Bernice Clifton

Bernice Clifton is a fictional character on the television series, "Designing Women". She was played by the late actress Alice Ghostley.

Bernice is a friend of Perky Sugarbaker, the mother of Julia Sugarbaker and her sister, Suzanne. She lives at a retirement community, Hillcrest Leisure Land, and was first seen by viewers during a Thanksgiving where Suzanne attempted, but failed, to cook dinner. She often updates the group at Sugarbakers' on the latest gossip on her somewhat demented neighbors.

Neither sister knew what to make of Bernice, but Julia tolerated her. Suzanne initially didn't, and often complained about having to deal with her, but eventually grew rather fond of her (she often addressed Bernice affectionately as "you little fruitcake"). They loved her though, because she was their mother's best friend. She considers everyone at Sugarbaker's a part of her family.

In one episode, Bernice's selfish niece, Phyllis, tried to have her declared incompetent (or, as Bernice put it, "declared impotent"). With the help of the acid-tongued Julia, however, she ultimately retained power over her estate.

She has a crush on Anthony Bouvier, and, especially in the later seasons, would burst out in song, singing "Black Man, Black Man, where did you come from?" This trait always made Anthony extremely uncomfortable. She was fiercely protective of him, and thought very coldly of any woman who dared to date him, most especially his first fiancee, Vanessa Chamberlain (Jackée), and then later, his wife, Etienne.

An occasional guest host of the local cable access series "Senior Roundup", Bernice once had the staff of Sugarbaker's on the show, but she mistakenly introduced them on camera as callgirls, rather than decorators. Bernice once mistakenly wore a Christmas tree skirt Mary Jo gave her, thinking it was a "Christmas tree" pattern skirt, and not an actual skirt to be placed under a Christmas tree.

Bernice is mainly known for her constant arterial flow problem above the neck, which made her seem to be somewhat off kilter. Some people say that she wasn't always all there, but people often underestimated her, for she wasn't as dim as people made her out to be.