DeGENERES, Ellen 1958–

PERSONAL

Surname pronounced "duh–gen–er–es"; full name, Ellen Lee DeGeneres; born January 26, 1958, in Jefferson Parish (some sources cite Metairie or New Orleans), LA; raised in Louisiana and Texas; daughter of Elliott (an insurance agent) and Betty (a speech therapist) DeGeneres; sister of Vance DeGeneres (a comedian and television writer). Education: Attended University of New Orleans.

Addresses: Agent—International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211. Manager—Mosaic Media Group, 9200 Sunset Blvd., 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90069. Publicist—I/D PR, 8409 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069.

Career: Comedienne, actress, producer, and writer. Clyde's Comedy Club, New Orleans, LA, mistress of ceremonies, 1981; performed standup comedy throughout the 1980s; Walt Disney World, appeared in "Ellen's Energy Crisis" (exhibit on energy) at Universe of Energy Pavilion, Epcot Center. Also worked as a bartender, legal secretary, oyster shucker, clothing salesperson, house painter, waitress, and vacuum salesperson.

Awards, Honors: Named funniest person in America by Showtime cable television network, 1982; Annual Cable Excellence (ACE) Award nomination, National Cable Television Association, 1989, for Command Performance: One Night Stand; American Comedy Award, best female comedy club standup, 1991; American Comedy Award, 1995, for The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards; ACE Award, c. 1994, for VH1 Honors; Golden Apple, female discovery of the year, Hollywood Women's Press Club, 1995; Emmy Award (with others), outstanding writing for a comedy series, 1997, and Television Award, episodic comedy category, Writers Guild of America, 1998, both for "The Puppy Episode," Ellen; People's Choice Award, favorite female in a new television series, 1995, Emmy Award nominations, outstanding lead actress in a comedy series, 1995, 1996, and 1997, Golden Globe Award nominations, best actress in a comedy or musical television series, 1995, 1996, and 1998, Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, outstanding performance by an actress in a comedy series, 1995, 1997, and 1998, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a television series—comedy or musical, Q Award nomination, best actress in a quality comedy series, Viewers for Quality Television, 1998, Golden Satellite Award, best performance by an actress in a television series—comedy or musical, American Comedy Award nomination, funniest lead actress in a television series, 1999, all for Ellen; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program, 1996, for The 38th Annual Grammy Awards; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding guest actress in a comedy series, 1997, for The Larry Sanders Show; Stephen F. Kolzak Award, GLAAD Media Awards, 1998; American Comedy Award nomination, funniest female performer in a TV Special (leading or supporting) network, cable or syndication, 1999, for 1998 VH1 Fashion Awards; American Comedy Award nomination, funniest female guest appearance on a television series, 1999, for The Larry Sanders Show; Emmy Award nomination (with others), outstanding made–for–television movie, 2000, for If These Walls Could Talk 2; Emmy Award nominations, outstanding variety, music or comedy special (with others) and outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program, American Comedy Award, funniest female performer in a TV Special (leading or supporting) network, cable or syndication, 2001, all for Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning; Blimp Award, favorite voice from an animated movie, Kids' Choice Awards, MTV Movie Award nomination, best comedic performance, Annie Award, outstanding voice acting in an animated feature production, Saturn Award, best supporting actress, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, 2004, all for Finding Nemo; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program, 2004, for Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now; Daytime Emmy Award (with others), outstanding talk show, and Daytime Emmy Award nominations, outstanding special class writing (with others) and outstanding talk show host, 2004, all for Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

Margo Van Meter, Open House, Fox, 1989–1990.

Nancy MacIntyre, Laurie Hill, ABC, 1992.

Ellen Morgan (title role), Ellen (also known as These Friends of Mine), ABC, 1994–1998.

Ellen Richmond (title role), The Ellen Show, CBS, 2001–2002.

Host, Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show, syndicated, 2003—.

Also appeared in One Night Stand.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Kal, "2000," If These Walls Could Talk 2, HBO, 2000.

Operator, "Reaching Normal," On the Edge, Showtime, 2001.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Comedy performer, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, NBC, 1986, 1987, 1989.

"San Francisco," Comic Strip Live, 1990.

The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.

Herself, Storytime, PBS, 1994.

