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Lois Smith

Lois Smith

Actor · Born November 3, 1930 (95) · Topeka, Kansas, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award nominee · 1 other major award body

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 leading performance in the science-fiction drama film Marjorie Prime, for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Awards, Gotham Awards and Saturn Award, and well as won Satellite Award. Smith also has had many roles on television, both daytime and prime time. She was regular cast member in the HBO horror drama True Blood, and well as received Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series nomination for The Americans. Smith also is known for her extensive work in the theatre, receiving two Tony Award nominations for originating the role of Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (1990) and for the role of Halie in a revival of Buried Child in 1996. She also starred in an acclaimed Off-Broadway revival of The Trip to Bountiful in 2005 for which she received an Obie Award for Best Actress, an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Lucille Lortel Award, and a Drama Desk Award. Smith is an ensemble member of Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. Description above from the Wikipedia article Lois Smith, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 3, 1930 (95)
From
Topeka, Kansas, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
90 on MovieCove · 133 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 17% in 30 days

What are Lois Smith's films like?

Across their 45 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 43 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 16 · Serious 10 · Dark 17

Grounded 34 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 4

Gentle 15 · Charged 18 · Intense 10

A split, not a type: Steady 21 · Shifting 20 · Whiplash 2

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 21 · Some laughs 20 · Funny 2

Slow burn 27 · Even-paced 14 · Relentless 2

A split, not a type: Casual 22 · Engaged 15 · Full focus 6

Easy watch 5 · Affecting 25 · Heavy 13

Resolved 27 · Open-ended 11 · Ambiguous 5

Roles they play

15 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 8 of 15 analyzed roles.

Mentor
8 of 15
Ally
3 of 15
Herald
2 of 15
Shadow
1 of 15
Hero
1 of 15
Show the 15 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Melancholic
27
Warm
15
Bittersweet
13
Contemplative
11
Other
35

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet26
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Lois Smith's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 57 of their 90 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Subscription and free streaming for Lois Smith's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

133 credits, 90 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Gettysburg Address(2025)

    as Elizabeth Crawford (voice)

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Lightning Bug (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Lydia

  • On the End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Trudie Ferreira

  • The Uninvited(2024)

    as Helen

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • Elsbeth(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Delores Feinn

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows
  • Mack & Rita(2022)

    as Betty

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • This Fool(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Beverly

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows
  • The French Dispatch(2021)

    as Upshur 'Maw' Clampette

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • Gossip Girl(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Iris Lefferts

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows
  • Law & Order: Organized Crime(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · as Doris 'Mama' Boone

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
  • Uncle Frank(2020)

    as Aunt Butch

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Harper Pitt

  • Tesla(2020)

    as The Grande Dame

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
  • On Becoming a God in Central Florida(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mimi Waldenstock

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows
  • Impulse(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Deirdre 'Dippy' Jones

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows
  • 9JKL(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Wrong Nana

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows
  • Lady Bird(2017)

    as Sister Sarah Joan

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
  • Marjorie Prime(2017)

    as Marjorie

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • The Comedian(2016)

    as Miriam

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • The Nice Guys(2016)

    as Mrs. Glenn

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
  • Sneaky Pete(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Reverend Ethel Landry

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
  • Grace and Frankie(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mrs. Hanson

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows
  • Younger(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Belinda Lacroix

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • Run All Night(2015)

    as Margaret Conlon

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • The Affair(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Gunther

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows
  • The Man Who Came Out Only at Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as The Youngest Daughter (later)

  • Mom(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Claire

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows
  • The Blacklist(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Lucy Game

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
  • Ray Donovan(2013)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dolores

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • The Americans(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Betty Turner

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • Ruth & Erica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 7 episodes · as Ruth

  • Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
  • Roadie(2011)

    as Mom

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
  • Please Give(2010)

    as Mrs. Portman

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • A Dog Year(2009)

    as Lois Blair

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • Killshot(2008)

    as Lenore

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • True Blood(2008)

    Show 14 episodes · as Adele Stackhouse

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
  • Diminished Capacity(2008)

    as Belle

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
  • Turn the River(2007)

    as Abby

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Army Wives(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Elsie

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • Griffin & Phoenix(2006)

    as Dr. Imberman

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Hollywoodland(2006)

    as Helen Bessolo

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
  • Little Fugitive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Elizabeth · as Social Worker

  • Sweet Land(2005)

    as Inge (as an older woman)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Dickerson

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • P.S.(2004)

    as Ellie Silverstein

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Desperate Housewives(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Allison Scavo

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows
  • LAX (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Rose Sinclair

  • 2 Brothers & a Bride(2003)

    as Ma Adams

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • Iron Jawed Angels(2004)

    as Reverend Anna Howard Shaw

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
  • Cold Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Fannie

