# Virginia Carter > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Virginia_Carter > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Virginia_Carter.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Carter > Source revision: 1353745895 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Virginia Carter** (18 November 1936 – 17 October 2024) was a Canadian-born physicist and entertainment executive. ## Life and career Carter was born in [Arvida, Quebec](/source/Arvida,_Quebec) on 18 November 1936.[1][2] She studied math and physics at [McGill University](/source/McGill_University) and graduated magna cum laude in 1958. She then earned a master's degree from the [University of Southern California](/source/University_of_Southern_California). She was hired by the [Douglas Aircraft Corporation](/source/Douglas_Aircraft_Corporation) in 1962. She then went to work for [The Aerospace Corporation](/source/The_Aerospace_Corporation), where she was their sole female physicist. She stayed with Aerospace Corp. for nine years, conducting research on vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy and high atmospheric conditions.[1][3] Carter was a spokesperson for the [women's movement](/source/Second-wave_feminism) in the early 1970s and was president of the [National Organization for Women](/source/National_Organization_for_Women)'s Los Angeles chapter. She stepped down from the position after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.[1] She also advocated for passage of the [Equal Rights Amendment](/source/Equal_Rights_Amendment).[3] Carter met Frances Lear through their common activism in the feminist movement. She introduced Carter to her husband, television producer [Norman Lear](/source/Norman_Lear).[4] Starting in 1973, she became director of creative affairs for him at [Tandem Productions](/source/Tandem_Productions). She worked on the sitcoms *[Maude](/source/Maude_(TV_series))* and *[All in the Family](/source/All_in_the_Family)*. In 1976 she was promoted to vice president for creative affairs.[3] Carter, a lesbian, frequently served as a liaison between Lear and gay rights activists who were concerned over material in his shows, such as his depiction of a same-sex couple in *[Hot l Baltimore](/source/Hot_l_Baltimore)*.[2] Carter started a film division at Tandem and was the executive producer for the 1981 film *[The Wave](/source/The_Wave_(1981_film))*. The film, based on [The Third Wave](/source/The_Third_Wave_(experiment)) experiment, won [Peabody](/source/Peabody_Award) and [Emmy Awards](/source/Emmy_Award).[1] After Tandem was sold to Coca-Cola in the 1980s, Carter became president of J.O. Crystal, a firm that manufactures synthetic rubies. She retired from management of the firm in 2002. She also worked with the [Population Media Center](/source/Population_Media_Center).[1] Carter died in [Redondo Beach, California](/source/Redondo_Beach,_California) on 17 October 2024, at the age of 87.[2] ## References 1. Dyer, Helen (Fall 2002). ["From Aerospace to Archie Bunker: The Surprising Career of Virginia Carter"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150717205549/http://www.mcgill.ca/news-archives/2002/fall/carter/). *McGill News*. McGill University. Archived from [the original](https://www.mcgill.ca/news-archives/2002/fall/carter/) on 2015-07-17. Retrieved 2017-09-17. 1. Barnes, Mike (October 29, 2024). ["Virginia Carter, Norman Lear's Invaluable Adviser, Dies at 87"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/virginia-carter-dead-norman-lear-adviser-1236048009/). *The Hollywood Reporter* 1. ["Virginia Carter Went From Aerospace Research To Working With Norman Lear"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19790404&id=8WssAAAAIBAJ&pg=7003,1738422). *Lakeland Ledger*. April 4, 1979. 1. Armstrong, Lois (May 9, 1977). ["'all That Glitters' Is Sexist? Then How Come Its Honcho Is Named Virginia Carter?"](http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20067783,00.html). *People* ## Further reading - [Virginia Carter](http://www.vfa.us/Virginia_Carter.htm), Veteran Feminists of America - Alley, Robert S. & Brown, Irby B. (2001). ["Virginia Carter"](https://books.google.com/books?id=rHlNnofFfqUC&dq=%22Virginia%20Carter%22%20lear&pg=PA79). *Women Television Producers: Transformation of the Male Medium*. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press. pp. 79–97. ISBN 978-1-58046-045-3. ## External links - [Portrait of Virginia Carter in her lab at Aerospace Corp. in California, 1972.](http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz0002nk2x) [Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times) Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, [Charles E. Young Research Library](/source/Charles_E._Young_Research_Library), [University of California, Los Angeles](/source/University_of_California,_Los_Angeles). --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Virginia Carter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Carter) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Carter?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.