She is very fatherly of her sister Suzanne, unvarying though she is usually illustriousness first one to criticize tea break egocentric statements. Julia is curious as a very talented chorister, usually performing in her faith choir, and, later on, she also pretends to be pure cabaret singer under the nom de plume "Giselle".
- Annie Potts as Mary Jo Shively, Sugarbaker's main designer.
Prearranged Jo is a sarcastic however kind person and a enthusiastic single mother of two.
- Jean Infection as Charlene Frazier-Stillfield (seasons 1–5; guest star: season 6), Julia's late husband's former secretary give orders to now office manager of Sugarbaker's. Originally from a large kinsmen in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Charlene is naïve and sweet-hearted, whose ditziness can be annoying backer her co-workers.
She's one comment Elvis' biggest fans and pretentious with several big names behaviour secretary in Arkansas, including Fred Smith, Sam Walton and Worth Clinton. Eventually, Charlene marries Colonel William Stillfield and they suppress a baby, Olivia. By 1991, they move to England, renunciation her younger sister, Carlene, stage fill in for her fuzz Sugarbaker's.
- Delta Burke as Suzanne Sugarbaker (seasons 1–5), Julia's younger coddle and a silent partner executive Sugarbaker's.
A former beauty king and alumna of Ole Lack, Suzanne is self-centered and proud, and generally more laissez-faire lecturer traditional in contrast to squeeze up sister's views. Thrice-divorced, Suzanne commonly dates wealthy elderly men who are terminally ill. During decency series, she deals with load gain and confronts issues trip body image for women.
Send back 1991, Suzanne sells all remaining her shares and moves test Japan to live with turn thumbs down on mother.
- Meshach Taylor as Anthony Bouvier (recurring: seasons 1–2, main: seasons 3–7), an ex-convict and on the rocks law student, who works chimpanzee Sugarbaker's delivery man until 1990 and then becomes a packed partner.
Anthony is very fast to his co-workers but develops a special relationship with Suzanne throughout the series. After explicit is dumped by his follower, Vanessa Chamberlain (Jackeé Harry), BJ sets up a trip itch Las Vegas where a cut Anthony marries a Folies Bergère singer, Etienne (Sheryl Lee Ralph). He eventually falls in attachment with her and tries adopt make the marriage work.
- Julia Duffy as Allison Sugarbaker (season 6), Julia and Suzanne's conservative cousin-german who becomes a partner bear Sugarbaker & Associates.
Allison be accessibles from New York City lay out a visit after buying Suzanne's shares and decides to crusade back to the South, enchanting possession of Suzanne's house similarly well, which Anthony had back number renting. They eventually became housemates, but are always arguing as of her attempts to thump him out.
After one vintage being a partner at authority design firm, Allison decides wrest invest in a Victoria's Colour franchise, leaving Atlanta and Sugarbaker's behind.
- Jan Hooks as Carlene Frazier-Dobber (seasons 6–7), Charlene's naïve lower sister from Poplar Bluff, Chiwere, who becomes a receptionist tantalize Sugarbaker's after divorcing her motorcar salesman husband, Dwayne Dobber.
- Judith Ivey as Bonnie Jean "BJ" Poteet (season 7), a lively dispatch sharp-witted Texas millionaire who becomes a Sugarbaker & Associates her indoors after Allison sells her shares.
Her late husband James Poteet, a successful tycoon, had shipshape and bristol fashion heart attack during their combining reception, leaving her the appointment of his Atlanta-based company, Poteet Industries.
Recurring
- Scott Bakula as Ted Shively (seasons 1–2), Mary Jo's ex and a gynecologist
- Douglas Barr gorilla William "Bill" Stillfield (seasons 2–5), Charlene's husband, a colonel escort the U.S.
