Covington has always been the original Hollywood of the South. It’s the place where legends are born and movie stars are made. Recently, we had the chance to sit down with a true Hollywood legend. Sandra Carter is a local woman whose resume rivals any movie star. She’s had the chance to be an extra in over 70 films and television shows, including a few filmed right here in Covington, Georgia.
Carter’s career began through sheer luck. She was a patient of the former mayor of Covington, Dr. Bill Dobbs, who worked as an optometrist before entering public service. The mayor and his wife became fast friends of Ms. Carter and mentioned that a film was being made and looking for local extras. The Dobbs thought that Carter would be
Soon, Carter caught the attention of the creators of In the Heat of the Night, and her career would take off! Her first appearance on the hit television show can be seen in Season three after production moved from Mississippi to Covington. She was an extra who can be seen walking behind Carol O’Connor, right in front of our famous Courthouse. There’s also a great shot of Carter in a protest scene. You can find her front and center, holding a protest sign. Sandra spoke to us about her experience on the set, saying “It was a glorious time and I loved every minute of it. The cast and crew were all so welcoming. We even had a little fan club that would meet in the building that used to have Square
Carter has kept detailed accounts of her time on the set of In the Heat of the Night. She allowed us to view her scrapbooks and we were astounded at the images she captured. We viewed pictures from behind the scenes of the filming and even a few candid snaps of the stars, like Alan Autry playing basketball and Dee Shaw relaxing in the sun between takes. Carter even kept her scripts and call sheets from her extra days!
Most recently, Sandra Carter can be seen in two episodes of The Walking Dead, AMC’s international phenomenon. She told us that she “played an old lady in a nursing home and then a dead old lady in a nursing home.” We also asked what her favorite production was to work on and while she didn’t have a favorite, she did say that working on Fried Green Tomatoes with Kathy Bates was a highlight. She even mentioned that “Jessica Tandy was a doll but Kathy Bates wasn’t so nice at first. Later on, though, she (Bates) recognized me and struck up a conversation. I think it’s nice when big stars remember you.”
Thank you so much to Ms. Sandra Carter for allowing us the opportunity to speak with you. We were star-struck! You can check out all of these amazing movies and television shows for yourself. Can you spot our Covington film star?
