In the 1990s, Gillette starred in two "Hallmark Hall of Fame" movies, "The Summer of Ben Tyler" (1996) with James Woods and "A Christmas Memory" (1997) with Patty Duke. In 2004, Gillette appeared as Miss Mitzi, the lonely alcoholic owner of a struggling dance studio in "Shall We Dance?", opposite Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon. She made several appearances as Grandma Betty on Fox's "The War at Home" (2005–2007); as Lily Flynn, the mother of criminalist Catherine Willows, in four episodes of "CSI" (2005–2007/2012); and the mother of Liz Lemon in two episodes of "30 Rock" (2007/2010). She starred in the 2006 film "Hiding Victoria".