Juliet Mills | |
|---|---|
 Mills in 1974 | |
| Born | Juliet Maryon Mills (1941-11-21)21 November 1941 (age 84) London, England |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom (1941–present) United States (1975–present) |
| Education | Elmhurst Ballet School |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1942–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | SirJohn Mills Mary Hayley Bell |
| Relatives | Hayley Mills (sister) Annette Mills (aunt) Susie Blake (cousin) Mark Weedon (cousin) Crispian Mills (nephew) |
| Awards | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie 1975QB VII |
Juliet Maryon Mills (born 21 November 1941)[1] is a British-American actress.[2]
Mills began her career as a child actress and was nominated at age 18 for aTony Award for her stage performance inFive Finger Exercise in 1960. She progressed to film work and then to television, playing the lead role on the sitcomNanny and the Professor in the early 1970s. She receivedGolden Globe Award nominations for her work in this series and for her role in the filmAvanti! in 1972. She won anEmmy Award for her performance in the televisionminiseriesQB VII (1974).
In 1983, Mills joinedThe Mirror Theater Ltd's Mirror Repertory Company, performing in repertory productions such asRain,Paradise Lost,Inheritors andThe Hasty Heart throughout their seasons.[3] From 1999 until 2008, she had a role on the daytime drama seriesPassions,[4] for which she was nominated for aDaytime Emmy Award.
Mills was born on 21 November 1941 inLondon duringWorld War II, though her parents, actor SirJohn Mills and playwrightMary Hayley Bell, soon moved the family to the country to be away from theLuftwaffe bombing raids. She is the elder sister of actressHayley Mills and director Jonathan Mills.[5]
Because of her parents' careers, Mills grew up surrounded by famous actors, includingRex Harrison,David Niven andMarlon Brando. She recalled her childhood in the 2000 documentary filmSir John Mills' Moving Memories, written by her brother. Her godmother was actressVivien Leigh, and her godfather was playwrightNoël Coward.[6] She attended theElmhurst Ballet School, inCamberley, Surrey.[7]
As a child, Mills appeared as an extra in various films, including a role as Freda's 11-week-old baby in the 1942 filmIn Which We Serve, starring her father.[7][8] Her first major role came in 1958, when she was 16, as Pamela Harrington in thePeter Shaffer playFive Finger Exercise. The show ran one year in London, and then moved to theMusic Box Theatre on Broadway. In 1960, Mills was nominated for aTony Award as "Best Featured Actress" for her performance as Pamela.
In 1961, Mills appeared as a stowaway, dressed as a man but the daughter of a ship's gunner, in episode 2 ofSir Francis Drake. This was one of her first TV appearances, and was echoed by an almost identical role in the 1964 filmCarry On Jack.[9]
.
In the 1960s, Mills would appear both in films and on television. She had a role in the film,The Rare Breed withJames Stewart andMaureen O'Hara, and on television series such asThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.,Ben Casey and12 O'Clock High. She has stated that the highlight of her film career wasAvanti! (1972), directed byBilly Wilder, in which she starred oppositeJack Lemmon and for which she received a Golden Globe Award nomination in 1973.[10] In 1974, Mills starred alongside fellow English actorRichard Johnson in the Italian horror filmBeyond the Door, playing the role of Jessica Barrett, a woman who becomes demonically possessed after an unplanned pregnancy. The movie was a major success, making over $15 million at the box office, though the producers were sued byWarner Bros due to similarities toThe Exorcist. Mills also appeared in a two-part 1978 episode of the TV seriesThe Love Boat, playing Barbara Danver, wife of Alan Danver, played byDan Rowan.
In 1969, Mills was cast in the American television seriesNanny and the Professor, which premiered on ABC in January, 1970. Mills played Phoebe Figalilly, a nanny with seemingly magical powers, reminiscent ofMary Poppins. Mills has stated that she herself believes in magic, witches and fairies: "There's a lot more, you know, in theaether and around us ... We have guides, and we have angels taking care of us ... I believe inmetaphysics, in a big way."[4] She was again nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1971 for the same role. Despite strong ratings, the series ran only for two seasons, in 1970 and 1971. After the show was moved from a timeslot nearThe Partridge Family andThe Brady Bunch, two highly successful sitcoms, to a different night of the week, ratings fell eventually leading to its cancellation.[6]
In 1974, Mills won anEmmy Award for "Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Special" for her performance in theminiseries adaptation ofQB VII. During the 1974–75 television season, she also had a recurring role as Dr. Claire Hanley onNBC'sBorn Free. In 1980, Mills returned to the stage, starring inThe Elephant Man, withMaxwell Caulfield, who became her third husband.
