Betty Thomas (born Betty Lucille Nienhauser, July 27, 1947)[1] is an American actress, director, and producer of television and motion pictures. She is known for her Emmy Award-winning role as Lucy Bates on the television series Hill Street Blues.[2] As of March 2018, Thomas is one of just two directors (and the only solo director) to have multiple films on the list of seventeen highest-US-grossing female-directed films.[3] Additionally, all of her films are in the top twenty five highest-US-grossing female-directed films.