Elizabeth Wilson was born on April 4, 1921, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Marie Ethel and Henry Dunning Wilson. Raised in a large mansion, she was the granddaughter of a wealthy German immigrant.

She attended the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, and later studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. She was a lifelong liberal Democrat and adhered to the Methodist faith.

Her career spanned nearly 60 years, during which she appeared in over 30 movies and many Broadway plays. She made her Broadway debut in "Picnic" in 1953 and her screen debut in the 1955 film adaptation of the same play.

Some of her notable films include "The Graduate" (1967), "9 to 5" (1980), "The Addams Family" (1991), and "Quiz Show" (1994). She won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 1972 for her role in "Sticks and Bones" and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2006.

She passed away on May 9, 2015, at the age of 94, at her home in New Haven, Connecticut. Throughout her career, she was known for her versatility and often played women who had or sought authority.

Her television credits include appearances in "Dark Shadows," "All in the Family," "Murder, She Wrote," and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." Wilson's last film role was as Sara Delano Roosevelt in "Hyde Park on Hudson" (2012). She was buried at Oakhill Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, alongside her parents.