Mills was the subject ofThis Is Your Life in 1992, when she was surprised byMichael Aspel during the curtain call of the playFallen Angels at theRichmond Theatre.[citation needed]
In 1999, Mills was cast on the daytime dramaPassions as Tabitha Lenox, a witch who was burned at the stake in the 17th century. Initially, the character wished harm on other people, but in a June 2007 episode, the character was declared a "good witch".[11] Mills was nominated for her firstDaytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Lead Actress" for the role.[6]
Passions ended in August, 2008. In 2009, Mills joined the cast theITV dramaWild at Heart, playing Georgina, the sister of a character played in the previous series by her real-life sister Hayley. She also guest-starred in two episodes ofHot in Cleveland as Philipa Scroggs, the mother of Joy (played byJane Leeves).
Mills has been married three times. The first time was from 1961 to 1964, to Russell Alquist, Jr.,[5] with whom she had a son, Sean. Her second marriage was from 1975 to 1980 to Michael Miklenda, with whom she had a second child, a daughter, Melissa. While married to Miklenda, Mills appeared onTattletales, and claimed she did not agree with women's liberation because the theatre does not discriminate.[citation needed]
In 1980, Mills marriedMaxwell Caulfield, 18 years her junior. Mills said of the age difference, "Everybody is always interested in the fact that I am married to someone who is a lot younger than I am ... There are no rules, and that's what I believe, because age doesn't really matter. If you meet someone that you're really close to, someone that you love, stick with that."[4]
Mills became anaturalized United States citizen on October 10, 1975.[12]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | In Which We Serve | Freda's Baby | |
| 1944 | Tawny Pipit | Baby Girl | |
| 1947 | So Well Remembered | Young Julie | |
| The October Man | Child on Bus | ||
| 1949 | The History of Mr. Polly | Little Polly | |
| 1961 | No My Darling Daughter | Tansy Carr | [18] |
| 1962 | Twice Round the Daffodils | Catty | |
| 1963 | Nurse on Wheels | Joanna Jones | |
| 1964 | Carry On Jack | Sally | |
| 1966 | The Rare Breed | Hilary Price | |
| The Wrong Box | Woman on Train | Uncredited | |
| 1969 | Oh! What a Lovely War | Nurse | |
| 1972 | Avanti! | Pamela Piggott | Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy |
| 1973 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Marina | Voice |
| 1974 | Beyond the Door | Jessica Barrett | |
| 1976 | The Second Power | Estefanía | |
| 1992 | Waxwork II: Lost in Time | The Defense Lawyer | |
| 1994 | The Primevals | Claire Collier | Photographed in 1994. Completed and released 2023. |
| 1999 | The Other Sister | Winnie | |
| 2014 | Lucky Stiff | Miss Thorsby | |
| Some Kind of Beautiful | Joan | ||
| 2018 | Running for Grace | Grandmother | |
| 2023 | 7000 Miles | Sharon | |
| Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar | Whale | Voice | |
| Poolman | Mrs. Van Patterson | ||
| TBC | Embryo | Jessica Barrett | Sequel toBeyond the Door |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Mrs. Miniver | Carol Beldon | TV film |
| 1962 | ITV Television Playhouse | Carol | Episode: "The Morning After" |
| Man of the World | Carla | Episode: "The Mindreader" | |
| 1963 | It Happened Like This | Joan | Episode: "Three of a Kind" |
| 1965 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | Eva | Episode: "The Adriatic Express Affair" |
| 1966 | Ben Casey | Joan Lloyd | Episode: "Pull the Wool Over Your Eyes, Here Comes the Cold Wind of Truth" |
| A Man Called Shenandoah | Paula | Episode: "The Imposter" | |
| 12 O'Clock High | Sydney Vivyan | Episode: "The Slaughter Pen" | |
| 12 O'Clock High | Helen Conboy | Episode: "Siren Voices" | |
| Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Mary Lewis | Episode: "Time of Flight" | |
| 1967 | Wings of Fire | Lisa | TV film |
| The Revenue Men | Jill Lacey | Episode: "Borderline" | |
| Coronet Blue | Margaret Crowell | Episode: "Man Running" | |
| 1968 | Sherlock Holmes | Grace Dunbar | Episode: "Thor Bridge" |
| 1969 | The Morecambe & Wise Show | Guest Star | Her father, Sir John Mills, guest starred in a later series. |
| 1970 | The Challengers | Mary McCabe | TV film |
| 1970–1971 | Nanny and the Professor | Phoebe Figalilly | Lead role (54 episodes) Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy Nominated—Bravo Otto for Best Female TV Star |
| 1971 | Alias Smith and Jones | Julia Finney | Episode: "The Man Who Murdered Himself" |
| Stage 2 | Kate Hardcastle | Episode: "She Stoops to Conquer" | |
