Alley Mills

American actress

Allison Mills (born May 9, 1951), also known as Alley Bean, is an American actress, known for her roles on television. She starred as Norma Arnold, in the coming of age ABC comedy series, The Wonder Years (1988–1993). In 2006 she began playing the role of Pamela Douglas, the sister of the late Forrester matriarch Stephanie Forrester (Susan Flannery), on the CBS soap operaThe Bold and the Beautiful. From 2022 to 2024, Mills also portrayed antagonistic Heather Webber on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital, for which she received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series.

Mills was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her father was television executive Ted Mills, and her mother, Joan (née Paterson) Mills Kerr, was an author and editor for American Heritage magazine. Mills received a B. A. magna cum laude in drama and art history from Yale University in 1973 (becoming one of the first female undergraduates)

Mills began her career appearing in episodes of television series Mr. Novak and The Leslie Uggams Show, before making her big screen debut playing minor role in the 1970 comedy drama film, Diary of a Mad Housewife. During the 1970s, Mills performed in a number of stage productions, such as Off Broadway's A Colliers Friday Night, The Little Foxes, Voices, The Idol Makers and Says I, Says He. In 1979 she was cast opposite Martin Short in the short lived sitcom The Associates, where she played an attorney. In 1983 she starred opposite John Candy in the comedy film Going Berserk and the following year appeared in the comedy film Young Lust. During the 1980s also made guest appearances in television series Lou Grant, Newhart, Moonlighting and Punky Brewster. In 1982 she had four episode arc in the NBC police drama, Hill Street Blues as Tracy Renko. In 1988, Mills was cast as Norma Arnold, the mother of Fred Savage's character in the ABC comedy series, The Wonder Years, from 1988 to 1993. The show received positive reviews and won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. In 1989, Mills also began co hosting the ABC daytime talk show,Home. Moment of Truth: Caught in the Crossfire (1994), Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare (1995), and Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan (1995) starring Elizabeth Montgomery in her last screen appearance. From 1993 to 1997, Mills had a recurring role in the CBS Western series, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman as Marjorie Quinn, Dr. Michaela Quinn's sister. She had previously appeared in the series as a saloon girl. In 2000, Mills co starred in the ABC miniseries, The Beach Boys: An American Family. She also appeared in Roseanne, Touched by an Angel, NYPD Blue, Popular, Girlfriends, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Strong Medicine and Yes, Dear. In December 2006, Mills joined the cast of CBS daytime soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful under contract as Pamela Douglas, the estranged sister of Stephanie Douglas Forrester. But in March 2007, after making only a handful of appearances, her character went insane, was confined to a mental hospital, and then disappeared from the show. Mills reprised the role on recurring status in 2007 and 2008, and by December 2008, was added to the opening credits as a contract player. In November 2019, it was reported that Mills was off contract with the show. Mills made a return appearance to The Bold and the Beautiful in August 2021. During her time on soap, Mills also acted in a number of Hallmark Channel movies, such as Reluctant Nanny and Appetite for Love. In October, 2022, Mills replaced Robin Mattson as legacy character, Heather Webber on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital. She later made recurring returns to soap. In 2023, Mills received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series for General Hospital. Also in 2023, Mills guest starred alongside her The Wonder Years co star, Dan Lauria, in an episode of Fox series Fantasy Island.

Mills was married to author, film, television and stage actor Orson Bean from 1993 until his death in 2020.

Year Title Role Notes1970Diary of a Mad HousewifeWomen's lib girl1983Going BerserkNancy Reese1984Young Lust Sheila Denton2002Jane White Is Sick & TwistedMom2002Never Get Outta the BoatJean2004TricksRuth2009Katherine Wright2011SatinRose Wells2012Hating BreitbartHerself2014Maybe SomedayMartha Donnelly 2014Dr. Quinn, Morphine Woman with Jane Seymour Marjorie QuinnShort film2016Wake Up America! SeniorShort film2019The Fiddling HorseEthel Truman 2022Last Chance Charlene Lorenna

Year Title Role Notes1978NancyEpisode: "The Obsession"1979KazEpisode: "They've Taken Our Daughter"1979–1980Leslie DunnMain role1980Rape and Marriage: The Rideout CaseWandaMovie1981Allison CrossMovie1981Lou GrantLisaEpisode: "Search"1982Making the GradeSara ConoverMain role1982Hill Street BluesTracy Renko4 episodes1983NewhartProfessorEpisode: "Sprained Dreams"1983The Other WomanAmy VitelliMovie1983PrototypeDr. Rebecca BishopMovie1985Amy KennearMiniseries1986MaggieCharlotte FarnsworthMovie1986MoonlightingClaireEpisode: "The Man Who Cried Wife"1987Mr. PresidentPatEpisode: "Pilot"1987I Married DoraJanine DesmondEpisodes: "Where There's a Will, There's No Way", "West Coast Story"1987Punky BrewsterDonna DeatonEpisodes: "Open Door, Broken Heart: Parts 1 & 2"1988To Heal a NationSue, Stone WorkerMovie1988–1993Norma ArnoldMain role1989I Love You PerfectMovie1990ABC Afterschool SpecialLindaEpisode: "Testing Dirty"1992Jonathan: The Boy Nobody WantedCarol WillisMovie1992–1994Vicki!HerselfGuest host1993Tainted BloodMrs. PattersonMovie1993–1997Dr. Quinn, Medicine WomanSaloon Woman1 episode (uncredited)Marjorie QuinnRecurring role, 11 episodes1994CBS Schoolbreak SpecialCarol OliverEpisode: "Love in the Dark Ages"1994Moment of Truth: Caught in the CrossfireRoyce PayneMovie1995Family Reunion: A Relative NightmarePortiaMovie1995Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna BuchananJulie CrestaMovie1998Touched by an AngelLizEpisode: "Last Dance"1999ProfilerAmber WileyEpisode: "Inheritance"1999–2000PopularRobin JohnEpisodes: "Wild, Wild Mess", "Ch Ch Changes", "The Consequences of Falling"2000Audree WilsonMovie2000NYPD BlueSonya MorrowEpisode: "This Old Spouse"2001–2005Yes, DearJenny LudkeRecurring role, 5 episodes2002GirlfriendsLynn's MotherEpisode: "Don't Leave Me a Loan"2002–2003Sabrina the Teenage WitchDiana SpellmanEpisodes: "The Whole Ball of Wax", "Soul Mates"2003Strong MedicineRhonda LaCouerEpisode: "Prescriptions"2006–2019, 2021 Pamela "Pam" DouglasMain role; recurring role20113 Holiday TailsKatherine Wright2015Appetite for LoveTallulah JonesTV movie2015Reluctant Nanny Irene2019TeachersJoanna Bennigan2 episodes2022 General HospitalHeather WebberRecurring role2023Fantasy IslandVivian HutchinsonEpisode: "War of the Roses (And the Hutchinsons)"