She is most known for her work as Gwen Frame on Another World, on All My Children as the original Opal Sue Gardner, as Rebecca Whitmore on Generations, and on the sitcom Mama's Family as Naomi Harper.
Several years later, Dorothy appeared as Elly Jo Jamison, an evil relation of wealthy Orin Hillyer's, (1972-1973) on The Edge of Night, and as architect Gwen Parrish Frame (1976–1980, 1989) on Another World.
Lyman performed characters on other soap operas including Rebecca Whitmore (1990–1991) on Generations, and Bonnie Roberts (1991–1992) on The Bold and the Beautiful.
She also played Ralphie's mother in Jean Shepherd's Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss from 1988, appeared in ALF as Maura Norris in the episode "Tequila" (1988), and in Hunter as Sgt.
On the big screen, she made a cameo appearance in I Love Trouble, a film starring Nick Nolte and Julia Roberts.