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Juliet Mills

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Not to be confused with French actress Juliette Mills (1945).
Juliet Mills
Mills in 1974
Born
Juliet Maryon Mills

(1941-11-21) 21 November 1941 (age 82)
London, England
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom (1941–present)
United States
(1975–present)
EducationElmhurst Ballet School
OccupationActress
Years active1942–present
Spouses
Russell Alquist Jr.
​
​
(m. 1961; div. 1974)​
Michael Miklenda
​
​
(m. 1975; div. 1980)​
​
(m. 1980)​
Children2
Parent(s)Sir John Mills
Mary Hayley Bell
RelativesHayley Mills (sister)
Annette Mills (aunt) Susie Blake (cousin)
Mark Weedon (cousin)
Crispian Mills (nephew)
AwardsPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
1975 QB 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 a Tony Award for her stage performance in Five Finger Exercise in 1960. She progressed to film work and then to television, playing the lead role on the sitcom Nanny and the Professor in the early 1970s. She received Golden Globe Award nominations for her work in this series and for her role in the film Avanti! in 1972. She won an Emmy Award for her performance in the television miniseries QB VII (1974).

In 1983, Mills joined The Mirror Theater Ltd's Mirror Repertory Company, performing in repertory productions such as Rain, Paradise Lost, Inheritors and The Hasty Heart throughout their seasons.[3] From 1999 until 2008, she had a role on the daytime drama series Passions,[4] for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award.

Early life

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Mills was born on 21 November 1941 in London during World War II, though her parents, actor Sir John Mills and playwright Mary Hayley Bell, soon moved the family to the country to be away from the Luftwaffe bombing raids. She is the elder sister of actress Hayley Mills and director Jonathan Mills.[5]

Because of her parents' careers, Mills grew up surrounded by famous actors, including Rex Harrison, David Niven and Marlon Brando. She recalled her childhood in the 2000 documentary film Sir John Mills' Moving Memories, written by her brother. Her godmother was actress Vivien Leigh, and her godfather was playwright Noël Coward.[6] She attended the Elmhurst Ballet School, in Camberley, Surrey.[7]

Career

[edit]

As a child, Mills appeared as an extra in various films, including a role as Freda's 11-week-old baby in the 1942 film In Which We Serve, starring her father.[7][8] Her first major role came in 1958, when she was 16, as Pamela Harrington in the Peter Shaffer play Five Finger Exercise. The show ran one year in London, and then moved to the Music Box Theatre on Broadway. In 1960, Mills was nominated for a Tony Award as "Best Featured Actress" for her performance as Pamela.

Her role as a stowaway dressed as a man, but daughter of a ship's gunner, in episode 2 of Sir Francis Drake was one of her first TV appearances (1961) and was echoed by an almost identical role in the 1964 film Carry On Jack.[9]

Publicity photo of Mills promoting the January 21, 1970 premiere of the television series Nanny and the Professor.

In the 1960s, she would act both in films and on television, including the film, The Rare Breed with James Stewart and Maureen O'Hara, and on television series such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Ben Casey and 12 O'Clock High. The 1970s saw her working mostly in television, although she has stated that the highlight of her film career was the film Avanti! (1972), directed by Billy Wilder, in which she starred with Jack Lemmon and for which she received a Golden Globe Award nomination in 1973.[10] In 1974 Mills starred alongside fellow English actor Richard Johnson in the Italian horror film Beyond 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 by Warner Bros due to similarities to The Exorcist. Mills also appeared in a two-part 1978 episode of the TV series The Love Boat, playing Barbara Danver, wife of Alan Danver, played by Dan Rowan, one half of the comedy duo Rowan & Martin.

Nanny and the Professor cast 1970 (clockwise from top) Richard Long, David Doremus, Trent Lehman, Kim Richards and Mills

She is perhaps best known for starring on the American television series Nanny and the Professor, which was called an American version of Mary Poppins.[6] She played Phoebe Figalilly, a nanny with magical powers. Mills has stated that she herself believes in magic, witches and fairies: "There's a lot more, you know, in the aether and around us ... We have guides, and we have angels taking care of us ... I believe in metaphysics, 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 two seasons, in 1970 and 1971. When it moved from a timeslot near The Partridge Family and The Brady Bunch, two hugely successful sitcoms, to a different night of the week, ratings fell eventually leading to its cancellation.[6]

In 1974, she won an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Special" for her performance in the miniseries adaptation of QB VII. During the 1974–75 television season, she also had a recurring role as Dr. Claire Hanley on NBC's Born Free. In 1980, Mills returned to the stage, starring in The Elephant Man, with Maxwell Caulfield. The two actors hit it off, and the younger Caulfield became her third husband, leading Mills to withdraw from acting for a time.

She was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1992, when she was surprised by Michael Aspel during the curtain call of the play Fallen Angels at the Richmond Theatre.[citation needed]

In 1999, she was cast on the daytime drama Passions 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 first Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Lead Actress" for the role.[6]

The series ended in August 2008. In 2009, Mills joined the cast the ITV drama Wild 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 of Hot in Cleveland as Philipa Scroggs, the mother of Joy (played by Jane Leeves).

Personal life

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Mills in 2004

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 on Tattletales, and claimed she did not agree with women's liberation because the theatre does not discriminate.

