JoBeth Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
JoBeth Williams
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JoBeth Williams in 2007
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| Born |
Margaret JoBeth Williams
December 6, 1948 Houston, Texas, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Pembroke College in Brown University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Spouse(s) |
John Pasquin
(m. 1982) |
| Children | 2 |
Margaret JoBeth Williams (born December 6, 1948) is an American actress. She is well-known for her roles in popular movies like Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Stir Crazy (1980), and especially Poltergeist (1982). She also starred in The Big Chill (1983) and The Day After (1983).
JoBeth Williams has been nominated for three Emmy Awards. She was recognized for her work in the TV movies Adam (1983) and Baby M (1988). Her third nomination was for a guest role in the TV show Frasier (1994). She also appeared in TV series like The Client (1995–96), Dexter (2007), and Private Practice (2009–11). She even directed a short film called On Hope (1994), which was nominated for an Academy Award.
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Early life and beginnings
JoBeth Williams was born in Houston, Texas. Her mother, Frances Faye, was a dietitian. Her father, Fredric Roger Williams, was an opera singer and managed a wire company. JoBeth grew up in the South Park area of Houston. She went to Jones High School and graduated in 1966.
First acting jobs
JoBeth Williams started her TV career in 1972 on a children's show called Jabberwocky. She played a character named JoBeth. Later, she acted in two soap operas: Somerset and Guiding Light. Her first movie role was in 1979 in Kramer vs. Kramer. She played the girlfriend of the main character, played by Dustin Hoffman.
Key movie roles
JoBeth Williams is famous for many movie roles. She starred in Stir Crazy (1980) with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. She also appeared in The Dogs of War (1980).
Poltergeist and other dramas
One of her most recognized roles is Diane Freeling in the horror film Poltergeist (1982). She played a suburban mom in this scary movie. She returned for the sequel, Poltergeist II: The Other Side, in 1986.
In 1983, she was part of the cast in the popular movie The Big Chill. She also won an award for Best Actress for her role in American Dreamer (1984). Other notable films include Teachers (1984) with Nick Nolte and Switch (1991).
Later films
JoBeth Williams worked with Kris Kristofferson in Welcome Home (1989). She also reunited with The Big Chill director Lawrence Kasdan for Wyatt Earp (1994). In this film, she acted alongside Kevin Costner. She also starred in the comedy Dutch (1991) and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992) with Sylvester Stallone. In 2005, she was in the baseball comedy Fever Pitch. Later, in 2011, she appeared in The Big Year, a comedy about bird-watching.
Notable TV appearances
JoBeth Williams has had many important roles on television. She starred in the TV movie The Day After (1983), which was about a nuclear disaster. She also played real-life people in other TV movies. She was Revé Walsh in Adam (1983) and Mary Beth Whitehead in Baby M (1988). Both roles earned her Emmy nominations.
TV series roles
She had a guest role on the popular sitcom Frasier, which also earned her an Emmy nomination. From 1995 to 1996, she played Reggie Love in the CBS series The Client. In 2007, she joined the show Dexter for four episodes. She played the future mother-in-law of the main character. She also had a recurring role as Bizzy Forbes-Montgomery on ABC's Private Practice from 2009 to 2011. In 2014, she appeared in the science-fiction drama Extant.
Directing and other work
In 1994, JoBeth Williams directed a short film called On Hope. This film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. This was a big achievement for her first time directing!
Since 2009, she has also been involved with the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. This foundation helps actors and supports programs for children's literacy. She is now the President Emeritus of the foundation.
Personal life
JoBeth Williams is married to John Pasquin, who is a TV and film director. They worked together on the movie Jungle 2 Jungle. They have two sons named Will and Nick. JoBeth also has a step-daughter, Sarah, from John's previous marriage.
See also
In Spanish: JoBeth Williams para niños
