# Susan Howard

Jeri Lynn Mooney (born 1942), better known as Susan Howard, is an American actress, writer, and political activist. She portrayed Donna Culver Krebbs on Dallas (1979–1987) and co-starred on Petrocelli (1974–1976). She is also a screenwriter and member of the Writers Guild of America.

## Biography

Jeri Lynn Mooney was born in Marshall, Texas, to parents Cassell C. and Melba Ruth "Peg" Mooney. She has an older brother, James. Her family is of Irish ancestry from Cork. Mooney was recognized for her acting talent while growing up in Marshall. She won a University Interscholastic League award for Best Actress while in high school. Upon graduating from Marshall High School in 1960, she attended the University of Texas for two years, where she studied drama and 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. She later took the stage name Susan Howard as her father had nicknamed her Susie and Howard was a family name.

### Television

Howard had a number of notable guest appearances on television shows during the 1960s and early 1970s: The Flying Nun (1967), I Dream of Jeannie (1968), Star Trek ‘’Day of the Dove’’ (1968), Bonanza (1969), Mannix (1969), Mission: Impossible (1972), and Columbo (1972). She played the first female Klingon ("Mara") on the original Star Trek series and the only one to ever speak.
In 1973, she appeared as Evan Sands on Lorne Greene's series Griff in the episode "Who Framed Billy the Kid?", with Nick Nolte as Billy Randolph.
In 1974, Howard was cast as the co-star of the series Petrocelli.$^{:828}$ Her performance was nominated for both the Golden Globe and Emmy awards. Despite critical acclaim for Howard, the series was cancelled in 1976.
In 1978, Howard played a key role as Professor Kingsfield's daughter Susan$^{:809}$ in season 1, episode 10 of The Paper Chase. In 1979, she appeared on Dallas as Donna Culver. The producers of the show liked her performance so much that her guest spot was expanded to an eight-year stint; she has the distinction of being the only Dallas cast member to have written for the series ("Sitting Ducks" and "The Ten Percent Solution"). In 1987, the show decided not to renew her contract. She has blamed this decision on her opposition to what she saw as pro-abortion stories involving her character.

## Personal life

Howard was married to actor Charles Howerton from 1962 to 1964. They had one daughter, Lynn. In 1974, she married independent film executive Calvin Chrane. She and her husband have lived in Boerne, Texas, since 1998.
She is a member of the Writers Guild of America and wrote two episodes of Dallas.

