Donna Culver

Donna Culver Krebbs
Susan Howard as Donna Culver Krebbs
DALLAS character
Portrayed by	Susan Howard
Duration	1979–87
First appearance	March 16, 1979 The Outsiders
Last appearance	May 15, 1987 Fall of the House of Ewing
Created by	David Jacobs
Profile
Occupation	Writer Lobbyist Member of the Texas Energy Commission Co-Chief Executive Officer of Ewing Oil Owner of Krebbs #1
Spouse Sam Culver (1976–79),his death Ray Krebbs (1981–87),divorced Andrew Dowling (1987–) Children Margaret Krebbs

Donna Culver Krebbs (maiden name McCullum) 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. She was recurring in season 2 and 3, before becoming a regular in season 4. 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 the much older Sam Culver, a former governor of Texas (who was probably 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 J.R. and Bobby, 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. Donna found out while researching for her book on Sam Culver's early years 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. Jonas committed suicide while institutionalized.