She made several appearances on Star Trek: The Original Series, Mannix and Murder, She Wrote and had a recurring role in the CBS prime time soap opera, Dallas from 1978 to 1982.

The following years she made many guest-starring appearances on television, notable in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis as a cousin to the rich boy nemesis of the title character.

She appeared in a number of made-for-television movies and miniseries in 1970s, including The Last Child (1971), Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A. (1977), The Survival of Dana (1979) and Salem's Lot (1979).

She had supporting roles in films Bang the Drum Slowly (1973), Chosen Survivors (1974), The Black Marble (1980), Back Roads (1981), The Lords of Discipline (1983), and That Was Then...

In 1981, Babcock received critical acclaim for playing Grace Gardner in the NBC police drama series Hill Street Blues.

[5] During 1980s, Babcock also guest-starred on Cheers, Hotel, Remington Steele, and starred in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents — receiving the 1987 CableACE Award for Outstanding Actress in a Dramatic Series.

[7] In 2000, Babcock made her final big screen appearance in the science fiction film Space Cowboys with Clint Eastwood and James Garner.

[9] In 1982, Babcock and actress Susan Bjurman received U.S. patent 4,344,446 for a combination solid stick scalp cleanser and hair shampoo-conditioner gel that they developed.