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{{short description|American actress}}{{for|the baseball player|Donna Mills (baseball)}}{{Use American English|date=July 2020}}{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}

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HTTPS://WWW.THEDAILYBEAST.COM/TV-ICON-DONNA-MILLS-ON-KNOTS-LANDING-NOPE-AND-REVIVING-HER-CAREER-AT-81>TITLE=TV ICON DONNA MILLS ON ‘KNOTS LANDING,’ ‘NOPE,’ AND REVIVING HER CAREER AT 81LAST=TEEMANDATE=JULY 18, 2022WEBSITE=ALLMOVIE, | birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.| death_date =| death_place =| education = University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign| occupation = Actress| years_active = 1966–present| partner = Richard Holland (20 years)Larry Gilman (2001–present)| children = 1}}Donna Mills (born Donna Jean Miller; December 11, 1940) is an American actress. She began her television career in 1966 with a recurring role on The Secret Storm, and in the same year appeared on Broadway in Woody Allen’s comedy Don’t Drink the Water. She made her film debut the next year in The Incident. She then starred for three years on the soap opera Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1967–70), before starring as Tobie Williams, the girlfriend of Clint Eastwood’s character in the 1971 cult thriller Play Misty for Me. Mills played the female lead in the heist film Murph the Surf (1975), and had starring roles in a number of made-for-television movies during the 1970s.In 1980, Mills landed the role of Abby Cunningham on the primetime soap opera Knots Landing, and was a regular on the show until 1989. For this role, she won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villainess three times, in 1986, 1988, and 1989. She has since starred in several TV movies, including The World’s Oldest Living Bridesmaid (1990), Dangerous Intentions (1995), The Stepford Husbands (1996), Ladies of the House (2008) and (Ladies of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas) (2023). In 2014, she joined the cast of the long-running daytime soap opera General Hospital as Madeline Reeves, for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series. In 2023, she starred in the Lifetime limited series V.C. Andrews’ Dawn. Mills also appeared in the films Joy (2015), Nope (2022) and Origin (2023).

Early life

Mills was born Donna Jean Miller in Chicago, to Bernice (née Lantz), a housewife,VIDEO, Intimate Portrait, Donna Mills (Part 1),www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFeNJGx2PgA, 1998, and Ambrose, a computer analyst for Union Oil.Obituary for AMBROSE A. MILLER (Aged 91). The Tampa Tribune. October 16, 1997. She has one brother, Donald, who is 10 years her senior.Hoffman, Steve (August 26, 1971). “’Good Life’s’ Donna Mills ‘Groovy’”. The Cincinnati Enquirer. Raised in Norwood Park, Mills attended Garvy Elementary School and Taft High School; one of her classmates was Jim Jacobs, co-creator of Grease, who based the character of Sandy on her.Mills attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she was a member of Delta Gamma sorority. She completed one year of course work, then left to pursue a dancing career, gaining some stage experience in summer stock productions. Her first professional acting role was in a production of Come Blow Your Horn at the Drury Lane Theater in Chicago. She later was cast in a touring production of My Fair Lady, which brought her to New York City.Donna Mills biography {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424063831movies.yahoo.com/person/donna-mills/biography.html |date=April 24, 2014 }}, movies.yahoo.com; accessed August 27, 2014. Before she got a job on TV, Mills supported herself as a secretary at Popular Mechanics magazine.Wood, Mary (July 7, 1971). “Good news for ‘Laura’s’ fans”. The Cincinnati Post.Mills’ parents retired to Florida, while her brother makes his home in Colorado.

Career

File:Donna Mills 1967.jpg|thumb|Mills in Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1967)]]

