Donna Culver Krebbs is a fictional character in the popular American
television series Dallas, played by Susan Howard from 1979 to
1987.Susan Howard was cast in the series in 1979. For the second and
third seasons, she appeared in a recurring capacity; during the fourth
season, she became a regular cast member. In 1986, Howard won Soap
Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role on a
Primetime Serial for role. In 1987, the show's producers opted not to
renew her contract, stating that her character had run its course.
Howard has claimed this decision was connected to her opposition of
what she saw as pro-abortion storylines involving her character.Donna
was an intelligent, ambitious and well-regarded politician's wife,
married to much older Sam Culver, a former governor of Texas and
Speaker of the House who is an old friend and former business partner
of Jock Ewing. Sam Culver is most likely based on longtime Texas
Congressman and Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn. During her marriage,
she began an affair with Ray Krebbs, foreman of Southfork Ranch.
However, despite finding love with Ray, Donna decided to remain with
Sam because he was dying. After Sam's death, Donna and Ray attempted a
reconciliation but she rebuffed his proposal of marriage because she
felt it was too soon after Sam's death. Donna then briefly got
romantically involved with Cliff Barnes, but their relationship
dissolved when Donna backed Bobby Ewing as a replacement for her
stepson Dave Culver in the state senate instead of Cliff. Donna then
married Ray in 1981 and they lived in a house that Ray built on the
outskirts of Southfork Ranch. Since Ray had found out he was Jock
Ewing's son, he acted as though he wasn't good enough for Donna,
comparing himself to her and Jock's other sons, especially after he
made failed attempts to compete in business by working on development
projects with Jock and Punk Anderson. After Jock died in a helicopter
crash in South America, Ray fell into a deep depression: drinking,
neglecting his duties at Southfork, and having an affair with an old
girlfriend named Bonnie. However, he and Donna remained married and
stuck by each other. While researching her new book on Sam Culver's
early years in politics, Donna discovers that Sam and Jock had put
Sam's uncle, Jonas Culver, in a mental institution in order to get his
land and drill the oil on it, which was the start of the Culver and
Ewing family fortunes. Jonas committed suicide shortly after
institutionalized.In the 1984-85 season, Donna and Ray decided to
separate due to her emphasis on her new career in the oil industry,
but Donna discovered she was pregnant with Ray's child. In the 1985-86
season, Donna and Ray discovered their unborn child had Down syndrome
and, despite Ray's efforts for an abortion, Donna decided to keep the
child. At a rodeo, she was injured by a bull, causing her to miscarry.
She and Ray then adopted a deaf boy named Tony in 1986. However, when
star Patrick Duffy decided to return to the show â€" despite his
character Bobby having died a season earlier â€" the entire 1985-86
season was relegated to a dream. As a result, in the following season,
Donna was still pregnant, having never miscarried. This time, she
decided to divorce Ray. Donna moved to Washington, D.C., and became a
lobbyist for the oil industry. During this time she met Sen. Andrew
Dowling and they started a relationship. She subsequently gave birth
to Ray's daughter, Margaret (named after Ray's mother) in 1987, and
she and Ray parted ways as friends. Donna Culver Krebbs Biography, NetWorth, Height, Age, Weight, Family, Married, Son, Daughter