Biography
Comedian and actress Ellen DeGeneres was best known for her groundbreaking sitcom "Ellen" (ABC, 1994-98) and her lively daytime talk show "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (syndicated, 2003- ), which earned multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for Best Talk Show and Best Talk Show Host. DeGeneres started her career as a stand-up comedian, eventually parlaying her deadpan, observational style into a sitcom which made TV history for the coming out of its main …
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Career Milestones
| Raised in New Orleans and Texas | ||
| Toured the country performing stand-up act | ||
1980 | First stand-up appearance in a New Orleans comedy club consisted of eating a Whopper, fries and a shake | |
1982 | Named "Funniest Person in America" by Showtime after a nationwide search | |
1986 | Made first appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (NBC); allegedly the first female comic asked to the couch on her first show | |
1986 | TV debut on HBO's "The Young Comedians All-Star Reunion" | |
1988 | TV series debut, "Duet" (Fox) | |
1989 | Cast as a regular in the "Duet" spin-off series "Open House" (Fox) | |
1990 | Starred in her own HBO comedy special | |
1991 | Feature debut, "Wise Cracks" | |
1992 | Cast on the short-lived series "Laurie Hill" (ABC) | |
1993 | Feature acting debut, "Coneheads" | |
1994 | Starred on the ABC sitcom "Ellen," a retooled version of "These Friends of Mine"; earned four consecutive Emmy nominations as lead actress in a comedy series | |
1994 | Starred on the ensemble sitcom "These Friends of Mine" (ABC) | |
1996 | First leading role in films, "Mr. Wrong" | |
1996 | Hosted the annual telecast of the Grammy Awards; received Emmy nomination | |
1997 | Earned Emmy nomination for playing herself on an episode of the HBO comedy series "The Larry Sanders Show" | |
1997 | Publicly revealed that she was a lesbian just prior to having her TV character come out on ABC's "Ellen" | |
1998 | Acted in Roland Joffe's "Goodbye, Lover"; co-starring Don Johnson, Dermot Mulroney and Mary-Louise Parker | |
1999 | Co-starred as Kate Capshaw's best friend in "The Love Letter" | |
1999 | Had featured role as a TV programmer in "Edtv"; garnered unintentional laughs when her character proclaimed, "I know what women want" | |
2000 | Co-starred (also produced) with Sharon Stone as a lesbian couple trying to have a child in the Anne Heche-directed segment of "If These Walls Could Talk 2" (HBO); as producer was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Made for TV-Movie | |
2000 | Headlined the HBO comedy special "Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning"; also served as executive producer and writer; garnered Emmy nominations for Outstanding Individual Performance in Variety and for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special | |
2001 | Hosted the annual telecast of the Emmy Awards; received Emmy nomination | |
2001 | Made long-awaited return to sitcoms as star and executive producer of "The Ellen Show" (CBS) | |
2003 | Hosted own TV show, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" | |
2003 | Voiced the absent-minded fish Dory in the animated hit feature "Finding Nemo" | |
2004 | Guest role on the HBO series "Six Feet Under" | |
2004 | Received a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album for "The Funny Thing is..." | |
2005 | Hosted the 2005 Primetime Emmy Awards | |
2007 | "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" earned 12 Daytime Emmy nominations | |
2007 | Hosted the 79th Annual Academy Awards ceremony (aired in February); earned an Emmy nomination for Best Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program | |
2009 | Joined the ninth season of Fox's "American Idol" as the fourth judge, replacing Paula Abdul; resigned after one season | |
Awards
1994 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in Ellen |
1995 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in Ellen |
1995 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in Ellen |
1995 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series in Ellen |
1996 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress For a Comedy Series in Ellen |
1996 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance For a Variety or Music Program in The 38th Annual Grammy Awards |
1997 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in Ellen |
1997 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Comedy Series in The Larry Sanders Show |
1997 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in Ellen |
1997 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in Ellen |
1997 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series in Ellen |
1998 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in Ellen |
1998 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series in Ellen |
2000 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made For Television Movie in If These Walls Could Talk 2 |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In a Variety or Music Program in Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning |
2004 | MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance in Finding Nemo |
2005 | Producers Guild of America Award for Variety Television in The Ellen DeGeneres Show |
2006 | Producers Guild of America Award for Variety Television in The Ellen DeGeneres Show |
2007 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In a Variety or Music Program in The 79th Annual Academy Awards |
2012 | Daytime Emmy Award for OUTSTANDING TALK SHOW / ENTERTAINMENT in The Ellen DeGeneres Show |
2012 | Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album |