Mills, Donna 1945(?)–

views updated

Mills, Donna 1945(?)–

PERSONAL

Original name, Donna Jean Miller; born December 11, 1945 (some sources cite 1942 or 1943), in Chicago, IL; daughter of an oil company manager and Bernice Miller (a dance teacher); children: Chloe. Education: Attended the University of Illinois; studied acting with Wynn Handman; also studied dance. Avocational Interests: Practicing ballet, playing tennis, art.

Addresses: Agent—William Morris Agency, One William Morris Place, Beverly Hills, CA 90212; HWA Talent Representatives, 3500 West Olive Ave., Suite 1400, Burbank, CA 91505.

Career: Actress and producer. Founder of Donna Mills Productions. Appeared in advertisements, in infomercials, and as a spokesperson for B.E.A.T. (an arthritis awareness group) and other health awareness campaigns; served as the director of fashion and beauty for Faberge; associated with a line of beauty products. Affiliated with the environmental group Eco.

Member: Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild.

Awards, Honors: Soap Opera Digest awards, outstanding villainess on a primetime serial, 1986, and outstanding villainess: primetime, 1988 and 1989, and Soap Opera Digest Award nomination, outstanding actress in a leading role on a primetime serial, 1986, all for Knots Landing.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

The Steve Lawrence Show, CBS, 1965.

Rocket, The Secret Storm, CBS, 1966.

Laura Donnelly Elliott, Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, CBS, 1967–70.

Jane Miller, The Good Life, NBC, 1971–72.

Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner, Knots Landing, CBS, 1980–89.

Sherri Larson Doucette, Melrose Place, Fox, 1996–97.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Ellen Craig, Hanging by a Thread, NBC, 1979.

Barbara Fisher, Bare Essence, NBC, 1982.

Rose, Alice in Wonderland (also known as Alice through the Looking Glass), CBS, 1985.

Joyce Lukezic, False Arrest (also known as The Joyce Lukezic Story and Reasonable Doubt), ABC, 1991.

Nicole "Nicky" Wells, Barbara Taylor Bradford's "Remember" (also known as Remember), NBC, 1993.

Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner, Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac, CBS, 1997.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Bebe Lotter, Rolling Man, ABC, 1972.

Laurie, Haunts of the Very Rich, ABC, 1972.

Linda Daniel, Night of Terror, NBC, 1972.

Tracy Fleming, The Bait, ABC, 1973.

Caroline "Carrie" Carmichael, Live Again, Die Again, ABC, 1974.

Claudia, Beyond the Bermuda Triangle (also known as Beyond This Place There Be Dragons), 1975.

Susan Winters, Who Is the Black Dahlia?, NBC, 1975.

Ellen, Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby (also known as Rosemary's Baby II), ABC, 1976.

Laureen, Smash-Up on Interstate 5, ABC, 1976.

Harriet Malone, Fire (also known as Fire!), NBC, 1977.

Leigh Lockwood, Curse of the Black Widow (also known as Love Trap), ABC, 1977.

Susan Reilly, The Hunted Lady, NBC, 1977.

Dr. Beth Demery, Doctors' Private Lives, ABC, 1978.

Lainie, Superdome, ABC, 1978.

Cassie Howard, Waikiki, ABC, 1980.

Kathy Saunders, He's Not Your Son, CBS, 1984.

Julie Atkins, Intimate Encounters (also known as Encounters and Encounters in the Night), NBC, 1986.

Samantha "Sam" Hollings, Outback Bound, CBS, 1988.

Rebecca Simms/Julie Black, The Lady Forgets, 1989.

Brenda Morgan, The World's Oldest Living Bridesmaid, CBS, 1990.

Pat Bennett, Runaway Father, 1991.

Elizabeth Hemming, The President's Child, CBS, 1992.

Laura Elias, In My Daughter's Name, CBS, 1992.

Kate Bannister, My Name Is Kate, ABC, 1994.

"A Hard Rain," Showtime 30-Minute Movie, Showtime, 1994.

Beth Williamson, Dangerous Intentions, CBS, 1995.

Vanessa Graves, An Element of Truth, CBS, 1995.

Jodi Davison, The Stepford Husbands, CBS, 1996.

Maggie Holloway, Mary Higgins Clark's "Moonlight Becomes You" (also known as Moonlight Becomes You), Family Channel, 1998.

Mrs. Claus, Too Cool for Christmas (also known as A Very Cool Christmas), Lifetime, 2004.

Polly Jamison, Jane Doe: Yes, I Remember It Well, The Hallmark Channel, 2006.

