Dixie Carter Movies
The epitomical "Southern belle," radiant with finesse, grace, and an aura of down-home hospitality, Tennessee-born actress and chanteuse Dixie Carter received her broadest exposure on television thanks to two memorable sitcom roles: that of TV exercise hostess Maggie McKinney, spunky romantic partner and wife of millionaire Philip Drummond (Conrad Bain), on Diff'rent Strokes, and that of Julia Sugarbaker, Atlanta fashion designer extraordinaire, on the long-running Thomason-produced sitcom Designing Women.Carter was born in McLemoresville, TN, the daughter of two grocery-store proprietors. As a young lady, she projected a heightened gift for song. She studied music at Rhodes College in Memphis, then moved to Manhattan in 1963 to launch herself as a musical-theater star, but her career stalled for seven years given her 1967 marriage to Wall Street financier Arthur Carter (no blood relation to her; the common surname was a coincidence). Carter returned to the stage in 1974, with pivotal roles in such productions as Fathers and Sons and Pal Joey, and landed the part of Brandy Henderson in the soap opera The Edge of Night. In 1979, the actress moved to Los Angeles to commence film work. In the mean time, the marriage to Carter, and then a subsequent marriage, to Broadway star George Hearn, dissolved.
By the late '70s and early '80s, Carter started racking up occasional bit parts and guest appearances in such series as Lou Grant, Out of the Blue, and Quincy, M.E. The Diff'rent Strokes part (which lasted only one season -- Carter withdrew from the series and was replaced at the start of the 1985-1986 season by cover girl and one-time Miss America Mary Ann Mobley) represented her highest billing up through that time. Then came the Sugarbaker role. Carter was one of the few members of the ensemble (alongside Annie Potts and Meshach Taylor) to actually remain with the program through the end of its run (in 1993), and fans continued to indelibly associate her with the series even after it wrapped. In the mean time, Carter's third husband, actor Hal Holbrook (who signed for a supporting role alongside his wife on Designing Women), encouraged her to resuscitate her singing career, and she mounted a well-received cabaret act, modeling her approach to old standards after the esteemed Mabel Mercer.
Carter's resumé of onscreen work also included appearances in such long-form projects as the feature The Killing of Randy Webster (1981) and the miniseries Dazzle (1995). She gained additional acclaim and recognition with her portrayal of Gloria Hodge on the prime-time black comedy series Desperate Housewives. Carter died of endometrial cancer at age 70 in April 2010. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
An aging farmer fights to keep the home that is rightfully his after fleeing from a nursing home and discovering that his son has leased the family farm to his old nemesis. Placed in a nursing home by his son and promptly forgotten, Abner Meecham (Hal Holbrook) realized that waiting to die was no way to live. Determined to enjoy his last days, Abner packed his bags and set his sights on the family farm. At least there he could die on his own land, in familiar surroundings. But Abner is in for a rude awakening, because upon returning home he discovers that his son has leased the farm to Lonzo Choat. Abner never cared much for Lonzo, and when Lonzo refuses to leave, Abner takes up residence in an old tenant shack on the property. Before long, their dispute becomes volatile, each man believing himself to be in the right, and refusing to back down from his position. Betrayed by his son and haunted by dreams of his beloved deceased wife, Abner draws a line in the sand in an attempt to reclaim his life. As threats are made and tension begins to brew, it's only a matter of time before the situation turns savage. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hal Holbrook, Ray McKinnon, (more)
- 2003
The cast and creators of the popular sitcom Designing Women are reassembled in this hour-long special originally telecast on the Lifetime cable channel. Yielding 164 episodes from 1986 to 1993, Designing Women centered around the Atlanta design firm headquartered in the home of loquacious feminist Julia Sugarbaker (Dixie Carter). During the series' first few seasons, the firm's personnel included Julia's vapid, much-married sister, ex-beauty queen Suzanne (Delta Burke); divorced mother Mary Jo Jackson (Annie Potts); wide-eyed country girl Charlene (Jean Smart); and the ladies' chief delivery person and severest critic, former convict Anthony Bouvier (Meshach Taylor, who also hosts the reunion special). Created by Linda Bloodworth and Harry Thomason, the series gained a measure of fame (and not a little notoriety) for its pronounced liberal political content, not to mention its ceaseless stumping on behalf of the Bill Clinton presidential campaign of 1992. The Designing Women Reunion features interviews of the stars and clips from the series. When first telecast, it was followed by a broadcast of the series' original pilot episode. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Meshach Taylor, Delta Burke, (more)