1960s—1970s

Mills began her acting career on television playing a nightclub singer named Rocket on the Manhattan-based CBS daytime soap opera, The Secret Storm in 1966. She later appeared on Broadway in Woody Allen’s comedy Don’t Drink the Water as the Sultan of Bashir’s wife.WEB,www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/donna-mills-89597, Donna Mills – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB, www.ibdb.com, Following this, she made her big screen debut in the neo noir crime-thriller film, The Incident (1967), co-starring alongside Martin Sheen, Beau Bridges, Ed McMahon and Thelma Ritter. The film received positive reviews from critics and was successful in a box office. In the fall of 1967, Mills gained a regular role as ex-nun Laura Donnelly on the new CBS daytime soap opera, Love is a Many Splendored Thing. She left the series in 1970 and relocated to the West Coast, thereupon making her primetime TV debut in an episode of the Western series, Lancer.File:Donna Mills 1975.JPG|thumb|left|Mills in Police Story (1975)]]In 1971, Mills starred alongside Clint Eastwood and Jessica Walter in the psychological thriller film Play Misty for Me, directed by Eastwood for Universal Pictures. The film received positive reviews from critics and was a financial success for the studio.WEB,www.rottentomatoes.com/m/play_misty_for_me, Play Misty for Me, www.rottentomatoes.com, BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=bN90CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA138, Clint: The Life and Legend, Patrick, McGilligan, July 23, 2014, OR Books, LLC, 9781939293978, Google Books, During 1971–72, she starred in the short-lived sitcom The Good Life with Larry Hagman, who later guest-starred on Knots Landing as J. R. Ewing from the show’s sister series Dallas. She signed a contract with Universal in 1972 and spent much of the 1970s appearing as a guest on top-rated television shows such as Gunsmoke, The Six Million Dollar Man, Hawaii Five-O, CHiPs, The F.B.I., Quincy, M.E., the UK’s Thriller series, Police Woman, and Fantasy Island. She appeared in The Love Boat S1 E11 vignette “Silent Night” as Lila Barton, who stands by her wrongly imprisoned husband, played by John Gavin (1977).Mills starred as a leading actress in a number of made-for-television movies through the 1970s. Her role in Play Misty for Me resulted in her being typecast as a damsel in distress for the next few years.WEB,news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1697&dat=19911103&id=BxMfAAAAIBAJ&pg=5186,630253, In Step With Donna Mills, The Daily News (Kentucky), John Pipes Gaines, November 3, 1991, Brady, James, 22, She starred in Haunts of the Very Rich, Rolling Man and Night of Terror in 1972, was lead actress in The Bait (1973), Live Again, Die Again (1974), Beyond the Bermuda Triangle (1975), Curse of the Black Widow, The Hunted Lady and Woman on the Run in 1977, Bunco (1978), and co-starred in Who Is the Black Dahlia? (1975), Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby (1976), Smash-Up on Interstate 5 (1976), Fire! (1977), Superdome (1978) and Hanging by a Thread (1979). In 1975, she starred as the eponymous character’s suicidal girlfriend in the American International Pictures heist film Murph the Surf opposite Don Stroud and Robert Conrad, based on a real jewel burglary involving surfer Jack Roland Murphy. In 1979, Mills returned to the Midwest to star opposite Joe Namath in a stage production of Picnic by the Kenley Players of Ohio.WEB,www.columbusmonthly.com/story/lifestyle/2015/07/14/those-summer-nights-rollicking-good/22641652007/, Those Summer Nights: The Rollicking Good Times of the Kenley Players, Tonguette, Peter, July 14, 2015, Columbus Monthly, In an era when TV was considered inferior to feature films, many had questioned Mills’ decision to focus less on the latter medium.Lewis, Dan (March 10, 1981). “Donna Mills travels to ‘Knots Landing’”. The Island Packet . As the actress retrospectively explained to Soap Opera Digest in 1996, “if I had gotten some big [movie] roles, it would probably be all over by now. Movie careers don’t last all that long, generally. But my television career has been terrific, so I can’t say that I’m disappointed at all.““Notes”, Turner Classic Movies (tcm.com)Knots Landing“>