Television Appearances; Specials:

NBC team contestant, Battle of the Network Stars III, ABC, 1977.

Celebrity Football Classic, NBC, 1979.

CBS team contestant, Battle of the Network Stars IX, ABC, 1980.

CBS team contestant, Battle of the Network Stars XI, ABC, 1981.

Herself, CBS All American Thanksgiving Day Parade, 1981.

Host, Battle of the Network Stars XV, 1983.

Bob Hope Lampoons Television 1985 (also known as Bob Hope Lampoons TV 1985), NBC, 1985.

Night of 100 Stars II (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), ABC, 1985.

Bob Hope's All-Star Super Bowl Party (also known as Bob Hope Salutes the Super Bowl), NBC, 1986.

Bob Hope's Bagful of Christmas Cheer, NBC, 1986.

Herself, Happy Birthday, Hollywood! (also known as Happy 100th Birthday Hollywood), ABC, 1987.

Hollywood's Favorite Heavy: Businessmen on Prime-time TV (also known as Businessmen on Primetime TV), PBS, 1987.

Sex Symbols: Past, Present and Future, syndicated, 1987.

Public People/Private Lives, syndicated, 1988.

(In archive footage) Herself, "Silver Bells," A Bob Hope Christmas, NBC, 1993.

Knots Landing Block Party, CBS, 1993.

Host, The Tournament of Roses Parade, 1995.

The 68th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, 1999.

Herself, CBS at 75, CBS, 2003.

(In archive footage) Herself, 50 Most Wicked Women of Primetime, E! Entertainment Television, 2004.

Herself, TV Movie Superstars: Women You Love, 2004.

Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner, Knots Landing Reunion: Together Again (also known as Knots Landing Reunion: Celebrating 25 Years), CBS, 2005.

Appeared as the cohost of the Easter Seals telethon.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Presenter, The 13th Annual People's Choice Awards, 1987.

The 44th Annual Golden Globe Awards, NBC, 1987.

The 22nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, 1987.

The 16th Annual People's Choice Awards, 1990.

Presenter, The 18th Annual People's Choice Awards, 1992.

Presenter, The 20th International Emmy Awards, 1992.

Presenter, Fourth Annual Environmental Media Awards, 1994.

Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Awards, 1994.

TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV (also known as First Annual TV Land Awards), TV Land, 2003.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Lucy, "The Lion and the Lamb," Lancer, CBS, 1970.

"In the Eyes of God," Dan August, ABC, 1970.

Mary Anne Collins, "The Hitchhiker," The F.B.I., ABC, 1971.

"The Triangle," Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, ABC, 1971.

Herself, The Virginia Graham Show, syndicated, 1971.

Bernice Rawson, "The Break-Up," The F.B.I., ABC, 1972.

Valerie, "A Very Strange Triangle," The Bold Ones: The Doctors (also known as The Bold Ones, The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, The Doctors, and The New Doctors), NBC, 1972.

Chrissie, "Someone at the Top of the Stairs," Thriller (also known as Thriller: Someone at the Top of the Stairs), Associated Television, 1973.

Paula Sanderson, "A Game of Love, an Act of Death: Parts 1 & 2," Gunsmoke (also known as Gun Law and Marshal Dillon), CBS, 1973.

"Love and the Blue Plate Special/Love and the Man of the Year/Love and the Time Machine," Love, American Style, ABC, 1973.

"The Prowler," Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, ABC, 1973.

"Time Lapse," Banyon, NBC, 1973.

Betty Johnson, "Explosion," Police Story, NBC, 1974.

Helen Cook, "One Deadly Owner," Thriller (also known as Thriller: One Deadly Owner), Associated Television, 1974, broadcast on Wide World of Mystery (also known as ABC Wide World of Mystery), ABC, 1974.

Laura Rainey, "Buried Alive," McMillan and Wife (also known as McMillan), NBC, 1974.

"A Fevered Angel," Marcus Welby M.D. (also known as Robert Young, Family Doctor), ABC, 1974.

Abby Reinhart, "Portrait of Evil," Barnaby Jones, CBS, 1975.

Audrey, "Us against the World: Parts 1 & 2," Medical Story, NBC, 1975.

Donna Guthrie, "If Mine Eye Offends Me," Medical Center, CBS, 1975.

Gwen DeWitt, "S.W.A.T." (pilot episode for the series of the same name), The Rookies, ABC, 1975.

Lena Michaels, "The Victim," Cannon, CBS, 1975.

Liza Leitman, "Cross-Country Kidnap," The Six Million Dollar Man, ABC, 1975.

