# Alice Hirson

Alice Corinne Hirson (née Thorsell; March 10, 1929 – February 14, 2025) was an American actress best known for her roles on television. She began her career on stage, before roles on daytime soap operas. She was best known for her roles as Mavis Anderson in the CBS prime time soap opera Dallas and as Lois Morgan, the mother of the title character on the ABC sitcom Ellen.

## Background

Hirson was born Alice Corinne Thorsell in New York City on March 10, 1929, and was raised on Long Island. She graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1948.
In 1964, Hirson met actor Stephen Elliott. They were married from 1980 until Elliott's death in 2005. She was previously married to dramatist Roger O. Hirson, with whom she had two sons.
Hirson died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on February 14, 2025, at the age of 95.

## Career

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
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1971 | The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight | The Mayor's Wife |
| 1979 | Nightwing | Claire Franklin |
| 1979 | Being There | First Lady |
| 1980 | Private Benjamin | Mrs. Thornbush |
| 1984 | Revenge of the Nerds | Mrs. Lowe |
| 1984 | Mass Appeal | Mrs. Hart |
| 1987 | Blind Date | Muriel Bedford |
| 1989 | The Big Picture | Mrs. Chapman |
| 1993 | Stepmonster | Shirley |
| 2001 | The Glass House | Mrs. Morgan |
| 2006 | The Lost | Mrs. Griffith |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1951 | Starlight Theatre | Alice | Episode: "Miss Buell" |
| 1952 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Lucy | Episode: "Anne Bradstreet, Puritan Poetess" |
| 1968 | N.Y.P.D. | The 2nd Nurse | Episode: "Encounter on a Rooftop" |
| 1970 | Another World | Marsha Davis | 43 episodes |
| 1972 | Particular Men | Louisa Rayner | Television film |
| 1972–1976 | One Life to Live | Eileen Riley Siegel | 59 episodes |
| 1977 | The Death of Richie | Mrs. Blair | Television film |
| 1977 | Maude | Ed's Wife | Episode: "Maude's Reunion" |
| 1977 | Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn | Judge White | Television film |
| 1977 | Having Babies II | Mimi | Television film |
| 1977 | The Waltons | Jane Stephens | 2 episodes |
| 1977–1983 | Quincy, M.E. | Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1978 | Loose Change | Rosemary | Miniseries |
| 1978 | Family | Ruth Green | Episode: "Fear of Shadows" |
| 1978 | Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid | Beth Dozier | Television film |
| 1978 | Barnaby Jones | Emily Warren | Episode: "Nest of Scorpions" |
| 1978 | A Woman Called Moses | Miss Rodham | 2 episodes |
| 1979 | The Ropers | Mrs. Eastham | Episode: "The Doris Letters" |
| 1979 | Paris | Mrs. Dalton | Episode: "Friends and Enemies" |
| 1979 | ABC Afterschool Special | Grace Harris | Episode: "A Special Guest" |
| 1979 | Julie Farr, M.D. | Emily | Episode: "Captive" |
| 1980 | If Things Were Different | Karen Evans | Television film |
| 1980 | When the Whistle Blows | Dottie Jenkins | 4 episodes |
| 1981 | Flamingo Road | Mary Troy | Episode: "A Mother's Revenge" |
| 1981 | Taxi | Woman Customer | Episode: "On the Job: Part 1" |
| 1981 | Barney Miller | Dorothy St. Clair | Episode: "The Vests" |
| 1982 | The Rules of Marriage | Eva Hewlitt | Television film |
| 1982 | General Hospital | Mrs. Van Gelder | 4 episodes |
| 1982 | Miss All-American Beauty | Marjorie Butterfield | Television film |
| 1982–1988 | Dallas | Mavis Anderson | 26 episodes |
| 1983 | St. Elsewhere | Anne Overland | Episode: "Release" |
| 1983 | Sitcom | Betty Gooseberry | Television film |
| 1985 | Hotel | Helen Riley | Episode: "Skeletons" |
| 1985 | Slickers | Dear Clinton | Television film |
| 1985 | The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo | Voice | 13 episodes |
| 1986 | Foley Square | Mrs. Dobbs | Episode: "The Star" |
| 1986 | Crossings | Eleanor Roosevelt | Episode #1.2 |
| 1986 | Matlock | Hazel | Episode: "Diary of a Perfect Murder" |
| 1986 | If Tomorrow Comes | Mrs. Stanhope | Episode #1.1 |
| 1986, 1987 | The Magical World of Disney | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1987 | Starman | Ida Schwartzman | Episode: "Barriers" |
| 1987 | Full House | Claire Tanner | 3 episodes |
| 1987, 1988 | Houston Knights | Beverly / John's Wife | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Equal Justice | Mrs. Williams | Episode: "The Price of Justice" |
| 1990 | Psycho IV: The Beginning | Mother | Television film |
| 1990, 1996 | Murphy Brown | Bootsie Sherwood | 3 episodes |
| 1991 | Dear John | Mrs. Morris | Episode: "Brothers" |
| 1992 | Home Fires | Grandma | 12 episodes |
| 1993 | Law & Order | Jewel | Episode: "Right to Counsel" |
| 1993 | Loving | Dr. Lisa Helman | 4 episodes |
| 1994–1998 | Ellen | Lois Morgan | 28 episodes |
| 1996–2006 | 7th Heaven | Jenny Jackson | 8 episodes |
| 1999 | ER | Mrs. Anderson | Episode: "Last Rites" |
| 2000 | Godzilla: The Series | Peg Chapman (voice) | Episode: "Wedding Bells Blew" |
| 2000–2002 | Baby Blues | Mrs. Johnson (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2001 | NYPD Blue | Karen Redding | Episode: "In the Wind" |
| 2001 | Determination of Death | Edith | Television film |
| 2001 | Judging Amy | Alison Loomis | Episode: "Surprised by Gravity" |
| 2003 | Just Shoot Me! | Helen Korsh | Episode: "The Last Temptation of Elliot" |
| 2008 | Cold Case | Judy McShane | Episode: "Glory Days" |
| 2008–2011 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Mimsy | 6 episodes |
| 2010 | Starstruck | Grandma Olson | Television film |
| 2011 | Men of a Certain Age | Connie | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Will & Grace | Justice Ginsburg | Episode: "Supreme Courtship" |
| 2021 | Trash Truck | Mrs. Perry (voice) | Episode: "Pranks" |