In 1980, Mills married Maxwell 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 a naturalized United States citizen on October 10, 1975.[12]

Theatre credits

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Year Title Role Theatre Notes
1955 Alice Through the Looking Glass Alice Chelsea Palace Theatre
1958 Five Finger Exercise Pamela Harrington Comedy Theatre Nominated- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play
1960 Peter Pan Wendy Darling Scala Theatre
1962 The Glad and Sorry Season[13] Kitty Piccadilly Theatre
1963 A Midsummer Night's Dream Titania Royal Shakespeare Company
1964 The Knack ...and How to Get It
1964–65 Alfie! Gilda Morosco Theatre
1966 Lady Windermere's Fan Phoenix Theatre
1969 She Stoops to Conquer Kate Hardcastle Garrick Theatre
1976 The Mousetrap U.S. tour
1979 Wait Until Dark Susy Hendrix Alcazar Theatre
1980 The Elephant Man Fanny Kemble Royal Poinsiana Playhouse
The Heiress Catherine Sloper Nottingham Playhouse
1983 Rain The Mirror Theater
1983–84 Paradise Lost Pearl Gordon
1984 Inheritors
1985 The Hasty Heart
1991 Dangerous Obsession Sally Driscoll Cape Cod Playhouse
1992–93 Fallen Angels UK Tour
1995 The Cherry Orchard Canadian tour
The Moliere Comedies
Time of My Life Laura Stratton Williamstown Theatre Festival
1996 It Could Be Any One of Us Jocelyn Polegate The Old Laundry Theatre, Bowness-on-Windermere
1997 Blithe Spirit Ruth Lauren K. Woods Theatre
1998 Dial M for Murder Cape Cod Playhouse
1999 Double Double Philippa UK Tour
2010 Bedroom Farce Delia UK Tour[14]
2015 Legends! Sylvia Glenn Australian Tour[15]
2019 The Lady Vanishes Miss Froy UK Tour[16]
2022 Darker Shores Mrs Hinchcliffe UK Tour[17]

Filmography

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Film

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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
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 – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical
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 to Beyond the Door

Television

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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 – 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 Supporting Actress in a Limited Series
or Movie

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
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 Grey's Anatomy Maxine Anderson 5 episodes
2023 Human Resources Rita St. Swithens Voice; Episode: "On the Daughterfront"
2024 Ark: The Animated Series Chava Voice role[18]

Other

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Year Title Role Notes
1974–75 Match Game 74 Herself (celebrity panelist) Multiple episodes[19][20]
1987 Valley of the Dolls Narrator Audiobook recording by Phoenix Books

Awards and nominations

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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

References

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  1. ^ Bell, Mary Hayley (1968). What Shall We Do Tomorrow?. Cassell & Co. LTD. p. 162.
  2. ^ Certificate of Naturalization as a United States Citizen #10116847, filed U.S. District Court, Los Angeles, California (date: 10 October 1975), ancestry.com.
  3. ^ "Married Actors Juliet Mills and Maxwell Caulfield in a Scene from the Mirror Repertory Theatre Production of the Play "Paradise Lost." (New York)." NYPL Digital Collections. N.p., 1983. Web. 13 January 2017. <https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/01d98750-c02c-0132-5ac6-58d385a7bbd0>.
  4. ^ a b c Soapography, "Juliet Mills and Greg Vaughn"
  5. ^ a b Stevens, Christopher (2010). Born Brilliant: The Life Of Kenneth Williams. John Murray. p. 382. ISBN 978-1-84854-195-5.
  6. ^ a b c d Crook, John (21 August 2005). "Mills is bewitching – Emmy-winning actress charms fans of NBC's soap Passions". Chicago Tribune.
  7. ^ a b Who's Who in the Theatre, 17th ed. Gale Research, 1981
  8. ^ Byrne, Bridget (5 July 2005). "The enchantment of the acting life – It cast a spell on Juliet Mills when she was young, and the Passions actress continues to relish its magic". Orlando Sentinel.
  9. ^ Sir Francis Drake, episode 2, 1961
  10. ^ "Golden Globes, USA, Awards for 1973". IMDb. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  11. ^ "SoapOperaFan.com . . . Passions Summaries". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 26 July 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ^ (No. 10116847), US District Court, Los Angeles, California, Petition #364323
  13. ^ "Metro's Prod Chief in London Sees Britain as Future Film Centre". Variety. 2 May 1962. p. 89. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Maxwell Caulfield to lead touring cast of Bedroom Farce". The Stage. 2010. Archived from the original on 23 February 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Hayley Mills and Juliet Mills in Australian Premiere of Legends | Stage Whispers". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  16. ^ Editorial Staff (19 February 2019). "INTERVIEW: Juliet Mills on The Lady Vanishes and touring with husband Maxwell Caulfield". British Theatre. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  17. ^ Hewitt, Phil (19 October 2022). "Pre-Halloween shivers in ghostly tale on Eastbourne stage". Sussex World.
  18. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (11 December 2020). "'Ark: The Animated Series': Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh & Elliot Page Among Voice Cast Members In New Video Game-Inspired Show".
  19. ^ "Match Game 74 (Episode 130) Taped 12-23-73". Facebook. Retrieved 16 November 2019. Greg Morris, Brett Somers, Morey Amsterdam, Juliet Mills, Richard Dawson, and Fannie Flagg
  20. ^ "Match Game 74 (Episode 368) (Happy New Year 1975)". YouTube. 5 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2019. James Darren, Brett Somers, Nipsey Russell, Juliet Mills, Richard Dawson, and Betty White
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