Designing Women season 4 explained

Season Number:	4
Bgcolour:	7A418F
Starring:	Dixie Carter Annie Potts Delta Burke Jean Smart Meshach Taylor
Num Episodes:	28
Network:	CBS
Prev Season:	Season 3
Next Season:	Season 5
Episode List:	List of Designing Women episodes

The fourth season of Designing Women premiered on CBS on September 18, 1989, and concluded on May 21, 1990. The season consisted of 28 episodes. Created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, the series was produced by Bloodworth/Thomason Mozark Productions in association with Columbia Pictures Television.

Broadcast history

The season originally aired Mondays at 9:30-10:00 pm (EST) on CBS. From 1989 through 1992, Designing Women and Murphy Brown aired back-to-back, creating a very successful hour-long block for CBS, as both shows were thought to appeal to similar demographics. The show was a top 30 hit for three consecutive seasons (1989–92), making it the most successful at the time. The high ratings also helped CBS's ratings overall, which had struggled around the late 1980s.^[1]

Cast

Main cast

• Dixie Carter as Julia Sugarbaker
• Annie Potts as Mary Jo Shively
• Delta Burke as Suzanne Sugarbaker
• Jean Smart as Charlene Frazier-Stillfield
• Meshach Taylor as Anthony Bouvier

Recurring cast

• Alice Ghostley as Bernice Clifton
• Douglas Barr as Colonel Bill Stillfield
• Hal Holbrook as Reese Watson
• Richard Gilliland as J.D. Shackleford
• Olivia Brown as Vanessa Hargraves
• Michael Goldfinger as Rusty
• George Newbern as Payne McIlroy

Guest cast

• Ann Dusenberry as Belva McPherson
• Ray Buktenica as Donald Stillman
• Bobbie Ferguson as Monette Marlin
• Dub Taylor as Daddy Jones
• S.A. Griffin as Nub Jones
• Michael Morrison as Rupert Jones
• Mariann Alda as Lita Ford
• Kim Zimmer as Mavis Madling
• Michael Cutt as Dan Madling
• Leslie Ackerman as Phyllis McGuire
• Ann Hearn as Amy Betz
• Henry Cho as Sam

• Dolly Parton as herself
• Beah Richards as Miss. Minnie Bell Ward
• Leann Hunley as Gaby Langford
• Lloyd Bochner as Ansel Pollard
• Constance Towers as Louise Pollard
• Michael Ross as Stan
• Rex Young as Scott
• Jocelyn Seagrave as Sylvie
• Richard Sanders as Elmer Peace
• Karen Kopins as Eugenia Weeks
• Bruce Davison as Reverend Gene Chapman

Episodes

See also: List of Designing Women episodes.

DVD release

The fourth season was released on DVD by Shout! Factory on September 14, 2010.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable Shows 1946–present," 7th edition
2. http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Designing-Women-Complete-4th-Season/10087 "The Complete 4th Season"