Year Title Role Notes 1958 Kraft Television Theatre Linda Episode: "Trick or Treat"; credited as Ellen McRae 1961 Michael Shayne Carol Episode: "Strike Out"; credited as Ellen McRae [ 2] The Loretta Young Show Ann Walters Episode: "Woodlot"; credited as Ellen McRae Dr. Kildare Anne Garner Episode: "Second Chance"; credited as Ellen McRae Surfside 6 Wandra Drake Episode: "Double Image"; credited as Ellen McRae 1961, 1963 77 Sunset Strip Betty Benson (1961) / Sandra Keene (1963) 2 episodes; credited as Ellen McRae 1961 Cheyenne Emmy Mae Episode: "Day's Pay"; credited as Ellen McRae The Dick Powell Show Rose Maxon Episode: "Ricochet"; credited as Ellen McRae 1962, Gunsmoke Polly Mims (1962) / Amy Waters (1971) 3 episodes; credited as Ellen McRae (1962), credited as Ellen Burstyn (1971) 1962 Ben Casey Dr. Leslie Fraser (ep. 1) / Connie (ep. 2) 2 episodes; credited as Ellen McRae Bus Stop Phyllis Dunning Episode: "Cry to Heaven"; credited as Ellen McRae Checkmate Margo Episode: "The Bold and the Tough"; credited as Ellen McRae The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Dr. Donna Whittaker Episode: "A Splinter Off the Old Block"; credited as Ellen McRae Perry Mason Mona Winthrope White Episode: "The Case of the Dodging Domino"; credited as Ellen McRae The Real McCoys Dorothy Carter Episode: "The Girl Veterinarian"; credited as Ellen McRae I'm Dickens, He's Fenster Joan Episode: "Harry, the Father Image"; credited as Ellen McRae 1963 Laramie Amy Episode: "No Place to Run"; credited as Ellen McRae The Defenders Hilda Wesley Episode: "The Heathen"; credited as Ellen McRae Going My Way Louise Episode: "Hear No Evil"; credited as Ellen McRae Wagon Train Margaret Whitlow Episode: "The Jim Whitlow Story"; credited as Ellen McRae Vacation Playhouse Ellen Episode: "The Big Brain"; credited as Ellen McRae 1964 Suspense Theater Barbara / Lucille Episode: "The Deep End"; credited as Ellen McRae Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Eva Laurelton Episode: "Runaway"; credited as Ellen McRae The Greatest Show on Earth Susan Mason Episode: "Big Man from Nairobi"; credited as Ellen McRae Death Valley Days Jenny Episode: "Hastings Cut-off"; credited as Ellen McRae 1964–65 The Doctors Dr. Kate Bartok Multiple episodes; credited as Ellen McRae 1965 For the People Maria Haviland Episode: "Seized, Confined and Detained"; credited as Ellen McRae 1966 The Time Tunnel Dr. Eve Holland Episode: "Crack of Doom"; credited as Ellen McRae 1967–68 Iron Horse Julie Parsons 9 episodes; credited as Ellen McRae 1967 The Big Valley Sister Jacob Episode: "Days of Grace"; credited as Ellen McRae 1968 Insight Janet Episode: "All the Things I've Never Liked"; credited as Ellen McRae 1969 The Virginian Kate Bürden Episode: "Last Grave at Socorro Creek" 1972 The Bold Ones: The Lawyers Rachel Lambert Episode: "Lisa, I Hardly Knew You" 1974 Thursday's Game Lynne Evers Television movie 1981 The People vs. Jean Harris Jean Harris 1985 Into Thin Air Joan Walker Surviving: A Family in Crisis Tina Brogan 1986 Act of Vengeance Margaret Yablonski Something in Common Lynn Hollander 1986–87 The Ellen Burstyn Show Ellen Brewer 13 episodes 1987 Look Away Mary Todd Lincoln Television movie Pack of Lies Barbara Jackson 1990 When You Remember Me Nurse Cooder 1991 Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love Lillian "Lil" Lambert 1992 Taking Back My Life Wilma 1993 Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story Joan Delvecchio 1994 Trick of the Eye Frances Griffin Getting Gotti Jo Giaclone Getting Out Arlie's Mother 1995 Follow the River Gretel My Brother's Keeper Helen 1996 Timepiece Maud Gannon Our Son, the Matchmaker Iva Mae Longwell 1997 Flash Laura Strong A Deadly Vision Yvette Watson 1998 A Will of Their Own Veronica Steward Mini-series The Patron Saint of Liars June Clatterbuck Television movie 1999 Night Ride Home Maggie 2000 Mermaid Trish Gill Television movie 2000–02 That's Life Dolly DeLucca 34 episodes 2001 Within These Walls Joan Thomas Television movie 2003 Brush with Fate Rika 2004 The Five People You Meet in Heaven Ruby The Madam's Family: Tommie 2005 Our Fathers Mary Ryan Mrs. Harris Ex-lover No. 3 / Former Tarnower "Steady" Television movie 2006 The Book of Daniel Bishop Beatrice Congreve 8 episodes 2007 For One More Day Pauline Benetto Television movie 2007–11 Big Love Nancy Davis Dutton 6 episodes 2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Bernie Stabler Episode: "Swing" 2012 Political Animals Margaret Barrish 6 episodes Coma Mrs. Emerson 2 episodes 2014 Flowers in the Attic Olivia Foxworth Television movie Petals on the Wind Louie Evanka 5 episodes: "Elevator" Parts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 2015 Mom Shirley Stabler Episode: "Terrorists and Gingerbread" 2016 House of Cards Elizabeth Hale 5 episodes 2021–present Law & Order: Organized Crime Bernie Stabler Recurring role 2022 The First Lady Sara Roosevelt [ 3] 6 episodes 