Lois Smith
Acting
134
Acting Credits
Biography
Lois Arlene Smith (née Humbert; born November 3, 1930) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1955 drama film East of Eden, and later played supporting roles in a number of movies, including Five Easy Pieces (1970), Resurrection (1980), Fatal Attraction (1987), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), How to Make an American Quilt (1995), Dead Man Walking, Twister (1996), Minority Report (2002), The Nice Guys (2016) and Lady Bird (2017). In 2017, Smith received critical acclaim for her lead...
Known For
Filmography
The Uninvited
2025
as Helen
The Gettysburg Address
2025
as Elizabeth Crawford (voice)
Lightning Bug
2025
as Lydia
On the End
2025
as Trudie Ferreira
Elsbeth
2024
as Delores Feinn
Mack & Rita
2022
as Betty
This Fool
2022
as Beverly
The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
2021
as Upshur 'Maw' Clampette
Gossip Girl
2021
as Iris Lefferts
Law & Order: Organized Crime
2021
as Doris 'Mama' Boone
Uncle Frank
2020
as Aunt Butch
Tesla
2020
as The Grande Dame
The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America
2020
as Harper Pitt
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
2019
as Mimi Waldenstock
Impulse
2018
as Deirdre 'Dippy' Jones
Marjorie Prime
2017
as Marjorie
Lady Bird
2017
as Sister Sarah Joan
9JKL
2017
as Wrong Nana
The Nice Guys
2016
as Mrs. Glenn
The Comedian
2016
as Miriam
Run All Night
2015
as Margaret Conlon
Younger
2015
as Belinda Lacroix
Grace and Frankie
2015
as Mrs. Hanson
Sneaky Pete
2015
as Reverend Ethel Landry
Showing Up
2014
as Self
The Affair
2014
as Mrs. Gunther
The Man Who Came Out Only at Night
2013
as The Youngest Daughter (later)
Mom
2013
as Claire
Ray Donovan
2013
as Dolores
The Blacklist
2013
as Lucy Game
The Americans
2013
as Betty Turner
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
2012
as Aunt Mel
Roadie
2012
as Mom
Ruth & Erica
2012
as Ruth
Please Give
2010
as Mrs. Portman
A Dog Year
2009
as Lois Blair
Turn the River
2008
as Abby
Diminished Capacity
2008
as Belle
True Blood
2008
as Adele Stackhouse
Army Wives
2007
as Elsie
Hollywoodland
2006
as Helen Bessolo
Little Fugitive
2006
as Elizabeth
Little Fugitive
2006
as Social Worker
Griffin & Phoenix
2006
as Dr. Imberman
Sweet Land
2005
as Inge (as an older woman)
James Dean: Sense Memories
2005
as Self
Grey's Anatomy
2005
as Mrs. Dickerson
P.S.
2004
as Ellie Silverstein
Iron Jawed Angels
2004
as Reverend Anna Howard Shaw
The Best Thief in the World
2004
as Helen
LAX
2004
as Rose Sinclair
Desperate Housewives
2004
as Allison Scavo
Red Betsy
2003
as Helen Rounds
Cold Case
2003
as Fannie
Minority Report
2002
as Dr. Iris Hineman
The Laramie Project
2002
as Lucy Thompson
Powder Keg
2001
as Mother
The Pledge
2001
as Helen Jackson
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
as Betty Bennett
The Hire
2001
as Mother
Tumbleweeds
1999
as Ginger
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Rebecca Tolliver
The Eternal
1998
as Mrs. Ferriter
A Will of their Own
1998
as Miss Maude
Hudson River Blues
1997
Just Shoot Me!
1997
as Libby
The Practice
1997
as Mary Beth Berluti
Twister
1996
as Aunt Meg
Larger Than Life
1996
as Luluna
Dead Man Walking
1995
as Helen's Mother
How to Make an American Quilt
1995
as Sophia
Truman
1995
as Madge Wallace Gates
Holy Matrimony
1994
as Orna
Touched by an Angel
1994
as Mildred Mancini
ER
1994
as Gracie
Skylark
1993
as Lou Wheaton
Falling Down
1993
as D-Fens' Mother
Frasier
1993
as Moira
The Donner Party
1992
as voice
Hard Promises
1992
as Mrs. Bell
Deadly Matrimony
1992
Keep the Change
1992
as Lureen
Fried Green Tomatoes
1991
as Mama Threadgoode
Coney Island
1991
as (voice)
White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd
1991
as Alice Todd
The Grapes of Wrath
1991
as Ma Joad
Good Sports
1991
Switched at Birth
1991
as Margaret
Green Card
1990
as Brontë's Mother
Law & Order
1990
as Eunice Varick
Hello Actors Studio
1988
as Self
Midnight Run
1988
as Mrs. Nelson, Mardukas's Friend
American Experience
1988
as (voice)
Black Widow
1987
as Sara
Fatal Attraction
1987
as Martha
thirtysomething
1987
Twisted
1985
as Helen Giles
The Execution of Raymond Graham
1985
as Mary Neal
Doubletake
1985
as Sarah
Spenser: For Hire
1985
The Equalizer
1985
as Marie Ganucci
The Equalizer
1985
as Dorothy Hermes
Reckless
1984
as Mrs. Prescott
Reuben, Reuben
1983
as Mare Spofford
Rage of Angels
1983
as Clara
The House of Mirth
1981
as Bertha Dorset
Four Friends
1981
as Mrs. Carnahan
Resurrection
1980
as Kathy
Foxes
1980
as Mrs. Axman
The Jilting of Granny Weatherall
1980
as Cornelia
Tales of the Unexpected
1979
as Sara
Next Stop, Greenwich Village
1976
as Anita Cunningham
Particular Men
1972
Up the Sandbox
1972
as Elinore
Five Easy Pieces
1970
as Partita Dupea
Dragon Country
1970
as Woman (segment "Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen")
The Way We Live Now
1970
as Jane Aldridge
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
1967
as Evelyn
CBS Playhouse
1966
Dr. Kildare
1961
as Libby Clayton
The Defenders
1961
as Esther Terranova
The Master Builder
1960
as Hilda
Route 66
1960
Route 66
1960
as Dana
Route 66
1960
as Lucy Brown
Startime
1959
Naked City
1958
as Dawn Garrison
East of Eden
1955
as Anne
Strange Lady in Town
1955
as Spurs O'Brien
Matinee Theater
1955
Letter to Loretta
1953
as Jenny Musgrave
The United States Steel Hour
1953
as Jeannie
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
Studio One
1948
as Lisa Molloy