Probably best known for playing the part of Jason Voorhees's mother Pamela in the horror film Friday the 13th (1980), she has appeared in numerous movies, TV programs and game shows.

She was a long-time panelist on the panel show I've Got a Secret (from 1957 to 1967).

She briefly played Virginia Bullock ("Aunt Ginny") from 1989 to 1990 on the TV series Knots Landing (following Julie Harris' character's departure).

She played Lt. Ann Girard (the most prominent female character) in the 1955 movie Mister Roberts and the character of Carol Lee Phillips in the film Queen Bee starring actress legend Joan Crawford that same year.

From 1953 to 2001 she was a guest star on 73 programs including (but not limited to): Marty (the TV Adaptation) Just Shoot Me! Murder, She Wrote Newhart Charles in Charge The Love Boat Hallmark Hall of Fame The Mike Douglas Show Joey Bishop Show Toast of the Town Password Kraft Television Theatre Philco Television Playhouse Lux Video Theatre Studio One

She got her first acting job in 1951 when she joined the cast of the 15 minute long, daily soap opera Miss Susan which was produced in Philadelphia. She was "discovered" for this role while enjoying a party in the apartment of Frank Sutton (Sgt. Carter of Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.). She had been in New York City less than one week.

She also provided the disembodied voice for the title character (the ghost of a dead witch) in the movie Bell Witch: The Movie, which premiered in theaters on September 24, 2005.