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Brad Ellis has appeared on "Glee" since the series premiere, but he has never spoken a single line. He has never sung on camera for "Glee," either. However, several Facebook fan groups have sprung up, responding to the pianist's popularity.
Many "Glee" fans have wondered about the identity of the mysterious pianist, who masters the keyboard and appears in all sorts of real and imagined scenes on the show.
Here's a closer look at the "Glee" piano player, Brad Ellis:
Brad Ellis, based in New York City, is a composer, keyboardist, pianist, special event emcee and vocal coach. His personal repertoire has included gigs in the Big Apple's Broadway venues, jazz clubs, off-Broadway performances and more. Brad Ellis became popular off-Broadway with a satire titled "Forbidden Broadway."
His own band is known as The Brad Ellis Little Big Band, and his favorite musical genres are jazz, pop, rock and show tunes — making him a tailor-made fit for "Glee."
Brad Ellis has arranged, composed, and played for such productions as "Beauty and the Beast," "Close to Home," "Delovely," and "Gilmore Girls."
Raised in Lexington, Massachusetts, Brad Ellis has recorded albums and played with Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Joel, Jason Alexander (of "Seinfeld"), Shaun Cassidy, Kristen Chenoweth (who appeared as a guest star on an episode of "Glee"), the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
For "Glee," Brad Ellis not only tickles the ivories on and off screen, but he also has coached the cast members for their vocal numbers. In particular, Brad Ellis provided vocal coaching for Cory Monteith (who plays Finn Hudson) to help the young Canadian actor prepare for his audition for the show.
In return, Cory Monteith apparently offered Brad Ellis a few acting tips.
Brad Ellis was recruited by "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy and casting director Robert Ulrich to appear on the show.
Despite his seemingly understated role on "Glee," Brad Ellis is enjoying an increasing fan base, particularly among adolescent "Glee "fans, who call themselves Gleeks.
With his infectious smile, as he peeks through his tousled strawberry-blonde hair and his rimless glasses, Brad Ellis offers an unspoken commentary on the fictional McKinley High School show choir performances or teen antics during nearly every "Glee"episode.
Initially, Brad Ellis had not even anticipated appearing on camera for "Glee," expecting to remain unseen instead. But that has changed. In fact, the actors on the show occasionally interact directly with his character.
On the show, the other cast members refer to the so-far silent piano player as "Brad."
