McConnell was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is the former Miss Pennsylvania for the year 1965, and she competed in the 1966 Miss America pageant. She started her acting career in a 1967 episode of Judd, for the Defense. Also, in 1967, she played Yeoman Tankris in Star Trek the Original Series, "A Wolf in the Fold."

She later played short-term recurring roles on The Beverly Hillbillies (as a bank secretary) in 1969 and Green Acres (as Eb's girlfriend) in 1970-71. She played Betsy Nicholls in a 1970 episode of Dragnet.

Prior to her stints as Valerie Conway on As the World Turns from 1976-79 and as Sophia Capwell on Santa Barbara, Judith played Nurse Augusta McLeod on General Hospital from 1973-75. Her character murdered longtime GH villain Phil Brewer which aired December 6, 1974 after he threatened her in regards to her unborn child fathered by the married Dr. Peter Taylor.

Moving to New York, McConnell took on the role of scheming Valerie Conway on As the World Turns, and later played socialite Miranda Bishop on Another World. A brief role as spy Eva Vasquez on One Life to Live came about in 1983, after which she moved back to Los Angeles to replace Rosemary Forsyth on Santa Barbara.

McConnell has guest-starred on numerous television series throughout the years and some films. She recently appeared in a commercial for IKEA, in The Weather Man in 2005, and played the elderly auctioneer in The Purge: Anarchy, and most recently, appeared in a commercial for Walgreens.