Delta Burke
A charismatic actress who turned the role of a flamboyant Southern belle into a television icon, sparking conversations about beauty standards and body image.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American actress, producer and author·Birthday: July 30·Baby Boomers
Biography
Delta Burke didn't just play Suzanne Sugarbaker on 'Designing Women'; she embodied a particular, glorious brand of unapologetic Southern femininity that made her a star. With her impeccable comic timing and larger-than-life delivery, she turned the Atlanta decorator into one of the most memorable characters of 1980s television, earning two Emmy nominations. Her time on the show was also marked by public struggles with weight fluctuations and reported tensions on set, which she addressed with candor, turning her personal challenges into a public dialogue about the pressures on women in Hollywood. After the show, Burke channeled her creativity into designing a successful line of clothing for plus-sized women and authoring novels, crafting a multifaceted career on her own terms.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Delta was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Delta Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Delta's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Suzanne Sugarbaker on 'Designing Women.'
- Starred as the iconic Suzanne Sugarbaker for five seasons, defining a character known for her vanity, one-liners, and hidden heart.
- Founded a clothing line, Delta Burke Design, which was sold on QVC and catered to plus-sized women.
- Authored several novels, including the 'Delta Justice' series, transitioning into a successful career as a writer.
Did You Know?
She was crowned Miss Florida in 1974 and was first runner-up in the Miss America pageant the same year.
Burke is married to actor Gerald McRaney, whom she met when he guest-starred on 'Designing Women.'
She publicly discussed her diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in the late 1990s.
Before 'Designing Women,' she had a recurring role on the soap opera 'Filthy Rich' in the early 1980s.
“I'm not going to let other people's opinions of me shape who I am.”