1980s: Knots Landing

(File:Donna Mills 1981.jpg|thumb|Mills in 1981)In 1980, Mills landed her most prominent role — that of scheming, manipulative vixen Abby Cunningham on the long-running primetime soap opera Knots Landing. In an interview with Jerry Buck for the Associated Press, Mills said: “I got tired of playing the victim. It’s a more active role. Abby keeps things stirred up, and I like that.“WEB,news.google.com/newspapers?id=RElPAAAAIBAJ&pg=3173,7240085&dq=donna+mills+to+play+victim&hl=en, Donna Mills To Play Victim, Toledo Blade, Block Communications, July 4, 1982, Buck, Jerry, 32, According to series creator David Jacobs, Abby was not planned when the show began. He knew that he wanted a female J.R. Ewing-esque character.WEB,www.knotslanding.net/interviews/davidjacobs.htm, Exclusive Interview: In conversation with series creator David Jacbos, Knots Landing.net (The Official Knots Landing Website), July 7, 2021, CBS, However, he had a different sense of the character and who would wind up in the role. With Mills’ reputation of playing the victim, he initially did not choose her for the part.Josh Mapes of The Biography Channel listed her in the category “10 Primetime Stars We Love to Hate”. He said, “Any great soap opera needs a great villain. While viewers may identify more with the protagonist, the villains in a serial drama always spice things up, cause trouble, and make it more fun to watch. From tongue lashings to catfights, underhanded tricks to boldface lies, the characters we love to hate have each brought a fair share of great moments to primetime soaps. While Larry Hagman played the bad guy on Dallas, Donna Mills played bad girl on its spin-off, Knots Landing. Unapologetically going after what she wanted, Mills’ character engaged in affairs with two of the husbands on the Knots Landing cul-de-sac, but like most vixens on primetime soaps, she was only out for money, not love.“WEB,www.biography.com/bio-now/10-primetime-soap-stars-we-love-to-hate-20851059, Mapes, Josh, 10 Primetime Stars We Love to Hate, The Biography Channel, Hearst Corporation, June 13, 2012, July 24, 2012, In 1989, Mills announced her intention to leave the long-running nighttime soap after nine years as Abby.WEB,pqasb.pqarchiver.com/projo/access/596022071.html?dids=596022071%3A596022071&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Apr+27%2C+1989&author=FAYE+ZUCKERMAN+Special+to+the+Journal-Bulletin&pub=The+Providence+Journal&desc=Like+fine+wine%2C+%27Knots+Landing%27+ages+well&pqatl=google, Like fine wine, ‘Knots Landing’ ages well, The Providence Journal, A. H. Belo, April 27, 1989, Zuckerman, Faye, July 6, 2017, October 18, 2016,www.pqarchiver.com/titles?dids=596022071%3A596022071&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Apr+27%2C+1989&author=FAYE+ZUCKERMAN+Special+to+the+Journal-Bulletin&pub=The+Providence+Journal&desc=Like+fine+wine%2C+%27Knots+Landing%27+ages+well&pqatl=google," title="web.archive.org/web/20161018033046www.pqarchiver.com/titles?dids=596022071%3A596022071&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Apr+27%2C+1989&author=FAYE+ZUCKERMAN+Special+to+the+Journal-Bulletin&pub=The+Providence+Journal&desc=Like+fine+wine%2C+%27Knots+Landing%27+ages+well&pqatl=google,">web.archive.org/web/20161018033046www.pqarchiver.com/titles?dids=596022071%3A596022071&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Apr+27%2C+1989&author=FAYE+ZUCKERMAN+Special+to+the+Journal-Bulletin&pub=The+Providence+Journal&desc=Like+fine+wine%2C+%27Knots+Landing%27+ages+well&pqatl=google, dead, WEB,pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/88349226.html?dids=88349226:88349226&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+06%2C+2001&author=PAUL+SULLIVAN&pub=Boston+Herald&desc=Celebrity%3B+WHERE+ARE+THEY+NOW%3F%3B+Donna+Mills’+makeup+has+successful+Landing+on+QVC&pqatl=google, Where are they now?; Donna Mills’s makeup has successful Landing on QVC, Boston Herald, Patrick J. Purcell, November 6, 2001, Sullivan, Paul, {{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} According to Mills, she wanted to take a break from acting for a while, and from Abby, as well.WEB,pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/60991007.html?dids=60991007:60991007&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+05%2C+1991&author=SUSAN+KING&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Donna+Mills+Plays-Guess+What%3F&pqatl=google, Donna Mills Plays-Guess What?, Los Angeles Times, January 5, 1991, King, Susan, 22, {{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In an interview with The Cedartown Standard, Mills explained: “I’m tired of the show. It’s been too long. I’m not particularly happy with the way they’ve been writing Abby lately. She’s too soft. I’d like Abby to get back to her old self.“WEB,news.google.com/newspapers?id=N_oJAAAAIBAJ&pg=3642,887069&dq=donna+mills+leaving+knots+landing&hl=en, Talking with Donna Mills, The Cedartown Standard, September 29, 1998, Sanello, Frank, For this role, she won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villainess on three occasions, in 1986, 1988, and 1989, as well as a 1986 nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role on a Prime Time Serial.WEB,www.dumb.com/bio/donna-mills-biography, Donna Mills Biography, November 26, 2015, dead,www.dumb.com/bio/donna-mills-biography/," title="web.archive.org/web/20111230163610www.dumb.com/bio/donna-mills-biography/,">web.archive.org/web/20111230163610www.dumb.com/bio/donna-mills-biography/, December 30, 2011, During her time in Knots Landing, Mills also appeared in a number of other projects. In 1982, she starred alongside Genie Francis and Linda Evans in the CBS two-part miniseries Bare Essence, and in 1985 appeared in the CBS musical film Alice in Wonderland. She played the leading roles in the made-for-television movies He’s Not Your Son (1984), Intimate Encounters (1986), Outback Bound (1988) and The Lady Forgets (1989).

