Raised in Delmar, New York

TV series debut as regular, "One Man's Family"

Made Broadway debut in "The Trip To Bountiful"

Screen debut in "On the Waterfront"

Won praise for appearing as Emily in "Our Town" (NBC)

First TV appearance in nine years the TV-movie "Her School for Bachelors"

Last film appearance for 14 years, "Cancel My Reservation"

Co-starred with James Arness in the TV-movie "The Machans"; her character was killed off in the first episode of the subsequent series, "How the West Was Won"

Returned to the stage to star in "First Monday in October"

Returned to features to play Tom Hanks' mother in "Nothing in Common"

Played recurring role as Cybill Shepherd's mother in the ABC series "Moonlighting

Cast in John Bailey's "Mariette in Ecstasy"

Starred opposite Kim Basinger in "I Dreamed of Africa"

Cast opposite Jeff Daniels in the family drama "Because of Winn-Dixie"

Cast in Wim Wenders' neo-Western "Don't Come Knocking" starring Sam Shepard

Played Martha Kent, the adoptive mother of Clark Kent in the Bryan Singer-directed "Superman Returns"