Hirson began her career on off-Broadway stage, before roles in 1960s plays
Traveller Without Luggage and
The Investigation.
Television Hirson began her television career appearing on the classic anthology series
Hallmark Hall of Fame and
Starlight Theatre. From 1969 to 1970, she was a regular cast member on the CBS daytime soap opera
The Edge of Night, playing the role of Stephanie Martin. She played the role of Marcia Davis on
Another World and its spin-off
Somerset from 1970 to 1972. From 1972 to 1976, Hirson starred as
Eileen Riley Siegel on ABC's
One Life to Live. She also had a recurring role on
General Hospital in 1982. After leaving daytime television, Hirson began playing supporting roles on prime time. In 1977, she appeared in made-for-television movies
The Death of Richie,
Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn, and
Having Babies II, and the following year co-starred opposite
Cicely Tyson in
A Woman Called Moses. Hirson also guest-starred on
Maude,
The Waltons,
Family,
Barnaby Jones,
Flamingo Road,
Barney Miller,
Quincy, M.E.,
St. Elsewhere,
Hotel, and
Full House. From 1982 to 1988, Hirson played the recurring role of Mavis Anderson, friend and confidante of
Miss Ellie Ewing (
Barbara Bel Geddes) in the CBS prime time soap opera,
Dallas. In 1992, Hirson was a regular cast member on the short-lived NBC sitcom
Home Fires starring
Kate Burton. From 1994 to 1998, she played the role of Lois Morgan, the mother of
Ellen DeGeneres' character on the ABC comedy series,
Ellen. From 1996 to 2006, she appeared in eight episodes of
The WB family drama series,
7th Heaven playing Jenny Jackson, mother of Annie Camden (
Catherine Hicks), whose illness and death occurred as the series began in 1996. She also had recurring roles on
Murphy Brown and
The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and guest-starred on
Law & Order,
ER,
NYPD Blue,
Judging Amy,
Just Shoot Me!, and
Cold Case.
Film Hirson made her film debut in the 1971 crime comedy ''
The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight. In 1979, she appeared in the horror film Nightwing and played the First Lady of the United States in the comedy-drama Being There. She also appeared in Private Benjamin, Revenge of the Nerds, Mass Appeal, Blind Date, Bride of Boogedy, The Big Picture, The Glass House, and The Lost''. == Filmography ==