1990s–present

File:Donna Mills (211164062).jpg|thumb|Mills at the premiere of Air America in 1990]]After Knots Landing, Mills concentrated on television movies, several of which she co-produced under her company Donna Mills Productions: The World’s Oldest Living Bridesmaid (1990), Runaway Father (1991), In My Daughter’s Name (1992), My Name Is Kate (1994) and An Element of Truth (1995). She returned to Knots Landing for its final episode in 1993, and again for the reunion miniseries (Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac) in 1997. In between, she had a brief recurring guest role as the mother of Jane Mancini (played by Josie Bissett) on Melrose Place from 1996 to 1997. Her other 1990s credits included the prison drama False Arrest (1991), The President’s Child (1992) based on Fay Weldon’s novel, Remember (1993) based on the novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford, the domestic violence-drama Dangerous Intentions (1995), inspired by the Ira Levin novel The Stepford Wives thriller The Stepford Husbands (1996), and the murder-mystery Moonlight Becomes You (1998) based on Mary Higgins Clark’s novel.WEB,www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/donna_mills, Donna Mills - Rotten Tomatoes, www.rottentomatoes.com, She also guest-starred in the television sitcoms The John Larroquette Show, Dream On, High Society and Rude Awakening.After few years in semi-retirement, Mills continued to appear on television in movies and guest roles. In 2004, she starred as Mrs. Claus opposite George Hamilton in the Holiday comedy film A Very Cool Christmas. In 2005, she reunited with the Knots Landing cast for the nonfiction special, (Knots Landing Reunion: Together Again), in which the stars reminisced about the show. In the mid-to-late-2000s, Mills appeared in various television movies such as Love Is A Four Letter Word in 2007 and Ladies of the House alongside Florence Henderson and Pam Grier in 2008, as well as guest appearances in series such as Cold Case (in a provocative role as a woman who seduces her grandson) and Nip/Tuck (guest-starring with fellow Knots Landing star Joan Van Ark). In 2012, she made a guest appearance in the ABC comedy series, GCB as Bitsy Lourd, Annie Potts’ character nemesisWEB,www.tvfanatic.com/2012/03/gcb-review-stand-your-ground, GCB Review: Stand Your Ground, Kris, TV Fanatic, March 26, 2012, 8 October 2014, WEB,www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/19/donna-mills-former-knots-landing-star-looks-amazing-71_n_1608637.html, “Donna Mills, Former ‘Knots Landing’ Star, Looks Amazing At 71” (PHOTOS), 19 June 2012, The Huffington Post, 8 October 2014, and appeared as a guest judge on the reality series RuPaul’s Drag U.WEB, Lindsay, Robertson,www.newnownext.com/and-the-rupauls-drag-u-season-3-professors-are/05/2012, And The ‘RuPaul’s Drag U’ Season 3 Professors Are..., Newnownext.com, 2012-05-14, 2014-01-18, The following year, she starred in the thriller film Deadly Revenge produced by MarVista Entertainment, and played a psychologist in the independent comedy-drama When Life Keeps Getting In The Way.WEB,www.marvista.net/catalog_items/151, MarVista Entertainment, www.marvista.net, WEB,www.rottentomatoes.com/m/when_life_keeps_getting_in_the_way, When Life Keeps Getting in the Way, www.rottentomatoes.com, In 2014, Mills made her return to daytime soap operas, for the first time since 1970. She was cast in a major recurring guest-starring role on ABC’s General Hospital.WEB, Valby, Karen,insidetv.ew.com/2014/01/17/general-hospital-scoop-knots-landing-casting, ‘General Hospital’ casts ‘Knot’s Landing’ star, Insidetv.ew.com, 2014-01-18, WEB,daytimeconfidential.zap2it.com/2014/01/17/praise-soap-jesus-general-hospital-taps-donna-mills-for-mystery-role#comments, Praise, Soap Jesus: General Hospital Taps Donna Mills For Mystery Role!, Daytimeconfidential.zap2it.com, 2014-01-18,daytimeconfidential.zap2it.com/2014/01/17/praise-soap-jesus-general-hospital-taps-donna-mills-for-mystery-role#comments," title="web.archive.org/web/20140202103511daytimeconfidential.zap2it.com/2014/01/17/praise-soap-jesus-general-hospital-taps-donna-mills-for-mystery-role#comments,">web.archive.org/web/20140202103511daytimeconfidential.zap2it.com/2014/01/17/praise-soap-jesus-general-hospital-taps-donna-mills-for-mystery-role#comments, 2014-02-02, dead, She debuted in mid-March and stayed to May.WEB, Gelman, Vlada,tvline.com/2014/01/17/general-hospital-cast-donna-mills, ‘General Hospital’ Cast — Donna Mills Books Secret Role, January 17, 2014, TVLine, 2014-01-18, Later that same year, she returned for another multiple-episode arc. At the 42nd Daytime Emmy Awards, Mills won Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series for her performance in General Hospital, in a three-way tie with Fred Willard and Ray Wise.WEB,variety.com/2015/tv/news/general-hospital-ellen-degeneres-young-and-the-restless-daytime-emmy-nominations-1201463476/, ‘General Hospital,’ Ellen DeGeneres, CBS Lead Daytime Emmy Nominations, Cynthia, Littleton, March 31, 2015, Variety (magazine), Variety, 2015-03-31, WEB,emmyonline.com/day_42nd_creative_arts_winners, Daytime Emmys, Daytime Emmy winners, 27 April 2015, In August 2018, Mills returned for another multiple-episode arc.MAGAZINE,ew.com/tv/2018/08/01/general-hospital-donna-mills-returns/, Exclusive: ‘General Hospital’ welcomes back Donna Mills, Entertainment Weekly, 3 August 2018, About her experience on soap she later said: “I loved everyone at General Hospital. I became good friends with Laura Wright (Carly), and [executive producer] Frank Valentini is just a doll. But the way they shoot soaps now is so hard. You might be shooting scenes for two or more episodes a day, and there’s no time to rehearse. It just wasn’t a very satisfying experience for me, as an actor.