Actress Camilla Carr, Known for 'Keep My Grave Open' and 'Designing Women,' Dies at 83

The Texas-born actress appeared in several low-budget horror films in the 1970s before a memorable role on the CBS sitcom.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Camilla Carr, a Texas-born actress known for her roles in the 1970s horror films "Don't Look in the Basement," "Poor White Trash Part II," and "Keep My Grave Open," has died at the age of 83. Carr also had a memorable guest appearance on the CBS sitcom "Designing Women" in 1987. She passed away in El Paso, Texas, due to complications from Alzheimer's disease and a dislocated hip.

Why it matters

Carr's passing marks the end of an era for low-budget 1970s horror films, a genre that helped launch the careers of many character actors. Her role on "Designing Women" also highlighted her versatility as an actress, moving from horror to comedy. Her death is a loss for fans of classic television and cult cinema.

The details

Carr played unhinged and devious characters in several of the horror films she appeared in during the 1970s, including an unstable patient who kills a nurse in "Don't Look in the Basement" and a scheming hillbilly daughter in "Poor White Trash Part II." Her most prominent role was in the 1987 "Designing Women" episode "They're Killing All the Right People," where she portrayed a client of the Sugarbaker design firm who makes offensive comments about gay men with AIDS.

  • Carr died on Wednesday, February 7, 2026 in El Paso, Texas.
  • She appeared in the 1973 film "Don't Look in the Basement" and the 1974 film "Poor White Trash Part II."
  • Carr had a guest role on the CBS sitcom "Designing Women" in October 1987.

The players

Camilla Carr

A Texas-born actress known for her roles in low-budget 1970s horror films and a memorable guest appearance on the CBS sitcom "Designing Women."

Caley O'Dwyer

Carr's son, who is a writer, poet, and painter.

Linda Bloodworth Thomason

The creator of the CBS sitcom "Designing Women," who wrote the episode that featured Carr.

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What they’re saying

“Carr died Wednesday in El Paso, Texas, of complications from Alzheimer's and a dislocated hip.”

— Caley O'Dwyer, Carr's son (The Hollywood Reporter)

The takeaway

Camilla Carr's passing marks the end of an era for low-budget 1970s horror films, a genre that helped launch the careers of many character actors. Her versatility as an actress, moving from horror to comedy, is also highlighted by her memorable role on the CBS sitcom "Designing Women."