Dixie Carter

Born: May 25, 1939 A star of stage, television and film she appeared in several productions but became the best known for her role as Julia Sugarbaker on the CBS sitcom "Designing Women" which ran from 1986 to 1993. She also is well known to several fans as the stepmother of Arnold Drummond (Gary Coleman) on the NBC series "Diff'rent Strokes." As Maggie McKinney Drummond she appeared from 1984 to 1985. She was replaced by actress Mary Ann Mobley when the series moved to the ABC network in the fall of that year. Her husband, actor Hal Holbrook, appeared with her on "Designing Women" and also guest starred with her in a 2005 episode of "Hope & Faith." From 1999 to 2002 she headed up the cast of "Family Law." Other television credits include "The Doctors", "The Edge of Night", "On Our Own", "Bret Maverick", "Quincy M.E.", "Lou Grant", "Filthy Rich", "Diagnosis Murder", "Ladies Man" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." In 2006, she attracted a new generation of fans when she began the recurring role of Gloria Hodge on ABC's "Desperate Housewives." Gloria was the derranged serial killing mother of Orson Hodge (Kyle MacLachlan). She made her final appearance on the show in 2007... Her final film role was 2009's The Evening Sun (playing the wife of real life husband Hal Holbrook once again). Her death on April 10, 2010 was sudden, very unexpected and certainly a great tragedy. She was a brilliant performer with a lot of class and an amazing performing ability. In this day and age where people are living to be over one hundred years old her departure at age 70 is much too young. In Memoriam Remembers: Dixie Carter