“WEB,soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/677909/donna-mills-knots-landing-reboot-vc-andrews-dawn-general-hospital/, As Donna Mills Returns to the Small Screen, She Talks Knots Landing Reboot and Why Doing General Hospital ‘Wasn’t Very Satisfying’, Richard, Simms, July 8, 2023, (File:Donna Mills and her daughter Chloe.jpg|thumb|left|Mills with daughter Chloe in 2009)In 2015, Mills starred in the POP reality series Queens of Drama about a group of former stars who now produce a new primetime serial drama to star in. The ladies were required to work together in front of and behind the cameras as they developed, pitched, and produced their steamy series with the hopes of landing a pilot deal by the end of the season.WEB,tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/07/pop-announces-initial-lineup-of-original-programming-for-early-2015-launch/311978/, POP Announces Initial Lineup of Original Programming for Early 2015 Launch, TVbytheNumbers, October 8, 2014,tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/07/pop-announces-initial-lineup-of-original-programming-for-early-2015-launch/311978/," title="web.archive.org/web/20141009175933tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/07/pop-announces-initial-lineup-of-original-programming-for-early-2015-launch/311978/,">web.archive.org/web/20141009175933tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/07/pop-announces-initial-lineup-of-original-programming-for-early-2015-launch/311978/, October 9, 2014, dead, WEB,www.soapoperanetwork.com/2014/10/pop-formerly-tvgn-developing-queens-drama-reality-series, POP (Formerly TVGN) Developing ‘Queens of Drama’ Docu-Series With Vanessa Marcil, Donna Mills, Lindsay Hartley, Hunter Tylo and More! - Soap Opera Network, Soap Opera Network, October 8, 2014, October 8, 2014, Mills had a role in David O. Russell’s film Joy, which was released in December 2015.WEB,www.tvinsider.com/article/1396/donna-mills-queens-of-drama-pop-preview/, Reality Bites: Donna Mills Gets “A Little Pushy” (But Not Bitchy!) in Queens of Drama, February 10, 2015, 18 April 2015, Also in 2015, she starred in the holiday comedy-drama, 12 Gifts of Christmas for the Hallmark Channel.WEB,www.inquisitr.com/2590096/12-days-of-christmas-hallmark-personal-shopper-movie-stars-katrina-law-donna-mills-and-aaron-oconnell/, ‘12 Days Of Christmas’: Hallmark Christmas Shopper Movie Stars Katrina Law, Donna Mills, And Aaron O’Connell, The Inquisitr News, November 26, 2015, 26 November 2015, WEB,www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/columnist/criticscorner/2015/11/25/november-25-critics-corner/76008752/, Holiday TV: ‘Empire,’ ‘12 Gifts of Christmas’, November 25, 2015, USA TODAY, November 26, 2015, In 2017, Mills was cast in the lead role of Daisy Werthan in the Colony Theatre’s production of Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Driving Miss Daisy.WEB,www.playbill.com/article/knots-landings-donna-mills-will-star-in-driving-miss-daisy, Knots Landing’s Donna Mills Will Star in Driving Miss Daisy - Playbill, Playbill, October 11, 2017, 16 October 2017, Also that year, she played a leading role in the Pure Flix streaming drama series, Hilton Head Island.WEB,www.soapcentral.com/soapcentral/news/2017/1108-pureflix_christian_hope_opera.php, Christian “hope opera” starring Donna Mills, Antonio Sabato Jr., and more debuts, soapcentral.com, In 2019, she starred alongside Dyan Cannon and Crystal Hunt in the Pure Flix comedy series Mood Swings.WEB,ew.com/tv/2019/10/11/mood-swings-trailer-sitcom-donna-mills-crystal-hunt/, Watch soap vets Donna Mills and Crystal Hunt in trailer for new sitcom ‘Mood Swings’, EW.com, She also starred in the independent films Best Mom (2018), Turnover (2019), and A Beauty & the Beast Christmas (2019).In 2022, Mills appeared in Jordan Peele’s horror film Nope and received the Palm Springs International Film Festival Women In Film and Television’s Above And Beyond Award.WEB,deadline.com/2022/04/palm-springs-international-film-festival-and-awards-gala-sets-2023-dates-donna-mills-to-receive-pswif-honor-1234992662/, Palm Springs International Film Festival And Awards Gala Sets 2023 Dates; Donna Mills To Receive PSWIF Honor, Pete, Hammond, April 1, 2022, She also starred in the thriller film Abused alongside James Russo, Taryn Manning and Angie Stone.WEB,www.soapoperanews.net/2022/03/general-hospital-alum-donna-mills-lands.html, General Hospital Alum Donna Mills Lands Exciting New Role!, Michael, Thomas, Later that year, she was cast in the Lifetime limited series, V.C. Andrews’ Dawn as wicked grandmother Lillian Cutler.WEB,deadline.com/2022/09/brec-bassinger-donna-mills-cast-lifetime-vc-andrews-dawn-cutler-series-fran-drescher-joey-mcintyre-jesse-metcalfe-1235119766/, Brec Bassinger & Donna Mills To Lead Cast Of Lifetime’s ‘V.C. Andrews Dawn Cutler Series’, Denise, Petski, September 15, 2022, The series premiered in July 2023 due mixed reviews but her performance was praised.WEB,decider.com/2023/07/08/v-c-andrews-dawn-lifetime-review/, ‘V.C. Andrews’ Dawn’ Lifetime Review: Stream It Or Skip It?, In January 2023, she guest starred in the ABC crime series, (The Rookie: Feds) making her first prime-time television series appearance in ten years.WEB,variety.com/2022/tv/news/servant-season-4-apple-tv-teaser-trailer-1235414982/, M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Servant’: Apple TV+ Debuts Season 4 Teaser (TV News Roundup), E. J., Panaligan, October 26, 2022, WEB,variety.com/2023/tv/news/rookie-feds-donna-mills-guest-star-1235482947/, Donna Mills to Guest Star on ‘The Rookie: Feds’ (EXCLUSIVE), Michaela, Zee, January 10, 2023, In 2023, Mills was cast in the Ava DuVernay’ biographical drama film Origin based upon (Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents) by Isabel Wilkerson.WEB,deadline.com/2023/02/ava-duvernay-caste-movie-adds-victoria-pedretti-blair-underwood-others-1235266573/, Ava DuVernay’s ‘Caste’ Adds Blair Underwood, Victoria Pedretti, Finn Wittrock, Others, Matt, Grobar, February 21, 2023, It had its world premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 6, 2023. Later in 2023, Mills starred alongside Loni Anderson, Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray and her Knots Landing co-star Nicollette Sheridan in the Lifetime Christmas comedy film, (Ladies of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas).WEB,deadline.com/2023/10/lifetime-christmas-movie-80s-divas-loni-anderson-morgan-fairchild-linda-gray-donna-mills-nicollette-sheridan-1235561959/, Lifetime To Air ‘80s Themed Holiday Movie With Loni Anderson, Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray, Donna Mills & Nicollette Sheridan, Lynette, Rice, October 3, 2023,