Marriage counselor, "The Blaming of the Shrew," Roseanne, ABC, 1995.

Herself, "Ellen, or Isn't She?" The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1996.

Herself, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, 1996.

Nancy Bloom, "The Finale," Mad about You, NBC, 1998.

Herself, The Howard Stern Show, 1998.

Herself, "Flip," The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1998.

Herself, Larry King Live, CNN, 2000.

Herself, The Howard Stern Radio Show, syndicated, 2000.

Sister Louise, "My Uncle the Car," Will & Grace, NBC, 2001.

Host, Saturday Night Live, NBC, 2001.

Herself, Comic Remix, 2002.

Herself, "Paintball," The Anna Nicole Show, 2002.

Herself, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 2002, 2003, 2004.

Herself, The Hollywood Squares, 2003.

Herself, "It's a Wonderful Wife," The Bernie Mac Show, Fox, 2004.

(In archive footage) Herself, Celebrities Uncensored, E! Entertainment Television, 2004.

Herself, "Parallel Play," Six Feet Under, HBO, 2004.

Herself, "Ellen DeGeneres," E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2004.

Also appeared in episodes of The Arsenio Hall Show, syndicated; Good Morning America, ABC; The Oprah Winfrey Show, syndicated; Primetime Glick, Comedy Central.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Herself, The Young Comedian's Reunion (also known as Young Comedian All–Star Reunion), HBO, 1986.

Women of the Night, HBO, 1987.

The Comedy Club Special (also known as The Best of the Comedy Clubs), ABC, 1988.

Command Performance: One Night Stand (also known as One Night Stand), HBO, 1989.

Comics Only, 1991.

Appearance, ABC in Concert, ABC, 1991.

Laughing Back: Comedy Takes a Stand, Lifetime, 1992.

Six Comics in Search of a Generation, Lifetime, 1992.

Komedy All–Stars, syndicated, 1993.

Host, Before They Were Stars, ABC, 1994.

Music in Movies '96, ABC, 1996.

All–Star Moms, CBS, 1997.

Barbara Walters Presents the 10 Most Fascinating People of 1997, ABC, 1997.

Interviewee, The Real Ellen Story, 1998.

Interviewee, Women of the Net, E! Entertainment Television, 1998.

Interviewee, Intimate Portrait: Melissa Etheridge (documentary), Lifetime, 1999.

Host, Paul McCartney and Friends Live: PETA's Millennium Concert, 1999.

If These Walls Could Talk 2, 1999.

Intimate Portrait: Laura Dern (documentary), Lifetime, 1999.

Influences: From Yesterday to Today (documentary), CBS, 1999.

Herself, Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning, HBO, 2000.

Host, Women Rock! Girls & Guitars, Lifetime, 2000.

Host, Live at the Grammys, VH1, 2000.

Presenter, A Home for the Holidays, CBS, 2000, 2002.

Equality Rocks, VH1, 2000.

Totally Tube, E! Entertainment Television, 2001.

(Uncredited) The Victoria Secret Fashion Show, ABC, 2001.

Herself, Ellen DeGeneres: American Summer Documentary, 2001.

Host, VH1 Divas Las Vegas, VH1, 2002.

(In archive footage) Herself, The Laramie Project, HBO, 2002.

Herself, Intimate Portrait: Joely Fisher (documentary), Lifetime, 2002.

(In archive footage) Herself, MTV Bash: Carson Daly, 2003.

(In archive footage) Herself, Totally Gay!, 2003.

Herself, Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now, HBO, 2003.

Great Women of Television Comedy: A Museum of Television & Radio Special, NBC, 2003.

E! Entertainer of the Year, E! Entertainment Television, 2003.

Herself, E! 101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment History, E! Entertainment Television, 2003.

(In archive footage) 101 Biggest Celebrity Oops, E! Entertainment Television, 2004.

(In archive footage) Honoree, 100 Greatest Stand–Ups of All Time, Comedy Central, 2004.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Host, VH1 Honors, VH1, 1994.

Cohost, The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1994.

Cohost, Ninth Annual Genesis Awards, The Discovery Channel, 1995.

The 9th Annual American Comedy Awards, ABC, 1995.

Presenter, The 47th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Fox, 1995.

Presenter, The 48th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1996.

Host, The 38th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1996.

