Nolan began her acting career at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California, and, while a student at Los Angeles City College, made her radio debut in 1932 in Omar Khayyam, the first transcontinental broadcast from station KHJ.
She continued acting into the 1990s.

She appeared regularly in several radio series, including  Young Doctor Malone, 1939–1940;  Cavalcade of America, 1940–1941; Nicolette Moore in One Man's Family, 1947–1950; and The Great Gildersleeve, 1949-1952.
 She appeared episodically in many more.

She made her film debut as Lady Macbeth in Orson Welles' 1948 film Macbeth, based on Shakespeare's play of the same name.
Despite the fact that she and the film received withering reviews at the time, Nolan's film career flourished in largely supporting roles.
Viewers of film noir may know her best as the corrupt wife of a dead (and equally corrupt) police officer in Fritz Lang's The Big Heat.

Nolan made more than three hundred television appearances, including the religion anthology series, Crossroads and as Dr. Marion in the 1956 episode "The Healer" in Brian Keith's CBS Cold War series, Crusader.
She appeared on Rod Cameron's syndicated series, State Trooper.
Nolan was cast as Emmy Zecker in the 1959 episode "Johnny Yuma" of the ABC western series, The Rebel, starring Nick Adams.
She appeared in two episodes of David Janssen's crime drama, Richard Diamond, Private Detective.
 She starred as Maggie Bowers in the Peter Gunn episode "Love Me to Death" in 1959.
 She played Sadie Grimes in Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode titled "The Right Kind of House" which first aired March 9, 1958 and Mrs.
Edith in "Coming Home" June 13, 1961.

From 1959 to 1960, she played Annette Deveraux, part-owner of the hotel in the CBS western series, Hotel de Paree, with Earl Holliman.
In 1960, she appeared in season 4, episode 7, of Richard Boone's Have Gun – Will Travel as a newly widowed sheriff.
Also, in 1962, season 5, episode 24, as the lost mother  of an Eastern school girl.
She appeared in two other episodes.
She was cast in other western films, including The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch (1982).

Nolan made six guest appearances on CBS's Perry Mason, including the role of murderer Mrs. Kirby in the 1958 episode, "The Case of the Fugitive Nurse," murderer Emma Benson in the 1960 episode, "The Case of the Nine Dolls," Martha Blair in the 1962 episode "The Case of the Counterfeit Crank," title character and murderer Nellie in the 1964 episode, "The Case of the Betrayed Bride," and defendant Emma Ritter in the 1965 episode, "The Case of the Fugitive Fraulein."
She portrayed Janet Picard in the episode "Woman in the River" of the ABC/Warner Brothers detective series Bourbon Street Beat, starring Andrew Duggan.
She gave an over-the-top performance as a crazed old woman in the "Parasite Mansion" episode of NBC's Thriller.

On April 27, 1962, she appeared in the episode "A Book of Faces" on another ABC crime drama, Target: The Corruptors!,
starring Stephen McNally and Robert Harland.
She guest starred as Claire Farnham in the episode "To Love Is to Live" on the psychiatric medical drama The Eleventh Hour.
She was cast as a fortune teller, Mme.
Di Angelo, in the 1963 episode "The Black-Robed Ghost" of the anthology series, GE True, hosted by Jack Webb.

She was a member of the repertory cast of The Richard Boone Show, appearing in 13 episodes.

In 1963, Nolan was cast as Mrs. Mertens in the episode "Reformation of Willie" on the ABC drama series, Going My Way, starring Gene Kelly as a Roman Catholic priest in New York City.
Coincidentally, Going My Way followed the western series Wagon Train on the ABC schedule.
Nolan herself appeared three times on Wagon Train, in which her husband, John McIntire, co-starred as wagon master Chris Hale from 1961-65.

In 1963, Nolan also guest-starred as Sister Therese in the episode "Infant of Prague" on ABC's World War II series, Combat!.