Personal life

Never married, Mills had an on-again, off-again relationship with advertising executive Richard Holland (former husband of singer Chaka Khan) for approximately 20 years beginning in 1979.WEB,www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20093764,00.html, Summer Indulgences, People (magazine), People, June 2, 1986, dead,www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20093764,00.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20090603034206www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20093764,00.html,">web.archive.org/web/20090603034206www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20093764,00.html, June 3, 2009, VIDEO, Intimate Portrait, Donna Mills (Part 2),www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrnnW9qQRyA, 1998, She dated Intimate Encounters co-star Clayton Norcross during a break from Holland.“Meet Bold & Beautiful’s nice guy”. The Toronto Star. June 15, 1987. p. D4. In September 1994, Mills adopted a newborn daughter, Chloe.WEB,www.out.com/entertainment/popnography/2009/08/donna-mills-dishes.html, Donna Mills Dishes, Out.com, 2009-08-20, 2014-01-18, WEB,www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/January-2009/Fighting-for-a-Cause-Q-A, Palm Springs Life Interviews Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Morgan Fairchild, Palmspringslife.com, 2014-01-18, dead,www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/January-2009/Fighting-for-a-Cause-Q-A/," title="web.archive.org/web/20140201150212www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/January-2009/Fighting-for-a-Cause-Q-A/,">web.archive.org/web/20140201150212www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/January-2009/Fighting-for-a-Cause-Q-A/, 2014-02-01, She has been in a relationship with Larry Gilman since 2001,WEB,www.closerweekly.com/posts/general-hospital-donna-mills-boyfriend-larry-vineyard-exclusive-69850/, ‘General Hospital’ Star Donna Mills Shares Over-the-Top Gift from Beau — Larry Planted a Vineyard for Me!, September 10, 2015, WEB,www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/abc/gh-general-hospital-donna-mills-birthday-daughter-chloe-113400, Donna Mills Shares a Heartfelt Message to Her Daughter, September 13, 2017, and says their decision not to combine finances by marrying is “much cleaner, much better.“Mills appeared in cover-featured (non-nude) pictorials for the October 1987WEB,www.vintageplayboymags.co.uk/80s/Oct/07.htm, Playboy, October 1987 vol.34, no.10, Vintage Playboy Mags, and November 1989 editions of Playboy.WEB,www.playboycoverarchive.com/united-states/us-1980s/us-1989/us-playboy-cover-november-1989, Playboy Cover November 1989 (United States), Playboy Cover Archive, 2010-01-05, August 27, 2014, dead,www.playboycoverarchive.com/united-states/us-1980s/us-1989/us-playboy-cover-november-1989," title="web.archive.org/web/20141013062448www.playboycoverarchive.com/united-states/us-1980s/us-1989/us-playboy-cover-november-1989,">web.archive.org/web/20141013062448www.playboycoverarchive.com/united-states/us-1980s/us-1989/us-playboy-cover-november-1989, October 13, 2014,

