Delta Burke Net Worth

What Is Delta Burke's Net Worth?

Delta Burke is an American actress, author, and producer who has a net worth of $8 million. That is a combined net worth with her husband since 1989, actor Gerald McRaney. Burke is best known for playing Suzanne Sugarbaker on the CBS series "Designing Women" (1986–1991), a role that earned her two Primetime Emmy nominations.

Delta has more than 60 acting credits to her name, including the films "Sordid Lives" (2000), "What Women Want" (2000), and "Hansel & Gretel" (2002) and the television series "Filthy Rich" (1982–1983), "1st & Ten" (1984–1987), "Delta" (1992–1993), the "Designing Women" spin-off "Women of the House" (1995), "Popular" (1999–2001), "DAG" (2000–2001), "and "Boston Legal" (2006–2007). Burke served as a producer on "Delta" and "Women of the House" as well as the 1996 film "Maternal Instincts" and the 1997 TV movie "Melanie Darrow." Delta has also performed on Broadway, playing Mrs. Meers in "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (2003–2004) and Truvy in "Steel Magnolias" (2005). In 1994, she launched the clothing company Delta Burke Design, which offered "real clothes for real women," and she published the book "Delta Style: Eve Wasn't a Size 6 and Neither Am I" in 1998.

Early Life

Delta Burke was born Delta Ramona Leah Burke on July 30, 1956, in Orlando, Florida. She grew up with mother Jean, stepfather Frederick (who adopted her after marrying Jean), younger sister Jennifer, and younger brother Jonathan. Delta attended Colonial High School, where she was voted "Most Likely to Succeed." As a teenager, Burke was crowned Miss Flame by the Orlando Fire Department and later became State Miss Flame. In 1974, she won the Miss Florida pageant, appeared on "Bozo the Clown," and graduated from high school. The Miss America Organization gave Delta a talent scholarship, and she spent two years studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Career

In 1978, Burke had an uncredited role in the TV movie "Zuma Beach," and in 1979, she appeared in the television films "Charleston" and "A Last Cry for Help" and the miniseries "The Seekers." In 1980, she played Bonnie Sue Chisholm on the CBS series "The Chisholms," then she guest-starred on "Nero Wolfe" (1981), "The Fall Guy" (1981–1982), "Fantasy Island" (1983), "Remington Steele" (1983), "The Love Boat" (1983–1984), "T. J. Hooker" (1984), and "Who's the Boss?" (1985). Delta starred as Kathleen Beck on the CBS sitcom "Filthy Rich" from 1982 to 1983 and Diane Barrow on HBO's "1st & Ten" from 1984–1987, and from 1986 to 1991, she played Suzanne Sugarbaker on "Designing Women" alongside Dixie Carter, Annie Potts, Jean Smart, and Meshach Taylor. In 1990, Burke called the set of "Designing Women" a "difficult, unpleasant workplace" in an interview with Barbara Walters, and she was fired the following year. Delta alleged that she endured harassment on the set because of her weight and that she was fired because she spoke out about the "psychological abuse" that went on. She later reconciled with Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, the show's creator, and reprised the role of Suzanne Sugarbaker on the 1995 spin-off "Women of the House."

Burke hosted "Saturday Night Live" in 1991, then she appeared in the TV movies "Love and Curses… And All That Jazz" (1991) and "Day-O" (1992). From 1992 to 1993, she starred as Delta Bishop on the ABC sitcom "Delta," and in 1994, she voiced Viola the toucan on the Family Channel series "The Mighty Jungle." Burke guest-starred on "Diagnosis: Murder" (1994), "Touched by an Angel" (1996; 2001), "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1996), and "Promised Land" (1996) and played the title role in the 1997 TV movie "Melanie Darrow," then she had a recurring role as Cherry Cherry on The WB's "Popular" from 1999 to 2001. In 2000, she appeared on the big screen in "Sordid Lives" and the Mel Gibson–Helen Hunt romantic comedy "What Women Want," and from 2000 to 2001, she co-starred with David Alan Grier on the NBC sitcom "DAG." Delta appeared in the TV movies "Dangerous Child" (2001), "Going For Broke" (2003), and "The Year Without a Santa Claus" (2006) and the 2002 feature film "Hansel & Gretel," and from 2006 to 2007, she had a recurring role as Bella Horowitz on ABC's "Boston Legal." She guest-starred on "Drop Dead Diva" in 2009, and in 2019, she appeared on the Netflix anthology series "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings."

Personal Life

Delta married fellow actor Gerald McRaney on May 28, 1989, and she is stepmother to his children, Kate, Jessica, and Angus. Delta was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes in her early forties, and she participated in the BYETTA Let's Talk Campaign, which was dedicated to "teaching patients of type 2 diabetes the importance and benefits of leading a healthier, more active lifestyle." Burke underwent therapy for compulsive hoarding syndrome, and she told, "USA Today" in 2008, "At one time I had 27 storage units. I don't have a big enough house! My mom had it, it's my mother's fault. She saved the diaper I came home from the hospital in!" She also spoke about depression in the interview, stating, "I was parked in the car in the hills with a gun and a bottle of Xanax beside me, trying to recover from harsh words said in the tabloids. I just wanted the pain to go away." Delta's sister is a lesbian, and Burke has been a longtime supporter of gay rights. In 2006, Delta and openly gay actor Leslie Jordan were scheduled to appear on "Talk of the Town," a Nashville talk show, but their appearance was canceled because the managing director thought that the titles and topics of the Del Shores plays they were promoting would offend the show's "very conservative viewership."

Awards and Nominations

Burke received Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for "Designing Women" in 1990 and 1992, and the show earned her Viewers for Quality Television Award nominations for Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Series in 1989, 1990, and 1991. In 1999, Delta won an Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Guest Actress in a Cable Series for "Any Day Now," and in 2001, she received a "TV Guide" Award nomination for Actress of the Year in a New Series for "DAG."

Real Estate

In 2001, Delta and Gerald paid $800,000 for a 3,610 square foot home in Studio City, California. Today the five-bedroom, six-bedroom home is estimated to be worth $3 million. The couple has also owned homes in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Telluride, Colorado.