Ellen Greene is an American actress and singer. She has had a long and varied career as a singer, particularly in cabaret, as an actress and singer in numerous stage productions, particularly musical theatre, as well as having performed in many films and television series. Her best-known screen roles are as Audrey in the

movie adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...

of '' Little Shop of Horrors'', and as Vivian Charles in the ABC series ''

Pushing Daisies ''Pushing Daisies'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007, to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to li ...

''.

Personal life

Greene was born in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

. Her mother was a guidance counselor, and her father was a dentist. Greene is

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

. She attended

W. Tresper Clarke High School W. T. Clarke High School is a high school in Salisbury, New York. It is operated by the East Meadow Union Free School District, also known as the East Meadow School District. The school serves students living in Salisbury, East Meadow, and Levit ...

Westbury, New York The Incorporated Village of Westbury is a village in the Town of North Hempstead in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. It is located about east of Manhattan. The population was 15,404 at the 2020 census. History The firs ...

. She spent summers at

Cejwin Camps Cejwin Camps was a Jewish summer camp in the Catskill Mountains, established in 1919 by the Central Jewish Institute. At its height it was "the most significant non-Hebrew Jewish cultural camp." History The camp was founded in 1919 by the Central ...

Port Jervis, New York Port Jervis is a city located at the confluence of the Neversink and Delaware rivers in western Orange County, New York, United States, north of the Delaware Water Gap. Its population was 8,775 at the 2020 census. The communities of Deerpark, ...

, 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.Ellen Greene biography
tvguide.com; accessed June 11, 2017. Her first marriage was to Tibor Hardik. She married Christian Klikovits on September 25, 2003; they have since divorced.

Career

Greene's career began as a

nightclub singer A nightclub act is a production, usually of nightclub music or comedy, designed for performance at a nightclub, a type of drinking establishment, by a nightclub performer such as a nightclub singer or nightclub dancer, whose performance may ...

in clubs such as The Brothers and Sisters,

Continental Baths The Continental Baths was a gay bathhouse in the basement of The Ansonia Hotel in New York City, which was operated from 1968-1976 by Steve Ostrow. It was advertised as reminiscent of "the glory of ancient Rome". It opened after Ostorow obser ...

, Grand Finale, and Reno Sweeney's. She received rave reviews from critics such as

Rex Reed Rex Taylor Reed (born October 2, 1938) is an American film critic, occasional actor, and television host. He writes the column "On the Town with Rex Reed" for '' The New York Observer''. Early life Reed was born on October 2, 1938, in Fort Wo ...

, George Bell, and John S. Wilson. Around this time, she befriended the late Peter Allen. Her first starring role on Broadway was as the

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

in the unsuccessful Broadway show ''

Rachael Lily Rosenbloom (And Don't You Ever Forget It) ''Rachael Lily Rosenbloom (And Don't You Ever Forget It)'' is a musical with a book by Paul Jabara and Tom Eyen, music by Jabara, and lyrics by Jabara, David Debin, and Paul Issa. The convoluted plot revolves around the misadventures of the tit ...

'', which had 7 previews in 1973 but closed before officially opening. She then played the starring role of Chrissy in

Joseph Papp Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan. There Papp created ...

's production of ''

In the Boom Boom Room ''In the Boom Boom Room'' is a play by David Rabe. The play follows a young go-go dancer who has a difficult relationship with her parents. Plot summary Chrissy arrives in 1960s Philadelphia with the dream of becoming a successful dancer. Despe ...

'' at the Off-Broadway

Public Theatre The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: An American Li ...

in November to December 1974. Her reviews brought her to the attention of

Paul Mazursky Irwin Lawrence "Paul" Mazursky (April 25, 1930 – June 30, 2014) was an American film director, screenwriter, and actor. Known for his dramatic comedies that often dealt with modern social issues, he was nominated for five Academy Awards: three t ...

, who was at that time casting ''

Next Stop, Greenwich Village ''Next Stop, Greenwich Village'' is a 1976 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Paul Mazursky, featuring Lenny Baker, Shelley Winters, Ellen Greene, Lois Smith, and Christopher Walken. Plot The film takes place in 1953. Larry Lipin ...

'' (1976). She was cast in the role of Sarah, her first starring role in a film. Continuing her work with Papp's

New York Shakespeare Festival Shakespeare in the Park (or Free Shakespeare in the Park) is a theatrical program that stages productions of Shakespearean plays at the Delacorte Theater, an open-air theater in New York City's Central Park. The theater and the productions ar ...

, Greene next played the role of Jenny in ''

The Three Penny Opera ''The Threepenny Opera'' ( ) is a " play with music" by Bertolt Brecht, adapted from a translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann of John Gay's 18th-century English ballad opera, ''The Beggar's Opera'', and four ballads by François Villon, with music ...