Nolan guest-starred three times from 1963–64 on Dr. Kildare, and in a 1964 episode of Richard Crenna's short-lived Slattery's People, a political drama series on CBS.
Nolan began her acting career at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California, and, while a student at Los Angeles City College, made her radio debut in 1932 in Omar Khayyam, the first transcontinental broadcast from station KHJ. She continued acting into the 1990s.
She appeared regularly in several radio series, including  Young Doctor Malone, 1939–1940;  Cavalcade of America, 1940–1941; Nicolette Moore in One Man's Family, 1947–1950; and The Great Gildersleeve, 1949-1952.  She appeared episodically in many more.
She made her film debut as Lady Macbeth in Orson Welles' 1948 film Macbeth, based on Shakespeare's play of the same name. Despite the fact that she and the film received withering reviews at the time, Nolan's film career flourished in largely supporting roles. Viewers of film noir may know her best as the corrupt wife of a dead (and equally corrupt) police officer in Fritz Lang's The Big Heat.
Nolan made more than three hundred television appearances, including the religion anthology series, Crossroads and as Dr. Marion in the 1956 episode "The Healer" in Brian Keith's CBS Cold War series, Crusader. She appeared on Rod Cameron's syndicated series, State Trooper. Nolan was cast as Emmy Zecker in the 1959 episode "Johnny Yuma" of the ABC western series, The Rebel, starring Nick Adams. She appeared in two episodes of David Janssen's crime drama, Richard Diamond, Private Detective.  She starred as Maggie Bowers in the Peter Gunn episode "Love Me to Death" in 1959.  She played Sadie Grimes in Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode titled "The Right Kind of House" which first aired March 9, 1958 and Mrs.Edith in "Coming Home" June 13, 1961.
From 1959 to 1960, she played Annette Deveraux, part-owner of the hotel in the CBS western series, Hotel de Paree, with Earl Holliman. In 1960, she appeared in season 4, episode 7, of Richard Boone's Have Gun – Will Travel as a newly widowed sheriff. Also, in 1962, season 5, episode 24, as the lost mother  of an Eastern school girl. She appeared in two other episodes. She was cast in other western films, including The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch (1982).
Nolan made six guest appearances on CBS's Perry Mason, including the role of murderer Mrs. Kirby in the 1958 episode, "The Case of the Fugitive Nurse," murderer Emma Benson in the 1960 episode, "The Case of the Nine Dolls," Martha Blair in the 1962 episode "The Case of the Counterfeit Crank," title character and murderer Nellie in the 1964 episode, "The Case of the Betrayed Bride," and defendant Emma Ritter in the 1965 episode, "The Case of the Fugitive Fraulein." She portrayed Janet Picard in the episode "Woman in the River" of the ABC/Warner Brothers detective series Bourbon Street Beat, starring Andrew Duggan. She gave an over-the-top performance as a crazed old woman in the "Parasite Mansion" episode of NBC's Thriller.
On April 27, 1962, she appeared in the episode "A Book of Faces" on another ABC crime drama, Target: The Corruptors!, starring Stephen McNally and Robert Harland. She guest starred as Claire Farnham in the episode "To Love Is to Live" on the psychiatric medical drama The Eleventh Hour. She was cast as a fortune teller, Mme. Di Angelo, in the 1963 episode "The Black-Robed Ghost" of the anthology series, GE True, hosted by Jack Webb.
She was a member of the repertory cast of The Richard Boone Show, appearing in 13 episodes.
In 1963, Nolan was cast as Mrs. Mertens in the episode "Reformation of Willie" on the ABC drama series, Going My Way, starring Gene Kelly as a Roman Catholic priest in New York City. Coincidentally, Going My Way followed the western series Wagon Train on the ABC schedule. Nolan herself appeared three times on Wagon Train, in which her husband, John McIntire, co-starred as wagon master Chris Hale from 1961-65. 
In 1963, Nolan also guest-starred as Sister Therese in the episode "Infant of Prague" on ABC's World War II series, Combat!.
Nolan guest-starred three times from 1963–64 on Dr. Kildare, and in a 1964 episode of Richard Crenna's short-lived Slattery's People, a political drama series on CBS. 
Jeanette Nolan