Filmography{| class“wikitable“|+Key

{{dagger|alt=Not yet released}}|Denotes works that have not yet been released{| class=“wikitable sortable”! Year! Title! Role! class=“unsortable” | Notes| 1966 | The Secret Storm| Rocket| Series regular| 1967 The Incident (1967 film)>The Incident| Alice Keenan | | 1967–1970Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (TV series)>Love Is a Many Splendored Thing| Laura Donnelly Elliott | Series regular 1970 | Love, American Style| Ellie| 1 episodeLancer (TV series)>Lancer| Lucy| 1 episode 1971 | Play Misty for Me| Tobie Williams| The F.B.I. (TV series)>The F.B.I.| Maryanne| Season 6, Episode 23: “The Hitchhiker”| 1971–1972 The Good Life (1971 TV series)>The Good Life| Jane Miller| Series regular, 15 episodes 1972The F.B.I. (TV series)>The F.B.I.| Bernie| Season 7, Episode 17: “The Break up”| Haunts of the Very Rich| Laurie | | Rolling Man| Bebe Lotter| | Night of Terror| Linda Daniel| 1973 | Gunsmoke| Cora Sanderson |Episodes: “A Game of Death... An Act of Love: Part 1” and “A Game of Death... An Act of Love: Part 2”The Bait (1973 film)>The Bait| Tracy Fleming|Thriller (British TV series)>Thriller| Chrissie Morton| Season 1, Episode 3: “Someone at the Top of the Stairs” 1974 | Live Again, Die Again| Caroline Carmichael| Thriller (British TV series)>Thriller| Helen Cook| Season 2, Episode 4: “One Deadly Owner”| Marcus Welby, M.D.| Bea Averton| Episode: “A Fevered Angel” | McMillan & Wife| Laura Rainey| Episode: “Buried Alive” 1975 | The Six Million Dollar Man| Liza Leitman| Episode: “The Cross-Country Kidnap” | Who Is the Black Dahlia?| Susan Winters| Murph the Surf (film)>Murph the Surf| Ginny Eaton| Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series)>Hawaii Five-O| Marcia Bissell| Episode: “Murder: Eyes Only’” | Beyond the Bermuda Triangle| Claudia|Thriller (British TV series)>Thriller| Patty Heron| Season 4, Episode 4: “The Killer With Two Faces”Cannon (TV series)>Cannon|| Episode: “The Victim - S5E5” 1976 Police Woman (TV series)>Police Woman| Tamee Swanson| Episode: “Mother Love” | Quincy, M.E. | Roberta Rhodes| Episode: “A Star Is Dead” | Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby| Ellen| | Smash-Up on Interstate 5| Laureen | 1977 | Bunco| Frankie | TV pilotFire! (1977 film)>Fire!| Harriett Malone | | Curse of the Black Widow| Leigh Lockwood| | The Hunted Lady| Susan Reilly| | Woman on the Run| Laura Frazier| CBS Pilot.The Oregon Trail (TV series)>The Oregon Trail| Lizzie| Episode: “The Scarlet Ribbon” 1978 Superdome (film)>Superdome| Lainie Wiley| | Doctors’ Private Lives| Dr. Beth Demery| | The Love Boat| Jeannie Carter| 3 episodes 1979 Hanging by a Thread (1979 film)>Hanging by a Thread| Ellen Craig| Fantasy Island (1977 TV series)>Fantasy Island| Cindy Carter| Episode: “The Chain Gang/The Boss’” | Young Maverick| Lila Gates| Episodes: “Dead Man’s Hand: Part 1” and “Dead Man’s Hand: Part 2”| 1980Waikiki (film)>Waikiki| Cassie Howard|| 1980–1989, 1993| Knots LandingAbby Cunningham>Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner| Series regular, 236 episodes 1982| Bare Essence| Barbara Fisher | | Madame’s Place| Herself| Episode: “Candidates for Hollywood”| 1984| He’s Not Your Son| Kathy Saunders| | 1985 Alice in Wonderland (1985 film)>Alice in Wonderland| The Rose| | 1986 | Intimate Encounters| Julie Atkins | | 1988| Outback Bound| Samantha ‘Sam’ Hollings| | 1989 | The Lady Forgets| Rebecca Simms/Julie Black| | 1990 | The World’s Oldest Living Bridesmaid| Brenda Morgan | Executive producer 1991| Runaway Father| Pat Bennett| Executive producer False Arrest (film)>False Arrest| Joyce Lukezic| Based on true story (the murders of William Redmond and Helen Phelps) 1992 | In My Daughter’s Name| Laura