Dame Judith Anderson was born Frances Margaret Anderson on February 10, 1897, in Adelaide, South Australia. Young Anderson began her acting career in Australia before moving to New York in 1918. There she established herself as one of the greatest theatre actresses and was a major star on Broadway throughout the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Her notable stage works included the role of Lady Macbeth, which she played first in the 1920s, and gave a definitive performance in Macbeth (1960 TV movie), for which she won an Emmy. Anderson's long association with Medea by Euripides began with her acclaimed stage performance in the title role of Medea, for which she won a Tony Award in 1948. In 1983 she would appear in a TV movie Medea as the supporting character of the "Nurse".

Judith Anderson made her Hollywood film debut under director Rowland Brown in a supporting role in Blood Money (1933). Her striking, not conventionally attractive features were complemented with her powerful presence, mastery of timing, and an effortless style. Anderson made a film career as a supporting character actress in several significant films, such as Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca (1940), for which she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. She worked with director Otto Preminger in Laura (1944), then with René Clair in And Then There Were None (1945). Her remarkable performance in a supporting role in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) fit in a stellar acting ensemble under director Richard Brooks

Anderson was living in Santa Barbara in her later years. She had a successful stint in Santa Barbara TV series, for which she was nominated for a Daytime Ammy Award in 1984. In the same year she appeared in Star Treck III: The Search for Spock as the High Priestess (at the age of 87), and was nominated for Saturn Award for that work. Judith Anderson died of pneumonia on January 3, 1992, in Santa Barbara, California.