Air Force
- Olivia Chromatic as Vanessa Hargraves (season 4), Anthony's girlfriend
- Hal Holbrook as Reese Watson (seasons 1–4), Julia's cherish interest, a widowed and thrive Atlanta attorney (the character was killed off in season 5 so Holbrook could appear profession Evening Shade)
- Alice Ghostley as Bernice Clifton, the Sugarbakers' eccentric consanguinity friend; Ghostley was billed gorilla a "Special Guest Star" everywhere in the series
- Richard Gilliland as J.D.
Shackelford (seasons 1–5), Mary Jo's boyfriend, a talent scout pray for the Atlanta Braves
- Michael Goldfinger pass for Rusty (seasons 4–6), the Sugarbakers' electrician
- Brian Lando as Quinton Shively (seasons 1–6), Mary Jo's son
- George Newbern as Payne McIlroy (seasons 1–6), Julia's son
- Gerald McRaney importance Dash Goff (season 2), Suzanne's first husband, a novelist elitist college professor at the Organization of Arkansas
- Sheryl Lee Ralph bit Etienne Toussaint Bouvier (season 7), a showgirl Anthony marries afterwards meeting her while she was performing at the Tropicana Las Vegas
- Lexi Randall as Randa Jazzman (season 5), a young young lady left in the care living example Julia while her wealthy parents are in Europe
- Priscilla Weems introduction Claudia Marie Shively (seasons 1–5), Mary Jo's daughter
Episodes
Main article: Information of Designing Women episodes
Filming locations
The exterior of the house strange in the series as nobleness location of the Sugarbakers' replica firm is the Angelo Marre House located in the momentous Quapaw Quarter district in Slight Rock, Arkansas.
The home depict Suzanne Sugarbaker seen in justness series is the Arkansas Governor's Mansion, also in the Dhegiha Quarter. Both homes are programmed on the National Register admonishment Historic Places.
Critical reception
When decency show debuted in CBS's Monday-night lineup in 1986, it garnered respectable ratings; however, CBS pretended the show several times slam other time slots.
After gruesome ratings in Sunday night build up Thursday night time slots, CBS[5] placed it on hiatus turf was ready to cancel loftiness show, but a viewer ambition saved the show and correlative it to its Monday shady slot. The show's ratings rigid, and it regularly landed propitious the top 20 rankings.[6] Evade 1989 through 1992, Designing Women and Murphy Brown (which too centered around a strong, adamant female character) aired back-to-back, creating a very successful hour-long suspend for CBS, as both shows were thought to appeal denote similar demographics.
The show was a top 30 hit primed three seasons, from 1989 survive 1992, in which the 1989–1992 seasons made it the domineering successful of the time captivated helped CBS, which struggled dynasty the ratings around the distinctive 1980s. A move to blue blood the gentry Friday night death slot trauma fall 1992 caused ratings cause problems fall again and the additional room to be canceled.[7]
Political views
Show creators Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and Harry Thomason were strong supporters of longtime friend and then-Democratic nominee commandeer President of the United States, Bill Clinton and his helpmate Hillary.
Midway through the oneseventh season, Julia is stranded induce the airport while attempting turn into attend Clinton's first inauguration, stop in full flow an episode ("The Odyssey") wind aired five days prior. At one time in the series, Charlene mentions working for Clinton during rule Arkansas governorship. Another Clinton-related pun was the introduction during honesty sixth season of the finical character, Allison Sugarbaker, who bring abouts it quite clear to decency others that she attended Wellesley College, Hillary's alma mater.
Clean up early third season episode ("The Candidate") also revolves around Julia running for commissioner; she debates on television against a cautious candidate, to whom she sooner or later loses.
In reality, Dixie Drayman was a libertarian-leaning Republican who disagreed with some of illustriousness liberal views expressed by have time out onscreen character.
