‘Designing Women’ Star Camilla Carr Dead at 83
- - ‘Designing Women’ Star Camilla Carr Dead at 83
Erin CrabtreeFebruary 8, 2026 at 3:08 AM
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CBS via Getty Images
Camilla Carr, an actress known for her roles on Designing Women, Falcon Crest and a series of 1970s horror films, has died. She was 83.
Carr’s sonCaley O’Dwyer told The Hollywood Reporter that she died on Wednesday, February 4, in El Paso, Texas, of complications from Alzheimer’s disease and a dislocated hip.
Carr became a memorable guest star on Designing Women in the season 2 episode “Killing All the Right People,” which aired in October 1987. Her character, Mrs. Imogene Salinger, was a Sugarbaker client who believed gay men who contracted AIDS got what they deserved.
After overhearing plans for a young interior designer’s (Tony Goldwyn) funeral amid his battle with AIDS, Carr’s character said, “As far as I’m concerned, this disease has one thing going for it: It’s killing all the right people.”
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The episode was written by Designing Women creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, whose mother died after contracting AIDS from a blood transfusion. Bloodworth-Thomason, now 78, earned an Emmy nomination for penning the script.
“It was a shitty character, but she did a great job,” O’Dwyer said of his mother’s role.
Designing Women—which was known for tackling difficult topics—aired on CBS for seven seasons from 1986 to 1993. The main cast included Dixie Carter (Julia Sugarbaker), Annie Potts (Mary Jo Shively), Jean Smart (Charlene Frazier-Stillfield), Delta Burke (Suzanne Sugarbaker), Meshach Taylor (Anthony Bouvier), Julia Duffy (Allison Sugarbaker), Jan Hooks (Carlene Frazier-Dobber) and Judith Ivey (Bonnie Jean “BJ” Poteet).
In addition to her stint on Designing Women, Carr appeared in a string of horror films: 1973’s Don’t Look in the Basement, 1974’s Poor White Trash Part II (also known as Scum of the Earth) and 1977’s Keep My Grave Open.
Carr’s other films included 1970’s A Bullet for Pretty Boy, 1976’s Logan’s Run and 1982’s Making Love.
As for her TV credits, Carr starred as Rita Connelly in 34 episodes of the NBC soap opera Another World in 1979. She also made guest appearances on One Day at a Time in 1978 and A Year in the Life and Falcon Crest in 1988.
After a nearly three-decade hiatus, Carr returned to acting for the 2015 film Don’t Look in the Basement 2, which would be her final project.
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
