Susan Howard

Jeri Lynn Mooney (born January 28, 1944), better known as Susan Howard, is an American actress, writer, and political activist. She is known for portraying the character Donna Culver Krebbs on the primetime soap opera Dallas (1979–87), and as a co-star of the series Petrocelli (1974–76). She is also screenwriter and member of the Writers Guild of America.

Early life

Howard was born and raised in the town of Marshall, Texas, where she was recognized for acting talent. She won a UIL award for Best Actress while in high school. Upon graduating from Marshall High School, she attended the University of Texas for two years where she was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority before leaving for Los Angeles to become an acting student at the Los Angeles Repertory Company.

Career

Howard had several guest appearances on major television shows during the 1960s and early 1970s: The Flying Nun (1967), I Dream of Jeannie (1968), Star Trek (1968) on which she carried the distinction of playing the first female Klingon on the original series (and the only one to ever speak), Bonanza (1969), and Mission: Impossible (1972). In 1973, she appeared as Evan Sands on Lorne Greene's ABC crime drama Griff in the episode "Who Framed Billy the Kid?", with Nick Nolte as Billy Randolph, a football player accused of murder.