M MyList
Actor · Acting

JoBeth Williams

Born 1948-12-06
📍 Houston, Texas, USA

Margaret JoBeth Williams (born December 6, 1948) is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy nominated American film and television actress and director, and current President of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.

Williams rose to prominence appearing in such films as Stir Crazy (1980), Poltergeist (1982), The Big Chill (1983), The Day After (1983), Teachers (1984), and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986).

A three-time Emmy Award nominee, she was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her work in the TV movie Adam (1983) and the TV miniseries Baby M (1988). Her third nomination was for her guest role in the sitcom Frasier (1994).

Her directorial debut with the 1994 short film On Hope earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film.

She also starred in the TV series The Client (1995–96), and had recurring roles in the TV series Dexter (2007) and Private Practice (2009–11).

In 2009 she began serving as president of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation; she is President Emeritus of the foundation.

She has also had numerous guest starring roles on TV and has starred in several TV movies.

Filmography 117

She Was Here
as Self
2026
Not Without Hope
as Marcia
2025
SEGAL
as Self
2025
Cash for Gold
as Boots
2024
Chantilly Bridge
as Natalie
2023
What the Night Can Do
as Bettye Sue Dryer
2020
Josh Gates Tonight
as Self
2020
SGT. Will Gardner
as Sherry
2019
A Million Little Things
as Lana Strobe
2018
Alex & the List
as Mrs. Stern
2018
Station 19
as Reggie
2018
The Good Doctor
as Ruth
2017
Barracuda
as Patricia
2017
Within
as Rosemary Fletcher
2016
The Last Film Festival
as Mayor
2016
Heartbeat
as Isobel Dixon
2016
In My Dreams
as Charlotte Smith
2015
Your Family or Mine
as Ricky
2015
Marry Me
as Myrna
2014
Extant
as Leigh Kern
2014
Perception
as Margaret Pierce
2012
Scandal
as Sandra Harding
2012
Love's Christmas Journey
as Beatrice
2011
The Big Year
as Edith
2011
Hart of Dixie
as Candice Hart
2011
Against the Wall
as Emily
2011
Law & Order: LA
as Mrs. Walker
2010
Rizzoli & Isles
as Tilly Dunn
2010
Uncorked
as Sophia Browning
2009
TiMER
as Marion
2009
Childrens Hospital
as Linda
2008
Private Practice
as Bizzy Forbes
2007
Sybil
as Hattie Dorsett
2007
In the Land of Women
as Agnes Webb
2007
Twenty Good Years
as Kate
2006
The Nine
2006
Dexter
as Gail Brandon
2006
14 Hours
as Jeanette Makins
2005
Crazylove
as Mrs. Mayer
2005
Into the Fire
as June Sickles
2005
Criminal Minds
as Professor Ursula Kent
2005
Fever Pitch
as Maureen Meeks
2005
Numb3rs
as Margaret Eppes
2005
Miss Match
as Lianne Fox
2003
NCIS
as Leona Phelps
2003
Las Vegas
as Liz
2003
The Curse of Poltergeist
2002
Searching for Debra Winger
as Self
2002
The Rose Technique
as Dr. Lillian Rose
2002
Repossessed
2002
24
as Miriam Henderson
2001
The Ponder Heart
as Edna Earle Ponder
2001
The Guardian
as Sarah
2001
Strong Medicine
as Margie
2000
Trapped in a Purple Haze
as Sophie Hanson
2000
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
as Mrs. Rawley
1999
Judging Amy
as Gemma Lawnsdale
1999
Jackie's Back!
as Jo Face (Jackie's Vocal Coach)
1999
It Came from the Sky
as Alice Bridges
1999
Payne
as Constance Payne
1999
The Big Chill: A Reunion
as Self
1999
Justice
as Jane Newhart
1999
A Chance of Snow
as Madeline 'Maddie' Parker
1998
From the Earth to the Moon
as Marge Slayton
1998
When Danger Follows You Home
as Anne Werden
1997
Jungle 2 Jungle
as Dr. Patricia Cromwell
1997
Just Write
as Sidney Stone
1997
After the SIlence
as Pam Willis (as Jobeth Williams)
1996
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
Ruby Jean and Joe
as Rose
1996
The Client
as Reggie Love
1995
A Season of Hope
as Elizabeth Hackett
1995
Voices from Within
as Nancy Parkhurst
1994
Parallel Lives
as Winnie Winslow
1994
Wyatt Earp
as Bessie Earp
1994
Final Appeal
as Christine Biondi
1993
Frasier
as Danielle (voice)
1993
Frasier
as Madeline Marshall
1993
Chantilly Lace
as Natalie
1993
Commercial Entertainment Product
as Diane Freeling
1992
Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted
as Ginny Moore
1992
Batman: The Animated Series
as May and June (voice)
1992
Me, Myself and I
as Crazy / Sane Diane
1992
Fish Police
as Angel (voice)
1992
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot
as Lt. Gwen Harper
1992
Dutch
as Natalie Standish
1991
Switch
as Margo Brofman
1991
Victim of Love
as Tess Harper
1991
Timeless Tales: The Elves and the Shoemaker
as Bettina (voice)
1990
Child in the Night
as Dr. Hollis
1990
Welcome Home
as Sarah
1989
My Name Is Bill W.
as Lois Wilson
1989
Memories of Me
as Lisa
1988
Baby M
as Marybeth Whitehead
1988
Murder Ordained
as Lorna Anderson
1987
Murder Ordained
as Lorna Anderson
1987
Adam: His Song Continues
as Reve Walsh
1986
Poltergeist II: The Other Side
as Diane Freeling
1986
Desert Bloom
as Lily Chismore
1986
Kids Don't Tell
as Claudia Ryan
1985
American Dreamer
as Cathy Palmer
1984
Teachers
as Lisa Hammond
1984
The Day After
as Nurse Nancy Bauer
1983
Adam
as Reve Walsh
1983
The Big Chill
as Karen Bowens
1983
Endangered Species
as Harriet Purdue
1982
Poltergeist
as Diane Freeling
1982
Joe Dancer: The Big Black Pill
as Tiffany Farinpour
1981
The Dogs of War
as Jessie
1980
Stir Crazy
as Meredith
1980
Fun and Games
as Laura Weston
1980
Kramer vs. Kramer
as Phyllis Bernard
1979
The White Shadow
as Paula Harris
1978
The World Beyond
as Marian Faber
1978
Feasting with Panthers
as Constance Wilde
1974
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self
1962
Hallmark Hall of Fame
as Lois Wilson
1951