Elias| Executive producer | The President’s Child| Elizabeth Hemming| | 1993 | Remember| Nicky Wells| 1994 | My Name Is Kate| Kate| Executive producerDream On (TV series)>Dream On| Ashlyn| Episode: “Martin Tupper in ‘Magnum Farce’” 1995 | Dangerous Intentions| Beth Williamson| | An Element of Truth| Vanessa Graves| High Society (1995 TV series)>High Society| Jacquelyn Seymour Winters/Lucinda| Episode: “We Ought to Be in Pictures”| 1996 | The Stepford Husbands| Jodi Davison| | 1996–1997| Melrose Place| Sherry Doucette| 4 episodes| 1997 | (Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac)| Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner | TV miniseries| 1998 | Moonlight Becomes You| Maggie Holloway| | 2000Rude Awakening (TV series)>Rude Awakening| Linda| Episode: “Star 80 Proof”| 2004 | A Very Cool Christmas| Mrs. Claus| | 2006(Jane Doe (film series)>Jane Doe: Yes, I Remember It Well)| Polly Jameson| 2007Cold Case (TV series)>Cold Case| Lauren Williams| Episode: “Blackout” | Love Is a Four Letter Word| Margot Harper| | 2008| Ladies of the House| Elizabeth| | 2009 | Dirty Sexy Money| Cameo appearance| Episode: “The Facts”| 2008–2010| Nip/Tuck| Lulu Grandiron| Episodes: “Lulu Grandiron” and “Christian Troy II”| 2012 GCB (TV series)>GCB| Bitsy Lourd| Episode: “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”| 2014–2015, 2018| General Hospital| Madeline Reeves| Special guest star 2014| Deadly Revenge| Evelyn| | When Life Keeps Getting In The Way| Dr. Goldstein| 2015| 12 Gifts of Christmas| Joyce Rehnquist| Joy (film)>Joy| Priscilla| | 2016| (Sharknado: The 4th Awakens)| Supervisor Wink| |2017|Hilton Head Island|Victoria Trisk|Series regular, 22 episodes | 2018| Best Mom| Nana| 2019Turnover (film)>Turnover| Pat| |Carol of the Bells|Helen Harris||Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses|Caroline Sinclair||A Beauty & The Beast Christmas| Bijou||2022Nope (film)>Nope|Bonnie Clayton|2023|(The Rookie: Feds)|Layla Laughlin|Episode: “Out for Blood”| V.C. Andrews’ Dawn|Lillian Cutler|V.C. Andrews’ Dawn>Secrets of the Morning|Lillian Cutler|| Twilight’s Child|Lillian Cutler|Origin (film)>Origin| Mrs. Copeland| |(Ladies of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas) |Dana Cunningham| |TBAAbused {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}}|Dr. Karen Carden|Post-Production|TBAThe Soul Trader {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}}| Erica|Post-Production“>

Awards and nominations{| class“wikitable sortable”

! width=5%|Year! width=30%|Award! width=29%|Category! width=“20%” |Work! width=15%|Result| 1986Soap Opera Digest Award| Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role on a Prime Time SerialKnots Landing| {{Nom}} | 1986 Outstanding Villainess: Prime TimeWORK= SOAP OPERA DIGESTPUBLISHER= AMERICAN MEDIA, INC., July 27, 2012, | 1988WORK= SOAP OPERA DIGESTPUBLISHER= AMERICAN MEDIA, INC., July 27, 2012, | 1989WORK= SOAP OPERA DIGESTPUBLISHER= AMERICAN MEDIA, INC., July 27, 2012, | 2007| TV Land Awards| Anniversary Award| {{won}}| 2015|Daytime Emmy AwardDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series>Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series| General Hospital| {{won}}| 2018|Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival| Best Supporting Actress| Best MomWEBSITE=FILMFREEWAY, March 17, 2023, | 2022|Palm Springs International Film Festival| Women In Film and Television’s Above And Beyond Award|Honored}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|Donna Mills}}

• {{IMDb name|0005234}}
• {{IBDB name}}
• {{Amg name|49371}}
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{{Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Special Guest Performer}}{{Authority control}}