by Marcia Studley

Created on: March 21, 2009   Last Updated: March 22, 2009

Who are the top ten TV actresses of all time? That's a hefty question, and it's one that comes without a lot of boundaries. Are we talking any woman who has appeared on TV and then gone on to do great things? Are we talking about women who have had roles that have strongly impacted or mirrored our culture and times? Or are we talking about actresses who have simply had long, successful careers that have spanned decades on the small screen? It's hard to know how to answer the question without knowing the intent. Therefore, for me, I'm going to answer the question by choosing women who have had a strong impact on television, actresses who when you say their name, you think television. This will eliminate some otherwise strong contenders who you might otherwise see on the list. That said, there may be one or two surprises on my list, actresses with strong careers outside of television. After all, any list is bound to have some subjectivity to it.

Here are ten women who have brought their special magic to television:

10) Imogene Coca

Many people today probably are asking, "Who?" This pioneer of television was one of the first woman to appear on TV, and she made early comedy a success, especially with her appearances on the show of her own name, Your Show of Shows, The Sid Caesar Show, and Grindl. People today also still recall her cave-woman appearances in It's About Time.

9) Shirley Booth

Shirley was highly successful in films, and then she came to television as the affable Hazel. She won our hearts and made an impact for an era. It's for Hazel that Booth is most remembered now, and the show is highly sought after on DVD.

8) Doris Day

Doris is probably one of the exceptions to the criteria for my list. She was a box office giant in her hey day in movies, but her career ended with her years on television. What makes The Doris Day Show unique is that Doris changed the premise of her show several times over the years it was on, and the fans kept watching. In fact, the show ended because she was ready to retire, not because the network didn't want her. In year one, Doris played a widow with two children, living on a farm. In the last year, she was a city gal, a hip and on the go magazine writer and woman. Doris made her show relevant to the TV era of the day, and that makes her a TV giant.

7) Barbara Stanwyck

Stanwyck is another of my exceptions. She had a great career in movies, but like Doris Day, she spent the last several years doing notable television. She was a senior

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