About Designing Women

Designing Women, debuted in 1986, is an American television sitcom that revolves around the lives and travails of four women and one man working together at an interior designing firm, Sugarbaker & Associates. The show, created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, depicted the feminist views on politics, controversies and societal issues through the absorbing lens of humor and strong female characters.

Making / Production

The show was created and produced by CBS, aired from September 29, 1986, until May 24, 1993. It was primarily filmed in Metro Atlanta, Georgia. The sitcom was the brainchild of Linda Bloodworth-Thomason who also served as the executive producer along with her husband, Harry Thomason. They illustrated the lives of Southern Belle women who tackled both personal and professional challenges with grace and wit.

Actors

• Dixie Carter as Julia Sugarbaker was a smart and sassy woman who owned the design firm. Her charismatic portrayal of the character won the hearts of the audience.
• Delta Burke as Suzanne Sugarbaker, Julia's ex-beauty queen sister and a silent partner in the business, often added humor into the mix with her narcissistic and childlike behavior.
• Annie Potts as Mary Jo Shively, a divorcee and single mother, highlighted the challenges of balancing the professional and personal front.
• Jean Smart as Charlene Frazier was the charming and naive office manager whose innocence added a refreshing layer to the narrative.
• Mesach Taylor as Anthony Bouvier played the ex-convict turned delivery man and later partner. He held his own among strong female characters with his wit and charm.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Julia Duffy and Jan Hooks joined the cast in later seasons after the departure of Delta Burke and Jean Smart.
• The beautiful Victorian house depicted as the office of Sugarbaker & Associates was actually the Villa Marre in Little Rock, Arkansas.
• The show featured several high profile guest stars including Dolly Parton, Hal Holbrook, and Tony Goldwyn among others.

Awards

The show earned several Emmy nominations during its seven years run. Jean Smart won two Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series” for her portrayal of Charlene Frazier.

Quotes

• Julia: “And that, Marjorie, just so you will know and your children will someday know … is the night the lights went out in Georgia!”
• Charlene: "All men want to kiss me, it's the curse of being cute."

Music, Soundtrack

• The theme song for Designing Women was “Georgia on My Mind”, a cover performed by Doc Severinsen.