Virginia Carter, Norman Lear’s Invaluable Adviser, Dies at 87

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As a devoted admirer of Virginia Carter, I find myself profoundly moved by the life and accomplishments of this remarkable woman. Her journey from a small town in Northern Quebec to becoming a trailblazing physicist, feminist activist, and Hollywood powerhouse is nothing short of inspiring.

Virginia Carter, a prominent feminist advocate, passed away at the age of 87. Hired by Norman Lear to offer guidance on social issues and underrepresented groups, she contributed valuable insights that shaped plotlines and characters in Lear’s groundbreaking TV productions.

Carter passed away on October 17, due to natural reasons, at her residence in Redondo Beach, as Martha Wheelock, a close friend and documentary filmmaker, shared with The Hollywood Reporter.

For 11 years, Carter served as a research physicist at the Aerospace Corporation, based in Los Angeles, which is a government think tank. During this time, she was also the president of the local chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW). In 1973, she was recruited by Lear’s Embassy Television to take on the role as director of creative affairs. This opportunity came about as Lear’s wife, Frances, had become acquainted with Carter through NOW and recommended her for the position.

Despite Norman Lear’s massive successes with shows like “All in the Family” and “Maude” during his time at CBS, these hits were unknown to the Canadian-born producer, Carol Carter. However, when they initially crossed paths, we discovered that we shared many similar perspectives on philosophy. This was evident in our conversation back in 1979.

Norman had pondered various social matters deeply, however, he wasn’t as immersed in feminist circles or their ideologies as I was. Yet, it’s crucial to emphasize that he was receptive enough to consider my perspectives and the ensuing conversations they might spark.” This is found in Robert Alley and Irby Brown’s 2001 book, Women Television Producers: 1948-2000.

Carter temporarily stepped away from her role at Aerospace for a year, uncertain if working in Hollywood was just a whimsical notion; it seemed unlikely that she’d return. In her new position as Lear’s assistant, she was granted a spacious office adjacent to his, and her salary was nearly doubled compared to what she earned at Aerospace. Her responsibilities included offering script suggestions, preparing reports for him to review, and arranging meetings with external professionals for his consultation.

Lear’s businesses arranged preliminary viewings of sensitive episodes for activists, and Carter would take their feedback into account, discussing it with the scriptwriters.

Jennifer S. Clark, who openly identifies as a lesbian, discussed in her 2014 book “Producing Feminism” that Carter served as a bridge between Lear and LGBTQ communities. For instance, she liaised with the National Gay Task Force regarding the portrayal of a same-sex couple in Lear’s 1975 ABC series “Hot L Baltimore“.

At both the Embassy and Tandem Productions, Carter provided guidance to Lear on his ever-growing lineup of television shows. This collection eventually encompassed shows such as “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman”, “Good Times”, “The Jeffersons”, “One Day at a Time”, “The Facts of Life”, “All That Glitters” which included a transgender character, and many more.

In a 2002 interview, Lear shared his initial skepticism that someone from the field of physics would thrive in entertainment, stating it as “an uncommon match.” However, he was intrigued by what she could share with him and his team regarding the emerging women’s movement, and more broadly, about being a respectable person.

Virginia Louise Carter was born on November 18, 1936, in the town of Arvida, located in Northern Quebec. She spent her childhood there and had brief stints in Los Angeles. Following her graduation from McGill University in Montreal in 1958, where she specialized in math and physics, she moved back to Los Angeles to pursue a master’s degree in physics at USC, which she completed in 1963.

Working at Aerospace as their sole female physicist, Carter specialized in investigating high atmospheric conditions and vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy. She was the pioneer who successfully designed and launched a satellite experiment for the first time by a woman. Meanwhile, during her tenure as president of the NOW chapter from 1970-72, she significantly expanded its membership from 70 to 700 members.

Whenever I embarked on a new adventure with Lear, I’d toss around storyline concepts, step in during script readings, and join discussions with network censors. As we both recognized, our primary goal was to deliver authentic entertainment. Once viewers were hooked, we could layer in the meatier content that would flesh out the narratives.

In 1976, she received a promotion to the position of vice president. Following Lear’s departure from active management responsibilities at Tandem, she was appointed as the head of their drama department.

Afterward, Carter started a division for Made-for-TV movies and served as an executive producer for several TV films. Notable productions from this period include “The Wave” (1981), which received Peabody and Emmy awards, and “Eleanor: First Lady of the World” (1982), featuring Jean Stapleton, who was well-known for her role in “All in the Family,” portraying Eleanor Roosevelt.

In 1985, she parted ways with Tandem, and for many years afterward, she worked in partnership with the Population Media Center. This organization utilized television and radio dramas as a means to disseminate information on family planning, population management, and women’s rights within developing nations.

Apart from serving as president for Wild West Women Films, a company established by Wheelock and Kay Weaver, Carter collaborated with her long-term partner, Judith Osmer, at their business J.O. Crystal. This firm specialized in producing synthetic rubies, and Osmer preceded Carter in death.

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2024-10-29 22:55