Host, The 39th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1997.

Presenter, The 49th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, 1997.

Host, The 1998 VH1 Fashion Awards, VH1, 1998.

The 5th Annual Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, 1999.

The VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards, VH1, 2000.

My VH1 Music Awards, VH1, 2000.

Herself, My VH1 Music Awards, VH1, 2001.

Presenter, My VH1 Music Awards '01, VH1, 2001.

Host, The 53rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, CBS, 2001.

Herself, The 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, NBC, 2002.

Herself, The 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Fox, 2003.

Presenter, The 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards, NBC, 2004.

Presenter, The 46th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 2004.

The 9th Annual Critics' Choice Awards, E! Entertainment Television, 2004.

Herself, Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards '04, Nickelodeon, 2004.

Presenter and winner, The 31st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, 2004.

Presenter, The 2004 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 2004.

Television Work; Series:

Producer and executive consultant, Ellen (also known as These Friends of Mine), ABC, 1994–1998.

Executive producer, The Ellen Show, CBS, 2001–2002.

Executive producer, Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show, syndicated, 2003—.

Television Work; Specials:

Executive producer, Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning, HBO, 2000.

Executive producer and consultant, Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now, HBO, 2003.

Television Executive Producer; Movies:

If These Walls Could Talk 2, HBO, 2000.

Film Appearances:

Herself, Wisecracks (documentary), Alliance Releasing, 1992.

Coach, Coneheads, Paramount, 1993.

Herself, Trevor (also known as Ellen DeGeneres Presents "Trevor"), 1998.

Martha Alston, Mr. Wrong, Buena Vista, 1996.

Herself, Ellen's Energy Adventure, 1996.

Voice of Prologue Dog, Doctor Doolittle, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1998.

Sergeant Rita Pompano, Goodbye Lover, Warner Bros., 1998.

Cynthia Topping, Ed TV (also known as Edtv), Universal, 1999.

Janet Hall, The Love Letter, DreamWorks, 1999.

Operator, Reaching Normal, 1999.

Herself, Edtv: Caught in the Camera's Eye (also known as Caught in the Camera's Eye), 1999.

Herself, Pauly Shore Is Dead, Regent Releasing, 2003.

Herself, In Search of Ted Demme, 2003.

Voice of Dory, Finding Nemo (animated), Buena Vista, 2003.

Voice of Dory, Exploring the Reef (animated short documentary), Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2003.

RECORDINGS

Albums:

Taste This (comedy), Atlantic, 1996.

Video Games:

Voice of the Octopus Lady, Nine, 1996.

Voice of Dory, Finding Nemo, THQ, 2003.

Music Videos:

Appeared in "A Change (Would Do You Good)" by Sheryl Crow.

WRITINGS

Television Episodes:

Ellen (also known as These Friends of Mine), ABC, 1994–1998.

Also wrote One Night Stand.

Television Specials:

(Uncredited) Young Comedians All–Star Reunion, HBO, 1986.

Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning, HBO, 2000.

The 53rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, CBS, 2001.

Books:

My Point ... And I Do Have One, Bantam, 1995.

The Funny Thing Is ... , Simon & Schuster, 2003.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

American Decades 1990–99, Gale Group, 2001.

Newsmakers 1995, Issue 4, Gale Research, 1995.

St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, St. James Press, 2000.

Tracy, Kathy, Ellen DeGeneres Up Close: The Unauthorized Biography of the Hot New Star of ABC's Ellen, Pocket Books, 1994.

——, Ellen: The Real Story of Ellen DeGeneres, Birch Lane Press, 1999.

Periodicals:

Advocate, January 20, 1998, p. 92; September 25, 2001, p. 50.

Entertainment Weekly, December 26, 1997, p. 16.

Los Angeles, January, 1998, p. 72.

Newsweek, October 19, 1998, p. 61; January 18, 1999, p. 59; December 29, 2003, p. 26.

People Weekly, May 5, 1997, p. 129; December 29, 1997, p. 56; January 25, 1999, p. 10; April 24, 2003, p. 24; November 10, 2003, p. 93.

Playboy, September, 1997, p. 34.

Time, April 14, 1997; December 14, 1998, p. 123; February 23, 2004, p. 8.

Variety, July 26, 1999, p. 2.