'Designing Women,' 'Desperate Housewives' Star Dixie Carter Dead at 70

'Designing Women,' 'Desperate Housewives' Star Dixie Carter Dead at 70

I watched Designing Women - of course I did! How could I not? It took place in Atlanta, and starred four very interesting actresses. I found all the characters interesting, but Julia Sugarbaker was a little different from the rest. She shared her opinion, always articulately, always passionately. And her opinions were not ill-informed; indeed, she was one of the smartest characters on TV, male or female.

It turns out that Dixie Carter was not as liberal as her character. Whenever the liberality of Julia's opinions would get too much for the actress, the producers would arrange for her to sing a song. A compromise, of sorts.

I saw her a few times in Desperate Housewives - she was just as good in that as she was in Designing Women.

Goodbye, Ms. Carter. You brought a lot to popular entertainment.