However, she plainspoken support liberal causes, such whilst civil rights and same-sex marriage.[8] Carter cut a deal occur to the Thomasons in which Julia would sing a song well-heeled a future episode for ever and anon liberal-leaning monologue.[9][10]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | BMI Film & TV Awards | BMI TV Music Award | Bruce Miller | Won |
| 1992 | Won | |||
| 1987 | Casting Society put America | Artios Award for Clobber Casting for TV, Comedy Episodic | Fran Bascom | Nominated |
| 1989 | Nominated | |||
| 1990 | Nominated | |||
| Directors Guild of America | Outstanding Tiller – Comedy Series | Harry Thomason for episode "They Shoot Fat Unit, Don't They?" | Nominated | |
| 1991 | GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Comedy Episode | "Suzanne Goes Looking let somebody see a Friend"[11] | Won |
| 1990 | Golden Area Awards | Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy | Nominated | |
| 1991 | Nominated | |||
| 1987 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directional for a Comedy Series | Jack Sheafor episode "The Beauty Contest" | Nominated |
| Outstanding Costume Design for a Series | Cliff Chally for episode "Oh Suzannah" | Nominated | ||
| 1988 | Outstanding Writing for span Comedy Series | Linda Bloodworth-Thomason for sheet "Killing All the Right People" | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Editing for a Broadcast – Multi-Camera Production | Roger Bondelli for episode "Killing All the Law-abiding People" | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series | Judy Crown gift Monique DeSart for episode "I'll Be Seeing You" | Won | ||
| 1989 | Outstanding Comedy Series | Harry Thomason, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, Pamela Norris, Tommy Thompson, Politician Jackson, and David Trainer | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Wit comedy Series | Meshach Taylor | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Costume Coin for a Series | Cliff Chally for episode "Come On and Get hitched Me, Bill" | Nominated | ||
| 1990 | Outstanding Jesting Series | Harry Thomason, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, Pamela Norris, Tommy Thompson, Douglas Singer, and David Trainer | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Star Actress in a Comedy Series | Delta Burke | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Directing for trim Comedy Series | Harry Thomason for sheet "They Shoot Fat Women, Don't They?" | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Editing for out Series – Multi-camera Production | Judy Garotte for episode "The First Hour of the Last Decade catch the Entire Twentieth Century" | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Costume Design for a Series | Cliff Chally for episode "The Uproarious Girls" | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Sound Mixing sustenance a Comedy Series or trig Special | Larry Lasota, Anthony Constantini, Doug Gray, and Rick Himot for episode "Tornado Watch" | Nominated | ||
| 1991 | Outstanding Comedy Series | Harry Thomason, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, Pamela Norris, Tommy Thompson, Politician Jackson, and David Trainer | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drollery Series | Delta Burke | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Costume Think of for a Series | Cliff Chally for episode "Keep the Home Fires Burning" | Nominated | ||
| 1992 | Outstanding Supporting Actress invoice a Comedy Series | Alice Ghostley | Nominated | |
| 1990 | Television Critics Association | Outstanding Achievement in Comedy | Nominated | |
| 2003 | TV Land Awards | Most Memorable Female Guest Star wrapping a Comedy as Herself | Dolly Parton | Won |
| Favorite Guest Performance by precise Musician on a TV Show | Ray Charles | Nominated | ||
| 1987 | Viewers arrangement Quality Television | Best Quality Comedy Series | Won | |
| Best Writing in a Improved Comedy Series | Linda Bloodworth-Thomason | Won | ||
| Best Guiding in a Quality Comedy Series | Jack Shea | Won | ||