  • Red Betsy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Helen Rounds

  • Minority Report(2002)

    as Dr. Iris Hineman

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • The Laramie Project(2002)

    as Lucy Thompson

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Betty Bennett

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows
  • Powder Keg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Mother

  • The Hire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Mother

  • The Pledge(2001)

    as Helen Jackson

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • Tumbleweeds(1999)

    as Ginger

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Rebecca Tolliver

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
  • A Will of their Own (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · as Miss Maude

  • The Eternal(1998)

    as Mrs. Ferriter

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • Hudson River Blues(1997)

    as Julia

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Eye of God(1997)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • Just Shoot Me!(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Libby

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows
  • The Practice(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Mary Beth Berluti

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
  • Larger Than Life(1996)

    as Luluna

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • Twister(1996)

    as Aunt Meg

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • Dead Man Walking(1995)

    as Helen's Mother

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • Truman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Madge Wallace Gates

  • Touched by an Angel(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Mildred Mancini

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows
  • ER(1994)

    Show 4 episodes · as Gracie

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
  • Holy Matrimony(1994)

    as Orna

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Moira

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • Falling Down(1993)

    as D-Fens' Mother

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • Skylark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Lou Wheaton

  • Deadly Matrimony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Actor

  • The Donner Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as voice

  • Keep the Change (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Lureen

  • Hard Promises(1991)

    as Mrs. Bell

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • Fried Green Tomatoes(1991)

    as Mama Threadgoode

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Alice Todd

  • Switched at Birth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · as Margaret

  • The Grapes of Wrath (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Ma Joad

  • Coney Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as (voice)

  • Good Sports (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 3 episodes · as Mrs. Tannen

  • Green Card(1990)

    as Brontë's Mother

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Eunice Varick

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
  • American Experience(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows
  • Midnight Run(1988)

    as Mrs. Nelson, Mardukas's Friend

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
  • thirtysomething (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Fatal Attraction(1987)

    as Martha

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • Black Widow(1987)

    as Sara

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Doubletake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Sarah

  • Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • Spenser: For Hire(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows
  • The Equalizer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Dorothy Hermes · as Marie Ganucci

  • Twisted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Helen Giles

  • Reckless(1984)

    as Mrs. Prescott

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • Reuben, Reuben(1983)

    as Mare Spofford

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • Rage of Angels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 2 episodes · as Clara

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Ma Joad

  • Four Friends(1981)

    as Mrs. Carnahan

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
  • The House of Mirth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Bertha Dorset

  • Resurrection(1980)

    as Kathy

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Foxes(1980)

    as Mrs. Axman

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Tales of the Unexpected(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Sara

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows
  • Next Stop, Greenwich Village(1976)

    as Anita Cunningham

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Up the Sandbox(1972)

    as Elinore

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • Particular Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Anne Starr

  • Dragon Country (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Woman (segment "Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen")

  • Five Easy Pieces(1970)

    as Partita Dupea

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • The Way We Live Now (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Jane Aldridge

  • Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Evelyn

  • CBS Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Evelyn

  • Dr. Kildare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Libby Clayton

  • The Defenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Esther Terranova

  • Route 66(1960)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dana · as Lucy Brown

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows
  • The Master Builder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Hilda

  • Startime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Cindy

  • Naked City(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Dawn Garrison

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
  • Matinee Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Strange Lady in Town(1955)

    as Spurs O'Brien

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
  • East of Eden(1955)

    as Anne

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • The United States Steel Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeannie

  • The Loretta Young Show(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Jenny Musgrave

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
  • Robert Montgomery Presents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Lisa Molloy

  • The Steel Harp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Hanna

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 132 titles, 131 of them dated from 1948 to 2025; peak year 2016.

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19482025

Peak 2016 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting131 of 132: 131 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score71stOther crew1 of 132: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1940s1 · acting1950s8 · acting1960s6 · acting1970s7 · acting1980s19 · acting1990s31 · 30 acting · 1 crew2000s25 · acting2010s21 · acting2020s13 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 46 roles
55859500051020

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

1 major award from 4 major nominations, 1996–2018.

WinNomination
  1. 2018
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Supporting Female
  2. 2011
    • Independent Spirit Award, won
  3. 1996
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Lois Smith's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 56; across their 43 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Reach · how many have seen their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 43

Midcredits score across 90 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up42
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

45 of their 90 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved16
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser45
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed18

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 42 reviewed titles; fans 84, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Lois Smith's work okay for kids?

Across up to 24 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore12 titles10–79 · median 53 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity24 titles24–63 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity13 titles47–84 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs12 titles20–56 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense13 titles15–85 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Lois Smith work with?

People who share at least 2 of Lois Smith's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Margo Martindale shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles