Ellen Greene

Ellen Greene

Photo of Ellen Greene from film Glory! Glory! (1989)

Greene in Glory! Glory! (1989)
Born (1951-02-22) February 22, 1951
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Occupation Singer, actress
Years active 1973–present
Spouse(s) Tibor Hardik (1990–1997; divorced)
Christian Klikovits (2003–2007; divorced)
Website www.ellengreene.com

Ellen Greene (born February 22, 1951) is an American singer and actress. Greene has had a long and varied career as a singer, particularly in cabaret, as an actress and singer in numerous stage productions,[1] particularly musical theatre, as well as having performed in many films—notably Little Shop of Horrors—and television series. From 2007 to 2009, she starred as Vivian Charles on the ABC series, Pushing Daisies.

Personal life

Greene was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her mother was a guidance counselor, and her father was a dentist.[2] Greene is Jewish.[3] She attended W. Tresper Clarke High School, in Westbury, New York. She spent summers at Cejwin Camps in Port Jervis, New York, where she performed in musical theatre productions, including the role of Tzeitel in a 1966 production of Fiddler on the Roof. She had a relationship with puppeteer Martin P. Robinson.[4] Her first marriage was to Tibor Hardik. She married Christian Klikovits on September 25, 2003; they have since divorced.[5]

Career

Greene's career began as a nightclub singer in clubs such as The Brothers and Sisters, Grand Finale, and Reno Sweeney. She received rave reviews from critics such as Rex Reed, George Bell, and John S. Wilson. Around this time, she befriended the late Peter Allen. Her first starring role was as the lead in the notorious Broadway bomb, Rachael Lily Rosenbloom (And Don't You Ever Forget It) (1973), which co-starred Anita Morris.

She then won the starring role of Chrissy in Joseph Papp's production of In the Boom Boom Room. Her reviews brought her to the attention of Paul Mazursky who was at that time casting Next Stop, Greenwich Village; she got the role of Sarah, her first starring role in a film. Continuing her work with Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival, Greene next essayed the role of Jenny in The Three Penny Opera at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in Lincoln Center for which her performance was nominated for a Tony Award.

In addition to a number of other productions with the New York Shakespeare Festival and numerous other companies, Greene formed a close working relationship with the WPA Theatre, where she met Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. Their close, long-lasting friendship led to, among other productions, the role for which she is perhaps most-widely known, that of the hapless Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, a role she reprised in the film version opposite Rick Moranis.

Greene has worked extensively in theater, such as the part of Suzanne/The Little Rose in The Little Prince and the Aviator, as well as in films such as I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can, Léon, Talk Radio, and Pump Up the Volume. She has appeared on television in Miami Vice, Glory! Glory!, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Cybill, Law & Order, Suddenly Susan, The X-Files, Mystery Woman: Sing Me a Murder, Fielder’s Choice, and Heroes. In 1983 she was the voice of Creeping Ivy in the animated TV special The Magic of Herself the Elf.

Greene released an album in 2004 entitled In His Eyes, on which she was accompanied by her husband and musical director, Christian Klikovits. Her latest work includes the role of Vivian Charles on the television series, Pushing Daisies, and the voice of Dolly Gopher in the animated Out of Jimmy's Head. Greene was also the voice of the Priscilla Presley type of character Goldie in the Don Bluth film Rock-a-Doodle.

In the summer of 2009, Greene starred as Miss Adelaide in a concert version of the Broadway musical Guys and Dolls, which had a 3-day engagement at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. Her co-stars included Scott Bakula as Nathan Detroit, theatre veteran and Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell as Sky Masterson, and Jessica Biel as Sarah Brown. In 2011, she appeared in five episodes on the soap opera, The Young and the Restless, as Primrose DeVille.[6]

Greene performed in the musical Betwixt! at the Trafalgar Studios in London's West End from July 26 to August 20, 2011. She also recently appeared in two episodes of the new ABC Family show, Bunheads, alongside Sutton Foster and Kelly Bishop. She also recently portrays Doctor Gale Macones in The Walking Dead Webisodes: The Oath[7]

In 2015, she reprised her signature role as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors in the staged concert at the New York City Center as part of their Encores! Off-Center Series.[8]

Greene performed in the 2016 Democratic National Convention's "Fight Song" video.[9]