'' (1976) at the

Vivian Beaumont Theater The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theater in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Operated by the nonprofit Lincoln Center Theater (LCT), the Beaumont is the only Bro ...

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...

, for which she was nominated for a 1977

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

, Featured Actress In A Musical. 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 Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...

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'' (1982), a role she reprised in the film version opposite

Rick Moranis Frederick Allan Moranis (; born April 18, 1953) is a Canadian actor, comedian, musician, songwriter, writer and producer. He appeared in the sketch comedy series ''Second City Television'' (''SCTV'') in the 1980s and several Hollywood films, inc ...

. Greene has worked extensively in theater, such as the part of Suzanne/The Little Rose in ''

The Little Prince and the Aviator ''The Little Prince and the Aviator'' is a musical with a book by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Don Black, and music by John Barry. Based on the classic book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the musical deviates from the original in that aviator Toni, wh ...

'' (1981). She has worked in films such as ''

I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can ''I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can'' is a 1982 American biographical film directed by Jack Hofsiss and starring Jill Clayburgh. The screenplay by David Rabe is based on the memoir of the same title by Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Barbara G ...

'' (1982), ''

Léon Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again fro ...

'', ''

Talk Radio Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often featu ...

'' (1987), and '' Pump Up the Volume'' (1990). She has appeared on television in, among other programs, ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs, two M ...

'', ''

The Adventures of Pete and Pete ''The Adventures of Pete & Pete'' is an American comedy television series created by Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi for Nickelodeon. It centers around two brothers, both named Pete Wrigley, and their humorous and surreal adventures in suburbia ...

'', ''

Cybill ''Cybill'' is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre, which aired on CBS from January 2, 1995, to July 13, 1998. Starring Cybill Shepherd, the show revolves around the life of Cybill Sheridan, a twice-divorced single mother of tw ...

'', '' Law & Order'', ''

Suddenly Susan ''Suddenly Susan'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from September 19, 1996, to December 26, 2000. The series was created by Clyde Phillips and starred Brooke Shields in her first regular series. Shields played Susan Keane, ...

'', ''

The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter. The series revolves around Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), who ...

'', and ''

Heroes Heroes or Héroes may refer to: * Hero, one who displays courage and self-sacrifice for the greater good Film * ''Heroes'' (1977 film), an American drama * ''Heroes'' (2008 film), an Indian Hindi film Gaming * ''Heroes of Might and Magic'' ...

''. In 1983 she was the voice of Creeping Ivy in the animated TV special ''

The Magic of Herself the Elf ''The Magic of Herself the Elf'' (also known by its on-screen title, ''The Special Magic of Herself the Elf'') is a 1983 American animated television special that premiered in the United States on July 30, 1983 in broadcast syndication. The specia ...

''. Greene released an album in 2004 entitled ''In His Eyes'', on which she was accompanied by her husband and musical director, Christian Klikovits. Other work includes the role of Vivian Charles on the television series ''

'' (2007) and the voice of Dolly Gopher in the animated ''

Out of Jimmy's Head ''Out of Jimmy's Head'' (abbreviated as ''OOJH'') is an American teen sitcom. It was advertised as the first Cartoon Network original series in its genre, and is based on the network's 2006 film '' Re-Animated''. The series was produced by Cart ...

''. Greene was the voice of the

Priscilla Presley Priscilla Ann Presley ( Wagner, changed by adoption to Beaulieu; born May 24, 1945) is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the former wife of American singer Elvis Presley, as well as co-founder and former chairwoman of Elvis Presley ...

type of character Goldie in the

Don Bluth Donald Virgil Bluth (; born September 13, 1937) is an American film director, animator, production designer, and animation instructor, best known for his animated films, including '' The Secret of NIMH'' (1982), '' An American Tail'' (1986), ''Th ...

film '' Rock-a-Doodle'' (1991). In July and August 2009, Greene starred as Miss Adelaide in a concert version of the musical ''

Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also bo ...

'', which had a 3-day engagement at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. Her co-stars included

Scott Bakula Scott Stewart Bakula (; born October 9, 1954) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in two science-fiction television series: as Sam Beckett on '' Quantum Leap'' and as Captain Jonathan Archer on '' Star Trek: Enterprise''. For ''Quantu ...

as Nathan Detroit, Brian Stokes Mitchell as Sky Masterson, and

Jessica Biel Jessica Claire Timberlake ( née Biel ; born March 3, 1982) is an American actress and model. She has received various accolades, including a Young Artist Award, and nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. Bie ...

as Sarah Brown.Gans, Andrew
" 'Luck Be a Lady': 'Guys and Dolls' in Concert Plays the Hollywood Bowl July 31-Aug. 2"
Playbill, July 31, 2009 In 2011, she appeared in five episodes on the soap opera ''

The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, ...

'' as Primrose DeVille. Greene performed in the musical ''

Betwixt! ''Betwixt!'' is a musical comedy conceived and written by Ian McFarlane. It also played a concert version in the West End at the Ambassadors Theatre. Production History 2008 London Fringe The show premiered in The King's Head Theatre London ...

