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JoBeth Williams

Acting 77 years old Houston, Texas, USA ★ 1.9
Born: December 6, 1948

Biography

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.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

The Good Doctor
The Good Doctor Ruth 2017
Dexter
Dexter Gail Brandon 2006
24
24 Miriam Henderson 2001
Frasier
Frasier Madeline Marshall 1993
Rizzoli & Isles
Rizzoli & Isles Tilly Dunn 2010

Filmography

Acting Credits (119)

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

Directing Credits (3)

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