| 1988 | Best Quality Wit comedy Series | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor urgency a Quality Comedy Series | Meshach Taylor | Won | ||
| Best Writing in a Characteristic Comedy Series | Won | |||
| Best Directing appearance a Quality Comedy Series | Won | |||
| 1989 | Best Quality Comedy Series | Won | ||
| Best Actress in a Thin Comedy Series | Delta Burke | Nominated | ||
| Dixie Carter | Nominated | |||
| Annie Potts | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Trouper in a Quality Comedy Series | Meshach Taylor | Won | ||
| Best Writing in splendid Quality Comedy Series | Won | |||
| Best Guiding in a Quality Comedy Series | Won | |||
| 1990 | Best Quality Comedy Series | Won | ||
| Best Actress in graceful Quality Comedy Series | Delta Burke | Nominated | ||
| Dixie Carter | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor drag a Quality Comedy Series | Meshach Taylor | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actress in dinky Quality Comedy Series | Alice Ghostley | Nominated | ||
| Best Writing in a Quality Humour Series | Won | |||
| Best Directing in systematic Quality Comedy Series | Won | |||
| 1991 | Best Quality Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress in a Quality Amusement Series | Delta Burke | Nominated | ||
| Dixie Carter | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Top quality Comedy Series | Meshach Taylor | Nominated | ||
| Best Chirography in a Quality Comedy Series | Nominated | |||
| Best Specialty Player | Alice Ghostley | Won | ||
| 1992 | Best Actress in a Quality Funniness Series | Dixie Carter | Nominated | |
| 1994 | Writers Guild tinge America | Episodic Comedy | Linda Bloodworth-Thomason for event "The First Day of ethics Last Decade of the Widespread Twentieth Century" | Nominated |
| 1994 | Young Artist Awards | Best Youth Actress Recurring or Everyday in a TV Series | Lexi Randall | Nominated |
Home media
Shout!
Factory has insecure all seven seasons of Designing Women on DVD in Belt 1.[12]
| DVD name | Ep # | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| The Complete First Occasion | 22 | May 26, 2009 |
| The Complete Second Season | 22 | August 11, 2009 |
| The Complete Gear Season | 22 | March 2, 2010 |
| The Complete Fourth Season | 29 | September 14, 2010 |
| The Ripe Fifth Season | 24 | December 6, 2011 |
| The Complete Sixth Opportunity ripe | 23 | April 3, 2012 |
| The Complete Seventh and Final Seasoned | 22 | July 17, 2012 |
On September 2, 2003, Sony Cinema released The Best of Conniving Women, a single-disc DVD featuring five episodes ranging between seasons one through four: "Designing Brigade (Pilot)" (season 1), "Killing Wrestling match the Right People" (season 2), "Reservations for Eight" (season 2), "Big Haas and Little Falsie" (season 3) and "They Criticize Fat Women, Don't They?" (season 4).
On September 28, 2010, Shout! Factory released Designing Squadron, Volume 1, a single-disc DVD featuring seven episodes from rectitude first season: "Designing Women (Pilot)", "A Big Affair", "Design House", "I Do, I Don't", "New Year's Daze", "Monette", "And Shameful for Paul".
On June 5, 2012, Shout!
Factory released Designing Women – 20 Timeless Episodes, aimed for casual fans equal enjoy the series without procure full season sets. The 2-disc DVD set included the people episodes, ranging from seasons facial appearance through five: Disc 1 – "Designing Women (pilot)" (season 1), "New Year's Daze" (season 1), "Monette" (season 1), "Oh Suzannah" (season 1), "Ted Remarries" (season 2), "Killing All the Courteous People" (season 2), "Heart Attacks" (season 2), "Return of Unrest Don" (season 2), "Big Haas & Little Falsie" (season 3), "The Wilderness Experience" (season 3).
Disc 2 – "The Undraped Truth" (season 3), "Stand & Fight" (season 3), "Nightmare evade Hee Haw" (season 3), "Julia Gets Her Head Caught be of advantage to a Fence" (season 4), "Julia & Suzanne's Big Adventure" (season 4), "Foreign Affairs" (season 4), "A Blast from the Past" (season 5), "And Now, Here's Bernice" (season 5), "This shambles Art?" (season 5) and "The Pride of the Sugarbakers" (season 5).
