Mary Elizabeth Patterson, born on November 22, 1874, in Savannah, Tennessee, was an American actress whose prolific career spanned theater, film, and television. She was the daughter of Mildred and Edmund Patterson, a Confederate army veteran and lawyer. She was one of four children, with an older sister named Annie Belle and two younger brothers, Edmund and Archie.

Her early passion for drama was nurtured at Tennessee colleges in Pulaski and Columbia, where she participated in campus theater groups. Her determined pursuit of an acting career led her parents to send her to Europe in hopes of dampening her interest, but her encounters with productions in Paris only strengthened her resolve.

Using a small inheritance, she moved to Chicago and joined a theatrical troupe, subsequently touring with repertory companies before making her Broadway debut in 1913 with the play "Everyman".

Throughout her career, Elizabeth Patterson played in numerous Broadway productions, such as "The Family Exit" (1917), "In the Zone" (1917), "The Piper" (1920), and "Magnolia" (1923). She remained active in New York City theater until 1954. One of her notable performances was in "The Seven Year Itch" (1952), where she portrayed Helen Sherman.

She transitioned to film at the age of 51, starting with silent films like "The Boy Friend" (1926) and "The Return of Peter Grimm" (1926). She became known for her character roles, often portraying careworn elderly women, which added depth to films like "Dinner at Eight" (1933), "High, Wide and Handsome" (1937), and "Tobacco Road" (1941).

Her role as Mrs. Trumbull in the TV series "I Love Lucy" (1951) brought her significant recognition later in her career.

Elizabeth Patterson never married and lived at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel throughout her TV and film career. She passed away on January 31, 1966, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 91 due to pneumonia.