Ellen Greene
Greene inGlory! Glory! (1989)
Born	New York City, U.S.
Occupations	Actress singer
Years active	1970–present
Spouses	Tibor Hardik ​ ​ (m. 1990; div. 1997)​ Christian Klikovits ​ ​ (m. 2003; div. 2007)​

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,^[1] particularly musical theatre, as well as having performed in many films and television series. Her best-known roles are as Audrey in the original stage play andfilm adaptation ofLittle Shop of Horrors, and asVivian Charles in the ABC seriesPushing Daisies.

Greene was born inBrooklyn, New York. Her mother was aguidance counselor, and her father was adentist.^[2][3] She attendedW. Tresper Clarke High School inWestbury, New York. She spent summers atCejwin Camps inPort Jervis, New York, where she performed inmusical theatre productions, including the role of Tzeitel in a 1966 production ofFiddler on the Roof. She had a relationship with puppeteerMartin P. Robinson.^[4][5] Her first marriage was to Tibor Hardik. She married Christian Klikovits on September 25, 2003; they have since divorced.^[6]

Greene's career began as anightclub singer in clubs such as The Brothers and Sisters,Continental Baths, Grand Finale, and Reno Sweeney's. She received rave reviews from critics such asRex Reed, George Bell, and John S. Wilson. Around this time, she befriendedPeter Allen. Her first starring role on Broadway was as thelead in the unsuccessful Broadway showRachael Lily Rosenbloom (And Don't You Ever Forget It), which had 7 previews in 1973 but closed before officially opening.^[7] She then played the starring role of Chrissy inJoseph Papp's production ofIn the Boom Boom Room at the Off-BroadwayPublic Theatre in November to December 1974.^[8] Her reviews brought her to the attention ofPaul Mazursky, who was at that time castingNext Stop, Greenwich Village (1976).^[9] She was cast in the role of Sarah, her first starring role in a film.^[10]

Continuing her work with Papp'sNew York Shakespeare Festival, Greene next played the role of Jenny inThe Three Penny Opera (1976) at theVivian Beaumont Theater inLincoln Center, for which she was nominated for a 1977Tony Award, Featured Actress In A Musical.^[11]

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 metHoward Ashman andAlan Menken. Their close, long-lasting friendship led to her landing the role of Audrey inLittle Shop of Horrors, which she reprised inthe film version oppositeRick Moranis.^[12]

Greene has worked extensively in theater, such as the part of Suzanne/The Little Rose inThe Little Prince and the Aviator (1981).^[13][14]

She has worked in films such asI'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982),^[15],Talk Radio(1987),^[16] andPump Up the Volume (1990).^[17]

She has appeared on television in, among other programs,Miami Vice,The Adventures of Pete and Pete,Cybill,Law & Order,Suddenly Susan,The X-Files, andHeroes. In 1983 she was the voice of Creeping Ivy in the animated TV specialThe Magic of Herself the Elf.

Greene released an album in 2004 entitledIn His Eyes, on which she was accompanied by her husband and musical director, Christian Klikovits. Other work includes the role ofVivian Charles on the television seriesPushing Daisies (2007)^[18] and the voice of Dolly Gopher in the animatedOut of Jimmy's Head. Greene was the voice of thePriscilla Presley type of character Goldie in theDon Bluth filmRock-a-Doodle (1991).^[19]

In July and August 2009, Greene starred as Miss Adelaide in a concert version of the musicalGuys and Dolls, which had a 3-day engagement at theHollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. Her co-stars includedScott Bakula as Nathan Detroit,Brian Stokes Mitchell as Sky Masterson, andJessica Biel as Sarah Brown.^[20] In 2011, she appeared in five episodes on the soap operaThe Young and the Restless asPrimrose DeVille.^[21]

Greene performed in the musicalBetwixt! at theTrafalgar Studios in London'sWest End from July 26 to August 20, 2011.^[22]

She appeared in two episodes of the newABC Family showBunheads (2012), alongsideSutton Foster andKelly Bishop.^[23] She portrayed Doctor Gale Macones inThe Walking Dead Webisodes: The Oath.^[24]

In 2015, Greene reprised her signature role as Audrey inLittle Shop of Horrors in the staged concert at the New York City Center as part of theirEncores! Off-Center Series.^[25] Aged 64 at the time, there was a wide 30-year age gap between her and the show's male lead,Jake Gyllenhaal, 34.

Greene performed in the2016 Democratic National Convention's "Fight Song" video.^[26]

Sources: Internet Off-Broadway Database;^[28] Playbill Vault^[29]

• Rachael Lily Rosenbloom (And Don't You Ever Forget It) (1973) (never officially opened)^[30]
• In the Boom Boom Room (1974) (Off-Broadway)
• The Threepenny Opera (1976) (Broadway)
• The Threepenny Opera (1977) (Delacorte Theater) (return engagement)
• Funny Face (1978) (Studio Arena Theater)
• Teeth 'n' Smiles (1979) (Off-Broadway)^[31]
• Wake Up, It's Time to Go to Bed (1979) (Off-Broadway) by Carson Kievman[2]Archived March 12, 2022, at theWayback Machine
• They're Playing Our Song (1979) (US national tour)^[32]
• The Little Prince and the Aviator (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 (1993) (Broadway)
• Oliver! (1997) (North Shore Music Theatre)
• The First Picture Show (1999) (San Francisco)^[33]
• A Broadway Diva Christmas (2005) (Women's Project)^[34]
• Guys and Dolls (2009) (Hollywood Bowl concert)^[20]
• Betwixt! (2011) (London)^[35][22]
• Little Shop of Horrors (2015) (Encores! Off-Center)

• Official website
• Ellen Greene atIMDb
• Ellen Greene at theInternet Broadway Database
• Ellen Greene at theInternet Off-Broadway Database

• 20th-century American actresses
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