Main •
Dixie Carter as Julia Sugarbaker, president and founder of Sugarbaker & Associates interior design firm. Elegant and classy, but outspoken and opinionated, Julia is known for a no-nonsense demeanor; throughout the course of the show, Julia has several monologues and speeches from a feminist and liberal perspective, and is known for telling people off, earning her the nickname of "The Terminator". This tendency to 'annihilate' people(Charlene's wording) comes back to bite Julia at times. Most notably, she rudely attacked a man named "Ray Don" for trying to talk to Mary Jo while the women are out for lunch(repeatedly mocking his double name), only to find, about a year later, that he is an IRS agent sent to audit her. She is very protective of her sister Suzanne, even though she is usually the first one to criticize her egocentric statements. Julia is notable as a very talented singer, usually performing in her church choir, and, later on, she also pretends to be a
cabaret singer under the pseudonym "Giselle". •
Annie Potts as Mary Jo Shively, Sugarbaker's main designer. Mary Jo is a sarcastic but kind person and a devoted single mother of two. Sadly, she has a sadistic streak of crassness that surfaces when she gets angry, or worse, drunk. Her habit of shouting
"Bitch!" in nearly every other episode (most often behind Suzanne's back) brought the show under fire for use of the word in a sitcom, which was not considered acceptable in the late 80's. •
Jean Smart as Charlene Frazier-Stillfield (seasons 1–5; guest star: season 6), Julia's late husband's former secretary and now office manager of Sugarbaker's. Originally from a large family in
Poplar Bluff,
Missouri, Charlene is naïve and sweet-hearted; her ditziness can be annoying for her co-workers. She's one of
Elvis's biggest fans and worked with several big names while secretary in
Arkansas, including
Fred Smith,
Sam Walton and
Bill Clinton. Eventually, Charlene marries Colonel William Stillfield and they have a baby, Olivia. By 1991, they move to England, leaving her younger sister, Carlene, to fill in for her at Sugarbaker's. •
Delta Burke as Suzanne Sugarbaker (seasons 1–5), Julia's younger sister and a silent partner at Sugarbaker's. A former
beauty queen and alumna of
Ole Miss, Suzanne is self-centered and vain, and generally more
laissez-faire and traditional in contrast to her sister's views. Thrice-divorced, Suzanne usually dates wealthy elderly men who are terminally ill. During the series, she deals with weight gain and confronts issues of body image for women. In 1991, Suzanne sells all of her shares and moves to
Japan to live with her mother. •
Meshach Taylor as Anthony Bouvier (recurring: seasons 1–2, main: seasons 3–7), an ex-convict and a law student, who works as Sugarbaker's delivery man until 1990 and then becomes a full partner. Anthony is very close to his co-workers but develops a special relationship with Suzanne throughout the series. After he is dumped by his girlfriend, Vanessa Chamberlain (
Jackeé Harry), BJ sets up a trip to
Las Vegas where a drunk Anthony marries a
Folies Bergère singer, Etienne (
Sheryl Lee Ralph). He eventually falls in love with her and tries to make the marriage work. •
Julia Duffy as Allison Sugarbaker (season 6), Julia and Suzanne's conservative cousin who becomes a partner at Sugarbaker & Associates. Allison comes from
New York City for a visit after buying Suzanne's shares and decides to move back to the South, taking possession of Suzanne's house as well, which Anthony had been renting. They eventually became housemates, but are always arguing because of her attempts to throw him out. After one year being a partner at the design firm, Allison decides to invest in a Victoria's Secret franchise, leaving Atlanta and Sugarbaker's behind. •
Jan Hooks as Carlene Frazier-Dobber (seasons 6–7), Charlene's naïve younger sister from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, who becomes a receptionist at Sugarbaker's after divorcing her car salesman husband, Dwayne Dobber. •
Judith Ivey as Bonnie Jean "BJ" Poteet (season 7), a lively and sharp-witted Texas millionaire who becomes a Sugarbaker & Associates partner after Allison sells her shares. Her late husband James Poteet, a successful tycoon, had a heart attack during their wedding reception, leaving her the control of his Atlanta-based company, Poteet Industries.
Recurring •
Scott Bakula as Ted Shively (seasons 1–2), Mary Jo's ex-husband and a gynecologist •
Douglas Barr as William "Bill" Stillfield (seasons 2–5), Charlene's husband, a colonel in the U.S. Air Force •
Olivia Brown as Vanessa Hargraves (season 4), Anthony's girlfriend •
Hal Holbrook as Reese Watson (seasons 1–4), Julia's love interest, a widowed and successful Atlanta attorney (the character was killed off in season 5 so Holbrook could appear on
Evening Shade) •
Alice Ghostley as Bernice Clifton, the Sugarbakers' eccentric family friend; Ghostley was billed as a "Special Guest Star" throughout the series •
Richard Gilliland as J.D. Shackelford (seasons 1–5), Mary Jo's boyfriend, a talent scout for the
Atlanta Braves • Michael Goldfinger as Rusty (seasons 4–6), the Sugarbakers' electrician • Brian Lando as Quinton Shively (seasons 1–6), Mary Jo's son •
George Newbern as Payne McIlroy (seasons 1–6), Julia's son •
Gerald McRaney as Dash Goff (season 2), Suzanne's first husband, a novelist and college professor at the
University of Arkansas •
Sheryl Lee Ralph as Etienne Toussaint Bouvier (season 7), a showgirl Anthony marries after meeting her while she was performing at the
Tropicana Las Vegas •
Lexi Randall as Randa Oliver (season 5), a young girl left in the care of Julia while her wealthy parents are in Europe •
Priscilla Weems as Claudia Marie Shively (seasons 1–5), Mary Jo's daughter ==Episodes==