Nearly four decades since the team behind Designing Women burst onto American TV screens, the primary cast are still wandering the sets of Hollywood and starring in award-winning roles.
Airing from 1986 until 1993, the Sugarbaker & Associates Atlanta design firm, made up of sisters Suzanne Sugarbaker, played by Delta Burke, and Dixie Carter's Julia Sugarbaker delighted fans for 163 episodes.
Joined by a stellar cast featuring Annie Potts, Jean Smart, and Mesach Taylor, the show was a hit from the moment the opening credits rolled for the first time.
Since the CBS show wrapped, here is how the main cast members have transformed as the years rolled on…
© Getty ImagesDelta Burke
Now 67 years old, Delta Burke landed the role of Suzanne Sugarbaker in 1986. She went on to become a fixture of 90s TV and earned several award nominations for her acting work.
She left Designing Women in 1991, after receiving two Emmy Awards for the role, and starred in 1995's Women of the House as well as in Delta from 1992 until 1993.
In the early 2000s, she had a recurring role on DAG and her most recent onscreen appearance came in 2019's Dolly Parton's Heartstrings.
Delta transitioned from screen to stage during her career and landed a role on Broadway in Thoroughly Modern Millie and played Truvy in Steel Magnolias.
After receiving media scrutiny for her weight gain, the star became an advocate for mental health and body positivity and stepped away from Hollywood in pursuit of a quieter life in New Orleans with her actor husband, Gerald McRaney, for 36 years.
© NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesDixie Carter
Before Designing Women, Dixie Carter already had an acting credit under her belt, having appeared in The Edge of the Night in the early 70s.
She originated the role of Melba Snyder in Broadway's Pal Joey in 1976 and then played Julia Sugarbaker on all seven seasons of the hit show.
Dixie continued her Hollywood career after the show ended and went on to play Randi King on Family Law in 1999.
Adding to her star power, the actress appeared on several episodes of Desperate Housewives in the 2000s, earning herself an Emmy nomination.
She acted alongside her husband, actor Hal Holbrook, in her final role in 2009's That Evening Sun. At 70 years old, Dixie died in 2010.
© Deadline via Getty ImagesAnnie Potts
Annie Potts, now 71, played Mary Jo Shively on Designing Women for the entirety of its seven-season run. Since then, she has added a roster of iconic film titles to her CV, including Pretty in Pink, Jumpin' Jack Flash and Ghostbusters II.
Once the show wrapped, Annie voiced Bo Peep in Toy Story and continued to be part of the franchise, reprising the role a number of times.
Cementing herself as a Hollywood icon, she remained a steadfast presence on TV sets and starred on the series Any Day Now as well as joining the casts of Law & Order: SVU, GCB, Chicago Med, and The Fosters.
In her personal life, Annie married her husband James Hayman in 1990 and welcomed two children with him. She is also a mother to her son, Clay Senechal, whom she shares with her ex-husband B. Scott Senechal.
Her appearance has often been referred to as ageless, despite her years-long recovery after she suffered broken bones in a car crash in 1973.
© Getty ImagesJean Smart
In the role of Charlene Frazier-Stillfield, Jean Smart, now 72, dazzled on Designing Women until 1991.
Already a Hollywood heavyweight before landing the iconic part, after the show finished, she voiced a character in the 1993 Pink Panther series and later appeared on High Society, Style and Substance, In-Laws, 24, Samantha Who, and the Disney Channel series Kim Possible.
In recent years, Jean has won an Emmy for her role as Deborah Vance in Hacks, in which she stars alongside Hannah Einbinder.
The star was married to her late husband Richard Gilliland for nearly 34 years before his death in 2021. The couple shared two children together, Forrest and Connor.
© Getty ImagesMeshach Taylor
As the only man in the primary cast, Meshach Taylor was a well-established name before he stepped into his role as Anthony Bouvier.
Alongside his time on Designing Women, he also starred in Mannequin and Mannequin: On the Move.
After the show wrapped, he played Shel Baylor on Dave's World and secured a recurring role on Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. He has also made a cameo in Hannah Montana.
His last onscreen credit was on Criminal Minds in 2014, the same year of his death at age 67.