Marcia Bissell, "Murder—Eyes Only," Hawaii Five-O (also known as McGarrett), CBS, 1975.

Patty Heron, "Killer with Two Faces," Thriller (also known as Thriller: Killer with Two Faces), Associated Television, 1975.

"Officer Needs Help," Police Story, NBC, 1975.

Roberta Rhodes, "A Star Is Dead," Quincy, M.E. (also known as Quincy), NBC, 1976.

Tamee Swanson, "Mother Love," Police Woman, NBC, 1976.

"The Parting Shot," City of Angels, NBC, 1976.

"The Running Man: Parts 1 & 2," S.W.A.T, ABC, 1976.

Herself, The Merv Griffin Show, syndicated, 1976.

Lila, "Lonely at the Top/Divorce Me, Please/Silent Night," The Love Boat, ABC, 1977.

"The Scarlet Ribbon," The Oregon Trail, NBC, 1977.

Jeannie, "Marooned: Parts 1 & 2," The Love Boat, ABC, 1978.

Cindy Carter, "The Chain Gang/The Boss," Fantasy Island, ABC, 1979.

Lila Gates, "Dead Man's Hand: Parts 1 & 2," Young Maverick, CBS, 1979–80.

(Uncredited) Herself, "The Great 5K Star Race and Boulder Wrap Party: Part 2," CHiPs (also known as CHiPs Patrol), NBC, 1980.

"Mr. and Mrs. Bliss," Insight, syndicated, 1980.

Guest host, An Evening at the Improv, syndicated, 1982.

Fame, Fortune and Romance, ABC, 1986.

Nitecap, ABC, 1992.

Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner, "Just Like Old Times: Parts 1 & 2," Knots Landing, CBS, 1993.

Carol, "Amends," The John Larroquette Show (also known as Larroquette), NBC, 1993.

Ashlyn, "Martin Tupper in Magnum Farce, " Dream On, HBO, 1994, also broadcast on Fox.

Carol, "John and Carol," The John Larroquette Show (also known as Larroquette), NBC, 1994.

Jaqualeane Seymore Winters/Lucinda, "We Ought to Be in Pictures," High Society, CBS, 1995.

Herself, Grace, Caroline, Stephanie: The Curse of the Royal Family—The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1997.

Herself, Intimate Portrait: Donna Mills, Lifetime, 1998.

Herself, Intimate Portrait: Vanna White, Lifetime, 1998.

Linda MacKenzie, "What She Did for Love," Twice in a Lifetime, PAX TV and CTV, 1999.

Narrator, Intimate Portrait: Michele Lee, Lifetime, 1999.

Herself, "The Films of Clint Eastwood," The Directors (also known as The Directors: Clint Eastwood), Encore, 2000.

Linda, "Star 80 Proof," Rude Awakening, Showtime, 2000.

Herself, Intimate Portrait: Genie Francis, Lifetime, 2001.

Herself, Intimate Portrait: Joan Van Ark, Lifetime, 2002.

Herself, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 2002.

(In archive footage) Herself, Celebrities Uncensored, E! Entertainment Television, 2004.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Jane Miller, The Good Life, NBC, 1971.

Gwen DeWitt, S.W.A.T., broadcast as an episode of The Rookies, ABC, 1975.

Laura Frazier, Woman on the Run, CBS, 1977.

Officer Frankie Dawson, Bunco, NBC, 1977.

Television Executive Producer; Movies:

Intimate Encounters (also known as Encounters and Encounters in the Night), NBC, 1986.

The World's Oldest Living Bridesmaid, CBS, 1990.

(With others) Runaway Father, 1991.

(With others) In My Daughter's Name, CBS, 1992.

(With others) My Name Is Kate, ABC, 1994.

An Element of Truth, CBS, 1995.

Film Appearances:

Alice Keenan, The Incident, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1967.

Tobie Williams, Play Misty for Me, Universal, 1971.

Ginny Eaton, Murph the Surf (also known as Live a Little, Steal a Lot, Murf the Surf, and You Can't Steal Love), American International Pictures, 1974.

Cursed Part 3, Tropacanda, 2000.

Stage Appearances:

Sultan's first wife and understudy for Susan Hollander, Don't Drink the Water, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1966–68, Ethel Barrymore Theatre and Belasco Theatre, both New York City, 1968.

Night of 100 Stars II (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1985.

Melissa Gardner, Love Letters, Edison Theatre, New York City, 1989–90.

Also performed in productions at the Drury Lane Theatre, Chicago, IL.