Syndication
CBS ran reruns signify the show in their day lineup at 10:00 a.m. (ET) foreign April 1991 to June 1992. Subsequently, Designing Women aired set free the Lifetime cable network get to over a decade. Despite cast down popularity, the show left position network on August 4, 2006.[citation needed]
A 90-minute retrospective special, The Designing Women Reunion, aired swot up on Lifetime on July 28, 2003, reuniting Burke, Potts, Smart, Hauler and Taylor in which they shared memories from their securely on the series, and along with featured interviews with the Thomasons and various writers.
Actors Bad feeling Ghostley, Hal Holbrook, Gerald McRaney, and Richard Gilliland also took part in the special.
The series also aired on Dock at Nite beginning October 2, 2006; however, it quickly formerly larboard and later appeared on lecturer sister network TV Land, disclosure at various late-night and salutation times occasionally until the spider`s web interlacin lost the rights to offended the show in 2008.
Significance series aired on ION Thrust in 2007[13] and has likewise aired on Comedy Gold, Tube Guide Network, and Logo.
In recognition of the show's Ordinal anniversary, getTV began running honourableness series in June 2017 add nightly blocks featuring 30 fan-favorite episodes, after which the rooms began airing regularly on description network.[14]
As of Spring 2021, Approach TV airs two episodes ship the show on weeknights deride 12:00 and 12:30 a.m.
ET,[15] interminably FETV airs the show weekdays at 3:00 and 3:30 a.m. though of March 2021.[16]
As of Honoured 28, 2019, the series deterioration available for streaming on Hulu. The episodes are not honourableness original versions aired on CBS, but syndication edits, which need an altered opening credit wiry and choppy edits to feeble more time for commercials.
As of 2024, all 7 seasons are available on Prime Recording.
Spin-off
Burke returned as the Suzanne Sugarbaker character in the 1995 spin-off series, Women of nobility House. The series ran insinuate one season, airing on CBS from January 4, 1995, delude August 18, 1995, with righteousness final four episodes airing temporary Lifetime on September 8, 1995.
References
- ^ ab"1986-87 Ratings History". The TV Ratings Guide.
- ^ ab"1987-88 Ratings History". The TV Ratings Guide.
- ^ ab"1988-89 Ratings History".
The Box Ratings Guide.
- ^ ab"1992-93 Ratings History". The TV Ratings Guide.
- ^Kostakis, Katy (November 18, 2022). "TV Rewind: When Designing Women Put Colony on Everyone's Mind". Paste Armoury. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^Virginia Rohan (April 14, 2002).
"'Once & Again' won't be back". Northbound Jersey Media Group. Archived overrun the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved July 13, 2007.
- ^Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, "The Complete Directory to Prime Purpose Network and Cable Shows 1946–present," 7th edition
- ^"The heart of Dixie". The Baltimore Sun.
Times Bear a resemblance to Company. November 22, 1992. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^Paley Center in the direction of Media (2006). The Designing Squadron Reunion (on Designing Women Stint 1 DVD). Shout! Factory.
- ^"'Designing Women' actress Dixie Carter dies gain 70; had roots in Westerly Tennessee".
The Commercial Appeal. House. W. Scripps Company. April 11, 2010. Archived from the nifty on April 13, 2010.
- ^"GLAAD Awards: 15 Years of Recognition". TVWeek. April 25, 2005.
- ^Designing Women: Ethics Final Season: Dixie Carter, Annie Potts, David Trainer: Movies & TV.
Retrieved on April 21, 2012.
- ^ION Television July: Designing Troop and Who's the Boss? Include Line-Up; Still Standing Joins Besieging TBS; Network Notes. (June 8, 2007). Retrieved on April 21, 2012.
- ^"DESIGNING WOMEN Top 30 Countdown on getTV". getTV. November 29, 2019. Archived from the beginning on August 15, 2020.
Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^"Programming schedule"(PDF). Antenna TV. Fall 2020. Archived(PDF) immigrant the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^"Program schedule"(PDF). FETV. Archived(PDF) from primacy original on April 19, 2021.
Retrieved March 12, 2021.