Film and television Albertson portrayed Phyllis Stephens, Darrin's neurotic, snippy and interfering mother, on the
television sitcom Bewitched, who invariably ended her stays at the Stephenses' home by saying to her husband, "Frank, take me home. I have a sick headache." She also played the mother of
Jack Benny (seven years her senior) on several episodes of his television series. From 1972 to 1973, she played Mabel, the mother-in-law of Paul Lynde on
The Paul Lynde Show. She appeared in at least one episode of the courtroom drama series
Perry Mason: as Carrie Wilson in the Season 6, 1962 episode titled "The Case of the Hateful Hero". Albertson also guest-starred as the mother of
Marilyn Munster's would-be suitor in the first broadcast episode of
The Munsters, "Munster Masquerade". Dragnet 1967 "The Big Bullet" Albertson played Jessie Gaynor, and she played the mother of Barbara and
Margaret Whiting in
Those Whiting Girls. She also played the dean of a women's college in an episode of
The Tab Hunter Show, Susannah's mother in
Accidental Family, Alice's mother in
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Donald Hollinger's mother on
That Girl, Irene Brady in
The Tom Ewell Show,
Howard Sprague's mother on
The Andy Griffith Show, Miss Ramsey on
Hazel, Mrs. White on
The Lucy Show episode "Lucy and the Missing Stamp", Eileen Ruby,
Harry Ruby's wife, in
Make Room For Daddy episode "Danny Goes On USO Tour",
Dick Van Dyke's mother on
The New Dick Van Dyke Show, and Ethel Kendricks on the
Mary Tyler Moore Show episode "Anyone Who Hates Kids and Dogs", Gertrude Mills on
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.
Rawhide Season 2 Episode 24 as Kalla, Gypsy Queen. In the 1957 episode of
Gunsmoke, "Cows and Cribs", she played Ma Smalley, a kindly boarding house owner. In the 1963 episode of
Gunsmoke, "Kate Heller", she played the title character, as well as "Gody Baines" in a 1961 episode (Long, Long Trail). In 1966 she played Madam Adella in the
Bonanza episode "A Dollar's Worth of Trouble". In Season 1 (1952/53) of
Adventures of Superman, she played Kate White, Perry White's sister in the episode "Drums of Death" originally aired January 16, 1953. A memorable early film role for Albertson was as a proper banker's wife who is repulsed by the bucolic title characters in
Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki (1955). She was also seen in ''
She's Back on Broadway, So This Is Love, About Mrs. Leslie, Forever, Darling, The Long, Hot Summer, Don't Give Up the Ship'', She was also a writer for radio programs. Albertson's
Broadway credits include
The Egg (1962) and
Xmas in Las Vegas (1965). ==Death==