| 1973 | Letters from Three Lovers | Maggie | TV film |
| The ABC Afternoon Playbreak | Susan Moroni | Episode: "Alone with Terror" | |
| 1974 | QB VII | Samantha Cady | Miniseries Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Special |
| Born Free | Dr. Claire Hanley | Episodes: "Pilot", "The Flying Doctor of Kenya" | |
| Harry O | Margaret Ballinger | Episode: "Ballinger's Choice" | |
| Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love | Usherette | Episode: "Kiss Me Again, Stranger" (Pilot-TV film) | |
| 1975 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Louise Carpenter | Episode: "Public Secrets" |
| Hawaii Five-O | Lady Sybil Danby | Episode: "Termination with Extreme Prejudice" | |
| The Wide World of Mystery | Isobel | Episode: "Demon, Demon" | |
| Matt Helm | Caroline Jeffries | Episode: "Death Rods" | |
| 1976 | Ellery Queen | Florence Ames | Episode: "The Adventure of the Hardhearted Huckster" |
| Once an Eagle | Joyce | Miniseries | |
| 1977 | Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn | Myra | TV film |
| Wonder Woman | Queen Kathryn | Episode: "The Queen and the Thief" | |
| Barnaby and Me | Jennifer | TV film | |
| 1978 | Switch | Alicia Alden | Episode: "Coronado Circle" |
| Police Woman | Amy Hollis | Episode: "Sixth Sense" | |
| 1978–84 | Fantasy Island | Various | 4 episodes |
| The Love Boat | 8 episodes | ||
| 1979 | The Cracker Factory | Tinkerbell | TV film |
| 1980 | Hart to Hart | Kate Matthews | Episode: "Downhill to Death" |
| 1984 | Dynasty | Rosalind Bedford | Episodes: "The Secret", "That Holiday Spirit" |
| 1985 | All My Children | Judge Edith Hogan | TV series |
| 1985 | Hotel | Grace Cauldwell | Episode: "Fallen Idols" |
| 1987 | Murder, She Wrote | Annette Pirage | Episode: "Witness for the Defense" |
| 1987 | Hotel | Joanne Bentley | Episode: "Pitfalls" |
| 1988 | The Law & Harry McGraw | Isobel McKechnie | Episode: "Maginnis for the People" |
| 1989 | Judith Krantz's Till We Meet Again | Vivianne de Biron | Miniseries |
| 1990 | Monsters | Cara Raymond | Episode: "Outpost" |
| 1992 | Columbo | Eileen Hacker | Episode: "No Time to Die" |
| 1993 | A Stranger in the Mirror | Alice Tanner | TV film |
| 1998 | Air America | Helen Vendler | Episode: "The Hit" |
| 1999–2008 | Passions | Tabitha Lenox | Main role (990 episodes) Nominated—Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series(2005) Nominated—Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress Nominated—Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villain |
| 2009 | Wild at Heart | Georgina | Recurring role (8 episodes) |
| 2008–2009 | Four Seasons | Lady Florence Combe | Miniseries |
| 2010–2015 | Hot in Cleveland | Philipa | 4 episodes |
| 2014 | From Here on OUT | Dottie Cooper | Regular (6 episodes) |
| 2017 | Time After Time | Mrs. Nelsen | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2017 | Jeff & Some Aliens | Jessica | Voice; Episode: "Jeff & Some Love Simulations" |
| 2017 | Andi Mack | Millie | Episode: "Mama" |
| 2021 | TV Therapy | Nanny | Episode: "Nanny" |
| 2022 | English Estate | Mary | TV film |
| 2022 | Big Mouth | Rita St. Swithens | Voice; Episode: "Vagina Shame" |
| 2023–2024 | Grey's Anatomy | Maxine Anderson | 6 episodes |
| 2023 | Human Resources | Rita St. Swithens | Voice; Episode: "On the Daughterfront" |
| 2024 | Ark: The Animated Series | Chava | Voice role[19] |
| 2025 | Loot | Lady Olivia Tottenham | Episode: "Lady Molly" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–75 | Match Game 74 | Herself (celebrity panelist) | Multiple episodes[20][21] |
| 1987 | Valley of the Dolls | Narrator | Audiobook recording byPhoenix Books |
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| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Tony Awards | Best Featured Actress in a Play | Five Finger Exercise | Nominated |
| 1971 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | Nanny and the Professor | Nominated |
| 1973 | Best Motion Picture Actress – Musical/Comedy | Avanti! | Nominated | |
| 1975 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Special | QB VII | Won |
| 2000 | Soap Opera Digest Awards | Outstanding Villain | Passions | Nominated |
| 2001 | Outstanding Villainess | Nominated | ||
| 2003 | Outstanding Supporting Actress | Nominated | ||
| 2004 | TV Land Awards | Superlatively Supernatural | Nanny and the Professor | Nominated |
| 2005 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series | Passions | Nominated |
Greg Morris, Brett Somers, Morey Amsterdam, Juliet Mills, Richard Dawson, and Fannie Flagg
James Darren, Brett Somers, Nipsey Russell, Juliet Mills, Richard Dawson, and Betty White