Filmography

Greene (left) with fellow Pushing Daisies star Swoosie Kurtz
Film
Year Film Role Notes
1976 Next Stop, Greenwich Village Sarah Roth
1978 The Rock Rainbow Jess TV movie
1982 I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can Karen Mulligan
1983 The Special Magic of Herself the Elf Creeping Ivy (voice) TV movie
1986 Little Shop of Horrors Audrey
1988 Superman 50th Anniversary Ariel Dickenson TV documentary
1988 Me and Him Annette Uttanzi
1988 Talk Radio Ellen
1989 Glory! Glory! Ruth TV movie
1989 Dinner at Eight Kitty Packard TV movie
1990 Pump Up the Volume Jan Emerson
1991 Rock-a-Doodle Goldie (voice)
1991 Stepping Out Maxine
1992 Fathers & Sons Judy
1994 Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult Louise
1994 Wagons East! Belle
1994 Léon: The Professional Mathilda's Mother
1995 Killer: A Journal of Murder Elizabeth Wyatt
1996 An Occasional Hell Della
1996 One Fine Day Mrs. Elaine Lieberman
1997 States of Control Carol
1998 Jaded Louise Smith
2001 Alex in Wonder Clarice Markov
2003 The Cooler Doris
2003 Love Object Typing Supervisor
2005 Mystery Woman: Sing Me a Murder Carly TV movie
2005 Fielder's Choice Jill TV movie
2006 Re-Animated Dolly Gopher (voice) TV movie
2010 Privileged Mrs. Rothman
Television
1977 Seventh Avenue Paula TV mini-series
1985 Miami Vice Darlene Episode: "Made for Each Other"
1989 CBS Summer Playhouse Sally Maggio Episode: "Road Show"
1994 The Adventures of Pete & Pete Abilene Jones Episode: "Time Tunnel"
1995 Cybill Sharon 2 episodes
1995 Law & Order Karen Gaines Episode: "Bitter Fruit"
1997 Dellaventura Elizabeth Brodkin Episode: "Above Reproach"
2000 Suddenly Susan Harriet Graham Episode: "The Break Up"
2002 The X Files Vicki Louise Burdick Episode: "Improbable"
2002 Crossing Jordan Mrs. Dunham Episode: "Secrets & Lies: Part 2"
2007–08 Out of Jimmy's Head Dolly Gopher / Golly Gopher (voice) 13 episodes
2007–09 Pushing Daisies Vivian Charles 22 episodes
2007-09 Heroes Virginia Gray 3 episodes
2009 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Mrs. Manface (voice) Episode: "Night of the Huntress!"
2011 The Young and the Restless Primrose DeVille 11 episodes
2011 Pound Puppies Gertrude Washburn (voice) Episode: "Olaf in Love"
2012 Bunheads Fanny's Friend 2 episodes
2013 Hannibal Mrs. Komeda Episode: Sorbet
2013 The Walking Dead: The Oath Doctor Gale Macones Episode: Parts 2 and 3

Stage work

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated Work Result
1977 Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical[11] The Threepenny Opera Nominated
1983 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical[12] Little Shop of Horrors Nominated
Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress in a Musical Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Ellen Greene at the Internet Broadway Database
  2. ↑ "Ellen Greene Biography (1950?-)". Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "Gay Mens Chorus - Ellen Greene - Gay Holiday News - The Blade". Washington Blade: Gay News, Politics, LGBT Rights. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  4. ↑ Ellen Greene biography, TV Guide
  5. ↑ "Ever Greene". Metro Weekly. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Ellen Greene Soaps Up for a Gig on The Young and the Restless". TVGuide.com. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  7. ↑ "Watch "The Walking Dead" Season 4 Webisodes Online NowAll That's Epic - Epic Cosplay, Gaming, Comic-Con, Movies, Anime and More". All That's Epic - Epic Cosplay, Gaming, Comic-Con, Movies, Anime and More. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  8. ↑ Schulman, Michael. "Eternally Audrey" The New Yorker, July 6, 2015
  9. ↑ McDermott, Maeve (July 27, 2016). "Hillary Clinton's celeb supporters unite for 'Fight Song' DNC video". USA Today. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  10. ↑ McGrath, Sean. "Ellen Greene Picked for Picture Show at San Fran's ACT, May 6-June 6" Playbill, April 7, 1999
  11. ↑ "Search Past Tony Award Winners and Nominees - TonyAwards.com - The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards® - Official Website by IBM". TonyAwards.com. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  12. ↑ "Drama Desk". Retrieved 13 February 2016.

External links


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