Donna Mills

Donna Mills Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: December 11, 1940

Age: 83 years old

Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois

This attractive wide-eyed blonde put in numerous years guest starring as a woman in danger on TV episodics before she gained small screen stardom as Abby Cunningham Ewing, one of primetime's scheming nasty vixen, on the long-running CBS soap "Knots Landing." Donna Mills has since gone on to headline many TV-movies, often also serving as producer.

Donna Mills left the University of Illinois before turning twenty to pursue a career as a dancer and an actor, appearing in theatrical productions in Chicago, including several at the Drury Lane Theatre. She was cast in a touring production of "My Fair Lady" which brought her to New York. In 1964, Mills made her TV debut in a short-term role on the daytime soap "The Secret Storm" and was a regular on the short-lived variety series "The Steve Lawrence Show" (CBS, 1965). The following year, she was in the original cast of Woody Allen's Broadway hit "Don't Drink the Water." In 1967, Mills made her feature film debut with a small role in Larry Peerce's "The Incident." Still based in New York, she spent three years as former nun Laura Donnelly Elliot on the CBS daytime drama "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" (1967-70).

Now established as a working actor and having won attention with her soap role, Mills relocated to the West Coast to try to make the breakthrough to primetime. An appearance in the Burt Reynolds' vehicle "Dan August" led to her being cast as Clint Eastwood's girlfriend in "Play Misty For Me" (1971), which also marked Eastwood's directorial debut. While the film was a moderate success, Mills found additional features elusive. Instead, she concentrated on the small screen, often playing a woman in distress. An exception was her turn as Larry Hagman's wife in the sitcom "The Good Life" (NBC, 1971-72), in which they were servants for a wealthy couple. Mills also carved a niche for herself in TV-movies. She offered strong performance as an undercover policewoman in "The Bait" (ABC, 1973) and a wife fleeing from her husband, a spy, in "Woman on the Run" (CBS, 1977).

But it was her portrayal of venal yet sexy Abby on "Knots Landing" that moved her to the front of the ranks of small screen stars. As part of her storyline, she was reunited with Hagman, who brought his J.R. Ewing from "Dallas" to the spin-off. After a nine-year run on the primetime soap, during which Abby became a wealthy woman, bedded and wedded Gary Ewing (Ted Shackleford), had an affair with a mob-connected politician, was taken hostage, and eventually left her husband for his opponent in a political campaign, Mills left to pursue other ventures. She went on to star in numerous TV-movies and specials (including a number of Bob Hope's NBC vehicles). Among her more notable efforts, were as a mother who caring for a child in "He's Not Your Son" (CBS, 1984) and as a busy executive who falls for her male secretary in the comedy "The Oldest Living Bridesmaid" (CBS, 1991). Mills began developing much of her own material in the 90s, serving as executive producer on efforts like "In My Daughter's Name" (CBS, 1992) and "My Name Is Kate" (ABC, 1994). She was a con artist in "An Element of Truth" (CBS, 1995) and a woman who allows her husband to be turned into the perfect spouse in "The Stepford Husbands" (CBS, 1996). Mills rejoined the world of primetime soap opera in 1996 when she landed the recurring role of the birth mother of troubled fashion designer Jane Mancini (Josie Bissett) on Fox's "Melrose Place."

