Susan Howard

Susan Howard first took to acting while growing up in Marshall, Texas. After attending the University of Texas for two years, she decided it was time to pursue acting seriously, and moved to California to join the Los Angeles Repertory Company. The young actress had a number of guest appearances on popular shows during the 1960s, including iconic sitcoms like "The Monkees" and "I Dream of Jeannie." To legions of "Star Trek" fans, however, she is best known as the actress who portrayed the series' first female Klingon, Mara. She continued to play small roles through the early 1970s, including parts on the espionage drama "Mission: Impossible" and the wholesome dramedy "Love, American Style."

She landed a leading role in 1974, when she was cast in the legal series "Petrocelli." Howard's most memorable role, however, came in 1979, when she landed the long-running part of governor's wife Donna Culver Krebbs on the daytime soap opera "Dallas"; she also became the first and only cast member to also write episodes of the show. After her contract on "Dallas" failed to be renewed in 1987, Howard focused her energies on working with a number of conservative groups, including both the NRA and the Texas Republican Party.