Dixie Carter

Dixie Carter
A black-and-white photo of a 38-year-old woman with curly dark hair looking into the camera
Carter in 1977
Born
Dixie Virginia Carter

(1939-05-25)May 25, 1939
DiedApril 10, 2010(2010-04-10) (aged 70)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Resting placeMcLemoresville Cemetery
Alma materRhodes College, University of Tennessee at Knoxville,
University of Memphis
OccupationActress
Years active1960–2009
Known forDesigning Women
Family Law
Diff'rent Strokes
Spouses
(m. 1967; div. 1977)
(m. 1977; div. 1979)
(m. 1984)
Children2
AwardsFull list

Dixie Virginia Carter (May 25, 1939 – April 10, 2010) was an American actress. She starred as Julia Sugarbaker on the sitcom Designing Women (1986–1993) and as Randi King on the drama series Family Law (1999–2002). She was nominated for the 2007 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Gloria Hodge on Desperate Housewives (2006–2007).

Carter made her professional stage debut in a Memphis production of the musical Carousel in 1960 and made her Broadway debut in the 1974 musical Sextet. After appearing for two years as District Attorney Brandy Henderson on the CBS soap The Edge of Night (1974–1976), she starred in the 1976 Broadway revival of the musical Pal Joey. Her other television roles included the sitcoms On Our Own (1977–1978), Filthy Rich (1982–1983) and Diff'rent Strokes (1984–1985). She returned to Broadway to play Maria Callas in the play Master Class in 1997 and to play Mrs. Meers in the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2004.