She had supporting roles in Cancel My Reservation (1972), The All-American Boy (1973), and Trackdown (1976), and appeared in Good Guys Wear Black (1978), Paradise Alley (1978), and Hero at Large (1980).

She played the eponymous actress in The Trial of Jane Fonda at the 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and had recurring roles on television shows such as Boston Public (2003), It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2006), and Ghost Whisperer (2006–2008).

[1] Archer continued to appear in feature films, including Good Guys Wear Black (1978) starring Chuck Norris, Paradise Alley (1978) opposite Sylvester Stallone, and Hero at Large (1980), co-starring John Ritter.

In 1983, she moved to television with a leading role in the short-lived NBC drama series The Family Tree, playing a divorced woman with three children.

[14] In 1985, she joined the cast of CBS primetime soap opera Falcon Crest, playing manipulative businesswoman Cassandra Wilder for one year.

The film became a huge box-office success, and Archer was nominated for a BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Beth Gallagher.

She starred alongside Harrison Ford in the 1992 spy thriller film Patriot Games and its sequel Clear and Present Danger (1994).

In 1993, she starred opposite Madonna and Willem Dafoe in the erotic thriller Body of Evidence; the film was widely panned and at the 14th Golden Raspberry Awards, Archer received nomination for Worst Supporting Actress.

Her other notable film credits include Man of the House (2005) opposite Tommy Lee Jones, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009; also featured her former Fatal Attraction co-star Michael Douglas, although they shared no scenes together), and Lullaby (2014).