- 2000
- G
- Add The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus to Queue Add The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus to top of Queue
Based on the works of author L. Frank Baum, this program offers a glimpse at the magical origins of the man that children from across the globe have come to know as Santa Claus. Beginning with his unique childhood, the story chronicles how Santa discovered his passion for making children happy, how he became a toymaker, and how his famous reindeer-pulled sleigh came to be, along with other beloved holiday traditions. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robby Benson, Dixie Carter, (more)
Julianna Margulies and Ivan Sergei star in this romantic comedy about a wedding gone awry when the bridegroom's recovering alcoholic brother reveals that he slept with the bride years previously. The revelation causes groom John to get cold feet and the bride's controlling mother Carol (Dixie Carter) to have a conniption fit. Can the resulting damage be mended? ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- Julianna Margulies, Ivan Sergei, (more)
- 1999
A resilient attorney in L.A. starts to rebuild her life and career after her husband leaves for greener pastures, taking the firm -- and most of their clients -- with him. Blessed with one loyal associate, she assembles a crew of seasoned, if not altogether aboveboard, counselors who share her zeal for justice in the area of family law. ~ Tim Holland, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kathleen Quinlan, Julie Warner, (more)
Documentarian Richard Morris examines both the onstage and offstage lives of veteran cabaret entertainers John Wallowitch and Bertram Ross. Since 1984, Wallowitch and Ross have been a performing duo, entertaining nightclub audiences with such acid-tongued musical parodies as "If You Don't Love Me, I'll Kill Myself -- Or Maybe I'll Kill You" and "Don't Do To Me What Woody Did To Mia." Wallowitch and Ross have also been lovers for 30 years, who met while while both were active in the New York creative community; Ross spent close to three decades as a dancer with the Martha Graham company and Wallowitch is a Julliard-trained pianist and songwriter with over 1,000 compositions to his credit. Morris exmines Wallowitch and Ross both as artists and members of the gay community without patronizing or exploiting them in the process. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Wallowitch, Bertram Ross, (more)
- 1998
Spanish soprano Ainhoa Arteta and American tenor Marcus Haddock lead this production of the Giacomo Puccini opera La Rondine performed by the Washington National Opera Orchestra under conductor Emmanuel Villaume. ~ Sandra Bencic, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ainhoa Arteta, Inva Mula, (more)
- 1996
Were it not based on a true story, this two-part TV movie could well have been dismissed as a grotesque nightmare. The story begins in 1988, when the Chicago home of Cindi and David Dowaliby (Shannen Doherty, Kevin Dillon) is invaded by person or persons unknown, who kidnap and murder their daughter Jacklyn while the couple sleeps. Once the crime is reported, the grief-stricken Dowalibys find themselves accused of their daughter's murder. The authorities are cruel and relentless, public opinion is hostile, the media is doggedly one-sided, and the family's very expensive lawyers more interested in their fee than in justice. Ultimately, Cindi is "cleared", but David is sentenced to a 45-year prison term--and both the couple's surviving child and Cindi's newborn baby are taken away from them. The rest of the film concerns Cindi's tireless and apparently futile battle to win back her children, secure her husband's release and restore the family's mud-splattered reputation. Originally telecast by CBS on February 25 and 27, 1996, Gone in the Night may indeed end on a small note of triumph, but by no means is the tragic situation completely resolved. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Based on a popular novel by Judith Krantz, this sudsy romantic drama features a prominent photographer who heads to Gay Paree, unaware that greedy family members are plotting to bilk her father out of his valuable ranch land. Love blossoms in the City of Light when she encounters a fellow picture taker. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lisa Hartman, Cliff Robertson, (more)
