"Designing Women" (1986) TV series 1986-1993

Writer:

Bill Kenny (series)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Release Date:

29 September 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Outspoken feminist Julia Sugarbaker runs a design firm out of her Atlanta home, along with her shallow ex-beauty queen sister...

Plot Keywords:

Atlanta Georgia | Friendship Between Women | American South | Small Business | Sister Sister Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 14 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

Dixie Carter	...	Julia Sugarbaker / ... (151 episodes, 1986-1993)
Annie Potts	...	Mary Jo Shively (151 episodes, 1986-1993)
Meshach Taylor	...	Anthony Bouvier (132 episodes, 1986-1993)
Jean Smart	...	Charlene Frazier Stillfield / ... (119 episodes, 1986-1991)
Delta Burke	...	Suzanne Sugarbaker / ... (119 episodes, 1986-1991)

Series Directed by
David Trainer		(63 episodes, 1987-1991)
David Steinberg		(37 episodes, 1987-1993)
Harry Thomason		(19 episodes, 1987-1991)
Jack Shea		(14 episodes, 1986-1988)
Iris Dugow		(5 episodes, 1989-1991)
Barnet Kellman		(4 episodes, 1987)
Hal Holbrook		(4 episodes, 1988-1990)
Matthew Diamond		(3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Dwayne Hickman		(3 episodes, 1989-1990)
Ellen Falcon		(2 episodes, 1986-1990)
Charles Frank		(2 episodes, 1991-1992)
Roberta Sherry Scelza		(2 episodes, 1991-1992)

Series Writing credits
Linda Bloodworth-Thomason		(74 episodes, 1986-1992)
Pamela Norris		(30 episodes, 1989-1991)
Mark Alton Brown		(18 episodes, 1990-1993)
Dee LaDuke		(18 episodes, 1990-1993)
Cassandra Clark		(7 episodes, 1989-1991)
Debbie Pearl		(7 episodes, 1989-1991)
Paul Clay		(6 episodes, 1990-1992)
Thom Bray		(5 episodes, 1990-1991)
Michael A. Ross		(5 episodes, 1990-1991)
Robert Horn		(5 episodes, 1992-1993)
Daniel Margosis		(5 episodes, 1992-1993)
Norma Safford Vela		(5 episodes, 1992)
Emily Levine		(4 episodes, 1993)
Emily Marshall		(2 episodes, 1986)
Trish Vrandenburg		(2 episodes, 1987)
Cathryn Michon		(2 episodes, 1991-1993)
David Steinberg		(2 episodes, 1993)
Bill Kenny		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Pamela Norris	....	supervising producer / co-executive producer / ... (97 episodes, 1988-1992)
David Steinberg	....	executive producer (22 episodes, 1992-1993)
Norma Safford Vela	....	executive producer (unknown episodes, 1992-1993)
Linda Bloodworth-Thomason	....	executive producer / producer (unknown episodes)
William Cosentino	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Douglas Jackson	....	producer (unknown episodes)
E. Jack Kaplan	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Harry Thomason	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Tommy Thompson	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Bruce Miller		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Eddie Rio Rotunno		(unknown episodes)
Leonard J. South		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Daniel Cahn		(1 episode, 1986)
Robert Bramwell		(unknown episodes)
Judith Burke		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Fran Bascom		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
John Beckman		(unknown episodes)
Ross Bellah		(unknown episodes)
William L. Camden		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Rusty Lipscomb		(unknown episodes)
Deborah Siegel		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Cliff Chally		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Judy Crown	....	key hair stylist (unknown episodes, 1986-1993)

Series Production Management
William Cosentino	....	unit production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Cosentino	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Nick Els	....	sound mixer (150 episodes, 1986-1993)
Bob Costanza	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Ross Deane	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
G. Michael Graham	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes)
Jeff Johnson	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Larry Lasota	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Kevin McGill	....	assistant camera (69 episodes, 1990-1993)
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician (unknown episodes)
Michael Hofstein	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Guy Polzel	....	key grip (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Bruce Miller	....	conductor / music arranger (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Marc Cherry	....	assistant to actor (unknown episodes, 1986-1988)
J Graigory	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Roger Lundblade	....	audience warm-up (unknown episodes)
J.T. Steele	....	audience coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Bloodworth-Thomason
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Mozark Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1986-1993) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Lifetime Television (199?-20??) (USA) (TV)
• Shout! Factory (2009) (USA) (DVD) (season 1)
• Shout! Factory (2009) (USA) (DVD) (season two)

Runtime:

30 min | Germany:25 min (164 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

Company:

Bloodworth-Thomason

Trivia:

Despite the fact that she had already had significant roles in two prior TV series, CBS was unsure about Delta Burke as the star of the show because of her beauty queen background.

Quotes:

[Suzanne modeling a fur pull-over]
protestor: 50 animals died because of that coat!
Suzanne: Wanna make it 51?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: 12 to the Moon (#6.24)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Georgia on My Mind

It should have been these four women!

One of things that bothered me about Designing Women was the loss of Delta Burke and Jean Smart leaving the show. Saturday Night Live's Jan Hooks and Newhart's Julia Duffy joined the cast but the show was never the same again. Alice Ghostley and Meshach Taylor were regulars in supporting roles. I remember watching this show on Monday nights when it first aired. They were four loud, opinionated, Southern broads with a sense of humor and chemistry. I truly could believe that Suzanne and Julia played by Dixie Carter and Delta Burke were sisters. I didn't care about Suzanne or Delta's weight. It wasn't an issue but people in Hollywood think that weight is a bigger issue than it should be. Anyway, I never saw the four women ever appear to be working. The place didn't look like an office but an actual house. I know they were supposed to be interior designers but I never saw them do any work. Anyway Annie Potts and Jean Smart were great as the divorced mom and single receptionist. I remember the episode in which Julia was a juror and she was invited to meet President Carter and his wife. Well she missed the dinner but they invited her for desert because of her obligations. It was a well-written show too and very well acted.