Credits

Hero Dog Awards

Self
Show
2023

V.C. Andrews' DawnStream

Actor
Lillian Cutler
Series
2023

Ladies of the 80's: A Divas ChristmasStream

Actor
Dana Cunningham
Movie
2023

Access Daily With Mario & Kit

Guest
Show
2022

NopeStream

Actor
Bonnie Clayton
Movie
2022
83%

The Story of Soaps

Actor
Show
2020

Mood Swings

Actor
Wanda
Show
2019

Tamron Hall

Guest
Talk
2019

Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe KissesStream

Actor
Caroline Sinclair
Movie
2019

Turnover

Actor
Movie
2019

Carol of the Bells

Actor
Helen Harris
Movie
2019

A Beauty & the Beast Christmas

Actor
Movie
2019

Today 3rd Hour

Guest
Show
2018

Best Mom

Actor
Nana
Movie
2018

Hilton Head Island

Guest Star
Victoria Trisk
Show
2017

Daily Blast Live

Guest
Show
2017

Battle of the Network Stars

Guest
Reality
2017

Queens of DramaStream

Self
Reality
2015

JoyStream

Actor
Priscilla
Movie
2015
61%

12 Gifts of ChristmasStream

Actor
Joyce Rehnquist
Movie
2015

When Life Keeps Getting in the Way

Actor
Dr. Goldstein
Movie
2014

Deadly Revenge

Actor
Evelyn
Movie
2013

Home & Family

Guest
Talk
2012

GCBStream

Guest Star
Series
2012
42%

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

Access Hollywood Live

Guest
Show
2010

Ladies of the House

Actor
Elizabeth
Movie
2008

Dirty Sexy MoneyStream

Guest Star
Wealthy Socialite
Series
2007
68%

Love Is a Four Letter Word

Actor
Margot Harper
Movie
2007

History of Women's Achievement in America

Host
Show
2006

A History of Women's Achievement in America

Host
Show
2006

Jane Doe: Yes, I Remember It Well

Actor
Polly Jameson
Movie
2006

Too Cool for Christmas

Actor
Mrs. Claus
Movie
2004

Cold CaseStream

Guest Star
Series
2003

Nip/TuckStream

Guest Star
Lulu Grandiron
Series
2003
74%

Twice in a Lifetime

Guest Star
Show
1999

Conrad Bloom

Guest Star
Show
1998

Mary Higgins Clark's Moonlight Becomes You

Actor
Maggie Holloway
Movie
1998

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac

Actor
Movie
1997

The Stepford Husbands

Actor
Jodi Davison
Movie
1996

High Society

Guest Star
Show
1995

Mensonge et trahison

Actor
Vanessa Graves
Movie
1995

Dangerous Intentions

Actor
Beth Williamson
Movie
1995

An Element of Truth

Actor
Vanessa Graves
Movie
1995

My Name Is Kate

Actor
Kate
Movie
1994

Remember

Actor
Show
1993

Barbara Taylor Bradford's Remember

Actor
Movie
1993

Melrose PlaceStream

Guest Star
Sherry Doucette
Series
1992

In My Daughter's Name

Actor
Laura Elias
Movie
1992

The President's Child

Actor
Elizabeth Hemming
Movie
1992

False Arrest

Actor
Joyce Lukezic
Show
1991

Runaway Father

Actor
Pat Bennett
Movie
1991

The World's Oldest Living Bridesmaid

Actor
Brenda Morgan
Movie
1990

Vieja del Mundo

Actor
Movie
1990

The Joan Rivers ShowStream

Guest
Talk
1989

The Lady Forgets

Actor
Rebecca Simms/Julie Black
Movie
1989

Outback Bound

Actor
Samantha `'Sam'` Hollings
Movie
1988

Divertido Romance en Australia

Actor
Movie
1988

Intimate Encounters

Actor
Julie Atkins
Movie
1986

Jeopardy!Stream

Contestant
Game Show
1984

Le Cruel Échange

Actor
Movie
1984

He's Not Your Son

Actor
Kathy Saunders
Movie
1984

Bare Essence

Actor
Barbara Fisher
Miniseries
1982

Young Maverick

Actor
Lila Gates
Movie
1980

Waikiki

Actor
Cassie Howard
Movie
1980

Knots Landing

Actor
Abby Cunningham Ewing Sumner
Series
1979

Knots Landing DFN

Actor
Show
1979

CBS News Sunday Morning

Guest
News
1979

Hanging by a Thread

Actor
Ellen Craig
Movie
1979

Fantasy Island

Guest Star
Series
1978

Doctors' Private Lives

Actor
Dr. Beth Demery
Movie
1978

Superdome

Actor
Lainie Wiley
Movie
1978

Fire!

Actor
Harriett Malone
Movie
1977

The Hunted Lady

Actor
Susan Reilly
Movie
1977

Curse of the Black Widow

Actor
Leigh Lockwood
Movie
1977

Smash-Up on Interstate 5

Actor
Laureen
Movie
1976

Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby

Actor
Ellen
Movie
1976

Hawaii Five-0: Murder Eyes Only

Actor
Marcia Bissell
Movie
1975

Who Is the Black Dahlia?

Actor
Susan Winters
Movie
1975

Beyond the Bermuda Triangle

Actor
Claudia
Movie
1975

Police Woman

Guest Star
Tamee Swanson
Series
1974

One Deadly Owner

Actor
Helen Cook
Movie
1974

Killer With Two Faces

Actor
Patty Heron
Movie
1974

Live Again, Die Again

Actor
Caroline Carmichael
Movie
1974

You Can't Steal Love

Actor
Ginny Eaton
Movie
1974

Live a Little, Steal a Lot

Actor
Ginny Eaton
Movie
1974

Les Gagneurs

Actor
Movie
1974

Police Story

Actor
Carol
Series
1973

ThrillerStream

Actor
Chrissie Morton
Series
1973

The Six Million Dollar ManStream

Guest Star
Liza Leitman
Series
1973

Barnaby JonesStream

Guest Star
Series
1973

Wide World Mystery

Actor
Show
1973

Someone at the Top of the Stairs

Actor
Chrissie
Movie
1973

The RookiesStream

Guest Star
Series
1972

Haunts of the Very Rich

Actor
Laurie Dugan
Movie
1972

The Bait

Actor
Tracy Fleming
Movie
1972

Rolling Man

Actor
Bebe Lotter
Movie
1972

Night of Terror

Actor
Linda Daniel
Movie
1972

The Good Life

Actor
Jane Miller
Show
1971

McMillan & Wife

Guest Star
Laura Rainey
Series
1971

Cannon

Guest Star
Lena Michaels
Series
1971

Play Misty for MeStream

Actor
Tobie
Movie
1971
85%

Dan August

Guest Star
Edna Adams
Series
1970

Marcus Welby, M.D.Stream

Guest Star
Bea Averton
Series
1969

The Incident

Actor
Alice Keenan
Movie
1967

GunsmokeStream

Guest Star
Cora Sanderson
Series
1955

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutDonna Mills