### Politics

Since leaving television, Howard has become an increasingly active supporter of conservative causes, especially for gun rights. In 1989, she was co-host of The 700 Club. Howard has been active in the leadership of both the National Rifle Association and the Texas Republican Party. Howard has served as a commissioner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts. She became involved in the NRA after meeting Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre at the 1988 Republican National Convention in New Orleans.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1977 | Moonshine County Express | Dot Hammer |
| 1977 | Sidewinder 1 | Chris Gentry |
| 1993 | Come the Morning | Constance Gibson |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1966 | Love on a Rooftop | Dorothy | Episode: "Homecoming" |
| 1967 | Iron Horse | Bess Hennings / Sara Collins | 2 episodes |
| 1967 | The Monkees | Bride | S1:E30, "Monkees Manhattan Style" |
| 1967–1968 | The Flying Nun | Sister Teresa / Sister Susan | 2 episodes |
| 1968 | The Second Hundred Years | Sonny | Episode: "Dude Hand Luke" |
| 1968 | Tarzan | Gloria | Episode: "Trina" |
| 1968 | Star Trek | Mara | Episode: "Day of the Dove" |
| 1968–1969 | I Dream of Jeannie | Salesgirl / Miss Temple - Switchboard Operator | 2 episodes |
| 1969 | Here Come the Brides | Jane | Episode: "Wives for Wakando" |
| 1969 | The Outcasts | Julie Mason | Episode: "The Candidates" |
| 1969 | Ironside | Jo Lyons | Episode: "A Matter of Love and Death" |
| 1969 | The Virginian | Rebecca Teague | Episode: "Halfway Back from Hell" |
| 1969 | Bonanza | Laurie Nagel | Episode: "The Medal" |
| 1969 | Land of the Giants | Mrs. Garak | Episode: "Collector's Item" |
| 1969 | The Silent Gun | Lorisa Cole | Television film |
| 1969–1971 | Mannix | Amanda Hewitt (S4-Ep14) / Christina Preston (S3-Ep11) | 2 episodes |
| 1970 | The New People | Fern | Episode: "The Siege of Fern's Castle" |
| 1970 | Quarantined | Dr. Margaret Bedford | Television film |
| 1970 | The Immortal | Annie Williams | Episode: "The Legacy" |
| 1971 | The F.B.I. | Yvonne Shelby | Episode: "Center of Peril" |
| 1971 | The Mod Squad | Gillian Francis | Episode: "Cricket" |
| 1971–1972 | Love, American Style | Libby / Susan Parkins | 3 episodes |
| 1972 | Mission: Impossible | Nora Dawson | Episode: "Committed" |
| 1972 | The Sixth Sense | Needa | Episode: "The Man Who Died at Three and Nine" |
| 1972 | Medical Center | Linda Crown | Episode: "Deadlock" |
| 1972 | Columbo | Shirley Wagner | Episode: "The Most Crucial Game" |
| 1973 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Dr. Claudia Schaeffer | Episode: "A Terminal Career" |
| 1973 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Dr. Barbara Kerr / Greta Francis | 2 episodes |
| 1973 | Savage | Lee Raynolds | Television film |
| 1973 | Griff | Evan Sands | Episode: "The Framing of Billy the Kid" |
| 1973 | The New Perry Mason | Ellen Ballister | Episode: "The Case of the Jailed Justice" |
| 1973–1977 | Barnaby Jones | Frances Dunslay / Sandra Harris | 2 episodes |
| 1974 | Indict and Convict | Joanna Garrett | Television film |
| 1974 | Night Games | Maggie Petrocelli | Television film |
| 1974–1976 | Petrocelli | Maggie Petrocelli | 44 episodes Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television Series (1976) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1976) |
| 1976 | City of Angels | Ruby Dyson | Episode: "The House on Orange Grove Avenue" |
| 1976 | The Rockford Files | Sandy Baylock | Episode: "Feeding Frenzy" |
| 1976 | Match Game | Herself | 10 Episodes |
| 1977 | Most Wanted | Ann Corbin | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | The Fantastic Journey | Eve Costigan | Episode: "Vortex" |
| 1977 | Killer on Board | Julie Clayton | Television film |
| 1977 | The Oregon Trail | Amelia McKay | Episode: "The Gold Dust Queen" |
| 1978 | Superdome | Nancy Walecki | Television film |
| 1978 | The Busters | Joanna Bailey | Television film |
| 1978 | The Paper Chase | Susan Fields | Episode: "Kingsfield's Daughter" |
| 1979 | The Power Within | Dr. Joanne Miller | Television film |
| 1979 | Vegas | Laurie Turner | Episode: "Classic Connection" |
| 1979 | Julie Farr, M.D. | Linda | Episode: "Sisters" |
| 1979–1987 | Dallas | Donna Culver Krebbs | 198 episodes Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role (1986) Nominated—Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role (1988) |
| 1980 | The Love Boat | Cynthia Bowden | Episode: "The Baby Alarm/Tell Her She's Great/Matchmaker, Matchmaker Times Two" |
| 1987–1988 | The 700 Club | Herself / co-host | |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1976 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actress – Television Series | Petrocelli | Nominated |
| 1976 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Petrocelli | Nominated |
| 1986 | Soap Opera Digest Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role | Dallas | Won |
| 1988 | Soap Opera Digest Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role | Dallas | Nominated |