- 1994
This is Dixie Carter's second Unworkout video and in it she leads viewers through two 20-minute yoga sessions and one ten-minute relaxation break. The first workout is designed to get viewers off to a good start in the morning and consists of a series of silken movements, including the arrow movement and the warrior pose. The next workout is designed to help unwind in the evening and has a series of different leg stretches, such as the difficult rabbit position. Following the workout section, viewers will find a bonus relaxation/meditation break to help relieve stress. Ms. Carter provides ample direction along with Southern charm throughout the video. This workout is appropriate for all fitness levels. ~ Karla Baker, Rovi
- 1994
- Add The Gambler V: Playing for Keeps to Queue Add The Gambler V: Playing for Keeps to top of Queue
Kenny Rogers returns as Brady Hawkes, the Gambler, in this made-for-TV Western. Brady's son Jeremiah (Kris Kamm) is now an adult, and seems to have followed his father's footsteps into a life of adventure; however, Brady learns that Jeremiah has taken a far more dangerous path and has joined the gang of notorious outlaws Butch Cassidy (Scott Paulin) and the Sundance Kid (Brett Cullen). Fearing for his son's safety, Brady sets out to find his son and rescue him before he winds up on the wrong side of a gun. The Gambler V: Playing for Keeps also stars Dixie Carter, Loni Anderson, and Mariska Hargitay. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kenny Rogers, Loni Anderson, (more)
- 1992
Featuring southern belle Dixie Carter of Designing Women, this 70-minute "unworkout'" is a spiritual deliverance of activity. Encompassing many unique disciplines -- including yoga, stretching, deep breathing, and dance -- this video blends essence with exercise and renders a more relaxed, toned, and energized body for the participant. Because of Dixie's sense of humor and her admission of not being a supreme athlete, this yoga instruction is perfect for absolute beginners or for people reintegrating themselves into the world of physical fitness. Distributed by Universal Studios Home Video, this tape mixes the power of mind with the power of body to create one complete package.
~ C. Dwayne Smith, Rovi
~ C. Dwayne Smith, Rovi
- 1992
Severe weather is the topic discussed in Reading Rainbow: Come a Tide, as host LeVar Burton demonstrates how to make a rain gauge and offers a segment on the effects of Hurricane Hugo, the gigantic storm that hit South Carolina many years ago. Come a Tide by George Ella Lyon deals with a small town that experiences a flood. This series emphasizes the positive benefits of reading and is aimed at children from preschool up to fourth grade. The kid-reviewed portion of the program features Storms, Tornado Alert, and Weather. ~ Alice Day, Rovi
- Starring:
- LeVar Burton
In this comedy, a stuffy congressman is dismayed when he discovers that his beloved daughter intends to marry limousine driver John Bourgignon (John Candy). While intending to put on a good show for his father-in-law to be, John is captured by some political opponents of the congressman. His capturers attempt to brainwash him into assassinating the congressmen, but things don't go exactly as planned. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Candy, Eugene Levy, (more)
- 1982
Venturing outside for the first time in years, Vicki Maguire (Carrie Snodgress), who suffers from severe agoraphobia, has no sooner begun walking along a beach when she sees what appears to be a murder in progress. Unfortunately, when Vicki alerts the authorities, no body is found, nor any other evidence that a murder took place. But Vicki's psychiatrist Dr. Alice Rayner (Dixie Carter) believes that the woman is telling the truth, and she goes to Quincy (Jack Klugman) in hopes of confirming that belief. Trouble is, someone else also believes that Vicki has seen a murder--the murderer himself. This episode affords Star Trek: The Next Generation fans the rare opportunity of seeing their beloved "Data", Jonathan Frakes, as a cold-blood villain. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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