'' at the

Trafalgar Studios Trafalgar Theatre is a new West End theatre in Whitehall, near Trafalgar Square, in the City of Westminster, London. It is set to open in spring 2021 following a major multi-million pound restoration project aiming to reinstate it back to its ...

in London's West End from July 26 to August 20, 2011.Shenton, Mark
"Ellen Greene Is 'Betwixt!' in New London Musical, Opening July 28"
Playbill, July 28, 2011 She appeared in two episodes of the new ABC Family show ''

Bunheads ''Bunheads '' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Lamar Damon that aired on ABC Family from June 11, 2012, to February 25, 2013. Starring Sutton Foster, the show centers on a Las Vegas showgirl who g ...

'' (2012), alongside

Sutton Foster Sutton Lenore Foster (born March 18, 1975) is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is known for her work on the Broadway stage, for which she has won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical twice, in 2002 for her role as Millie Di ...

and

Kelly Bishop Carole "Kelly" Bishop (born February 28, 1944) is an American actress and dancer, best known for her roles as matriarch Emily Gilmore on the series ''Gilmore Girls'' and as Marjorie Houseman, the mother of Jennifer Grey's Frances "Baby" Housema ...

. She portrayed Doctor Gale Macones in ''The Walking Dead Webisodes: The Oath''. In 2015, Greene 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. Aged 64 at the time, there was a wide 30-year age gap between her and the show's male lead,

Jake Gyllenhaal Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal (; ; born December 19, 1980) is an American actor. Born into the Gyllenhaal family, he is the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, and his older sister is actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. He ...

, 34. Greene performed in the

2016 Democratic National Convention The 2016 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention, held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 25 to 28, 2016. The convention gathered delegates of the Democratic Party, the majo ...

's "Fight Song" video.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Sources: Internet Off-Broadway Database; Playbill Vault *''

'' (1973) (never officially opened)''Rachael Lily Rosenbloom (And Don't You Ever Forget It)''
Playbill (vault), retrieved November 2017 *''

'' (1974) (Off-Broadway) *''

The Threepenny Opera ''The Threepenny Opera'' ( ) is a " play with music" by Bertolt Brecht, adapted from a translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann of John Gay's 18th-century English ballad opera, '' The Beggar's Opera'', and four ballads by François Villon, with mu ...

'' (1976) (Broadway) *''The Threepenny Opera'' (1977) (

Delacorte Theater The Delacorte Theater is a 1,800-seat open-air theater in Central Park, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is home to the Public Theater's free Shakespeare in the Park productions. Over five million people have attended more than 15 ...

) (return engagement) *''

Funny Face ''Funny Face'' is a 1957 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Stanley Donen and written by Leonard Gershe, containing assorted songs by George and Ira Gershwin. Although having the same title as the 1927 Broadway musical ''Funny ...

'' (1978) ( Studio Arena Theater) *'' Teeth 'n' Smiles'' (1979) (Off-Broadway) *''Wake Up, It's Time to Go to Bed'' (1979) (Off-Broadway) by Carson Kievma

*''

They're Playing Our Song ''They're Playing Our Song'' is a musical with a book by Neil Simon, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, and music by Marvin Hamlisch. In a story based on the real-life relationship of Hamlisch and Sager, a wisecracking composer finds a new, offbeat ...

'' (1979) (US national tour) *''

'' (1982) (never officially opened) *'' Little Shop of Horrors'' (1982) (Off-Off Broadway showcase, Off-Broadway and London) *''Starting Monday'' (1990) (Off-Broadway) *''Weird Romance'' (1992) (Off-Broadway) *''

Three Men on a Horse ''Three Men on a Horse'' is a three-act farce co-authored by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott. The comedy focuses on a man who discovers he has a talent for choosing the winning horse in a race as long as he never places a bet himself. Originally ...

'' (1993) (Broadway) *'' Oliver!'' (1997) (

North Shore Music Theatre North Shore Music Theatre is the largest operating regional theater in New England. It is located in Beverly, Massachusetts and is one of the few remaining theatre-in-the-round stages left in the United States. The theater is owned by Massachuset ...

) *''The First Picture Show'' (1999) (San Francisco) *''A Broadway Diva Christmas'' (2005) ( Women's Project) *''

'' (2009) ( Hollywood Bowl concert) *''

'' (2011) (London)''Betwixt!''
officiallondontheatre.com, retrieved November 24, 2017 *'' Little Shop of Horrors'' (2015) ( Encores! Off-Center)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Greene, Ellen 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers Actresses from New York City American film actresses American musical theatre actresses Jewish American actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Living people People from Brooklyn People from Nassau County, New York Nightclub performers Singers from New York City 21st-century American Jews Year of birth missing (living people)