Leading Ladies JoBeth Williams
The Big Chill/ Karen Bowens
Poltergeist/ Diana Freeling
Poltergeist 2/ Diane Freeling
Homeward Bound/ Elaine Ashton
Per Quinlan's Film Stars:
Vivacious, slightly built American actress with copper colored hair and concerned features from a varied theatrical and TV background. She sprang to the attention of film goers as the mother fighting tooth and nail to protect her children in Poltergeist. She also has displayed as pleasing sense of knock about comedy, but hasn't become a major box office name. Married director John Pasquin.
She was born Margaret JoBeth Williams in 1948 at Houston, Texas. He bather was an opera singer and manager of a wore and cable company. her mother was a dietitian.
Ms. Williams graduated from Pembroke Collage in Brown University at Providence, RI in 1970. Her original intentions was to become a child psychologist. However she turned to theater studying with Jim Barnhill and John Emigh and then with Trinity Repertory Company. During this period she took voice lessons to neutralize her Texas accent.
Moving to New York City she began to appear on television series in the mid 1970's. Her television debut came in 1974 in the TV series Jabberwocky.
She then made her film debut in Kramer Vs. Kramer in 1979 as Phyllis Bernard. However she is best remembered for her performances in Stir Crazy and Poltergeist.
Some of Jo Beth Williams film roles were:
Kramer Vs Kramer (1979) as Phyllis Bernard
The World Beyond (1980-TV) as Marian Faber
Fun And Games (1980-TV) as Laura Weston
Stir Crazy (1980) as Meredith
The Dogs Of War (1980) as Jessie
The Big Black Pill (1981-TV) as Tiffany Farrenpour
Poltergeist (1982) as Diane Freeling
Endangered Species (1982) as Harriet Purdue
The Big Chill (1983) as Karen Bowens
Adam (1983-TV) as Reve Walsh
The Day After (1983-TV) as Nurse Nancy Bower
Teachers (1984) as Lisa Hammond
American Dreamer (1984) as Cathy Palmer/ Rebecca Ryan
Kids Don't Tell (1985-TV) as Claudia Ryan
Desert Bloom (1986) as Lily Chismore
Poltergeist II- The Other Side (1986) as Diane Freeling
Adam: His Song Continues (1986-TV) as Reve Walsh
Murder Ordained (1987) as Lorna Anderson
Memories Of Me (1988) as Lisa
My Name Is Bill W (1989-TV) as Lois Wilson
Welcome Home (1989) as Sarah
Child In The Night (1990-TV) as Dr. Hollis
Victim Of Love (1991-TV) as Tess Palmer
Switch (1991) as Margo Brofman
Dutch (1991) as Natalie Standish
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992) as Gwen Harper
Me, Myself & I (1992) as Crazy/ Sane Diane
Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted (1992-TV) as Ginny Moore
Sex, Love And Cold Hard Cash (1993-TV) as Sarah Gallagher
Chantilly Lace (1993-TV) as Natalie
Final Appeal (1993-TV) as Christine Biondi
Wyatt Earp (1994) as Bessie Earp
Parallel Lives (1994) as Winnie Winslow
Voice From Within (1994-TV) as Nancy Parkhurst
A Season Of Hope (1995-TV) as Elizabeth hackett
Ruby Jean & Joe (1996-TV) as Rose
Breaking Through (1996-TV) as Pam Willis
Just Write (1997) as Sidney Stone
Jungle 2 Jungle (1997) as Dr. Patricia Cromwell
Little City (1997) as Anne
When Danger Follows You Home (1997) as Anne Werden
From Earth To The Moon (1998-TV Miniseries) as Marge Slayton
A Chance Of Snow (1998) as Maddie Parker
Justice (1999-TV) as Jane Newhart
It Came From The Sky (1999-TV) as Alice Bridges
Jackie's Back (1999) as Jo Face
Trapped In A Purple Haze (2000) as Sophie Hanson
The Ponder Heart (2001-TV) as Edna Earle Ponder
The Rose Technique (2002) as Dr. Lillian Rose
Homeward Bound (2002) as Elaine Ashton
14 Hours (2005-TV) as Jeanette Makins
Fever Pitch (2005) as Maureen Meeks
Into The Fire (2005-TV) as June Sickles
Crazylove (2005) as Mrs. Mayer
In The Land Of Woman (2007) as Agnes Webb
Sybil ((2007-TV) as Hattie Dorsett
TIMER (2009) as Marion Depaul
Uncorked (2009-TV) as Sophia Browning
The Big Year (2011) as Edith Priessler
Love's Christmas Journey (2011-TV) as Mrs. Beatrice Thompson
In My Dreams (2014-TV) as Charlotte
The Last Film Festival (2015) as Mayor
The List( 2016) as Mrs. Stern
Ms. Williams has earned Emmy nominations for her performances in the TV films Adam(1983) as Reve Walsh and Baby M (1988) as Mary Beth Whitehead.
She has also appeared on the television programs Jabberwocky, Great Performances, Somerset, The White Shadow, Guiding Light, Timeless Tales From Hallmark, The Legend Of Prince Valiant, Fish Police, Mighty Max, Frasier, The Client ( as Reggie Love),Stories From My Childhood, Payne, Norm, Law & Order-Special Victims Unit, Miss Match, Judging Amy, Skin, Strong Medicine, Las Vegas, Twenty Good Years, Worst Week Of My Life, 24, Criminal Minds, Stroller Wars, The Nine, Dexter, Life In General, Private Practice, NCIS, Law & Order-LA, Against The Wall, Scandal, Mistresses, Extant, Perception, Hart Of Dixie, Marry Me, Your Family Of Mine, Children's Hospital and Heartbeat,
Ms. Williams received an Emmy nomination for a guest starring role on Frasier.
Jo Beth Williams has been married to director John Pasquin since 1982 and the couple have two children.
I enjoyed Ms. Williams in both of the Poltergeist films, Kramer Vs. Kramer, The Big Chill and Homeward Bound.
Louie the Movie Buff