Ellen Albertini Dow Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018
Ellen Rose Albertini Dow (born November 16, 1913) is an American character actress. She portrays feisty old ladies and may be best known as the rapping grandmother in The Wedding Singer (1998). Other film roles include the elderly lady who "outs" her grandson in Wedding Crashers, Disco Dottie in 54, the recipient of Christopher Lloyd's character's slapstick in Radioland Murders, and a choir member in Sister Act.
November 26, 1913, Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, United States
Died
May 4, 2015, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, USA
Height
4' 11" (1.5 m)
Profession
Actress, Soundtrack
Education
Cornell University
Nationality
American
Spouse
Eugene Dow (m. 1951–2004)
Parents
Oliver Albertini, Ellen Albertini
Movies
The Wedding Singer, Wedding Crashers, Sister Act, Patch Adams, 54, Ready to Rumble, Eight Crazy Nights, Radioland Murders, My Blue Heaven, Without a Paddle: Nature's Calling, Problem Child 3: Junior in Love, The Invited, She Wants Me, Tough Guys, Annie's Point, Not Another Not Another Movie, Longsho...
TV Shows
Payne
Star Sign
Scorpio
#
Fact
1
She is buried at Saint Peter's Cemetery in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, beside her husband, in the Albertini family plot.
2
At 101 years old, she was the longest lived actor in "Star Trek" history. She played Beverly Crusher's grandmother Felisa Howard in Star Trek: The Next Generation: Sub Rosa (1994).
3
Ellen met her husband, Eugene Dow, when she was assistant directing and he was starring in a production at the Carnegie Little Theatre in New York.
4
The seventh child of immigrant parents, she started studying dance and piano at age 5.
5
Worked as a director and choreographer for many productions including "The Beggars Opera" at Carnegie Recital Hall, as well as "The Magic Flute" and "Julius Caesar" with famous German musical director Hugo Strelitzer.
6
Producer/creator of Albertini Mime Players for 19 years.
7
A teacher in the drama department at Los Angeles City College, she also directed and choreographed many of the college's musicals and operas. When she retired from teaching in 1985, she decided to study film and TV and AFI and a new character career was born at age 67.
8
Recorded an album, which includes both classic songs and original material by her late husband, Eugene Dow.
9
She was an avid hat collector and claims they make her look taller. She is 4'11".
10
After graduation from Cornell, she relocated to New York City and spent 11 years acting, choreographing, performing mime and studying with choreographers Martha Graham and Hanya Holt, as well as mime artists Jacques Lecoq and Marcel Marceau.
11
Was one of the "irregular" regulars on The Golden Girls (1985), playing more than three different bit parts during the show's run.
12
She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority.
13
Husband, Eugene "Gene" Dow Jr., was a teacher (1957-1983) and the founder of the theater arts department at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California, in addition to being a director, writer, composer and decorated WWII hero. During his tenure, he became a mentor to such actors as Cindy Williams and Talia Shire.
14
Did the actual rapping in The Wedding Singer (1998) which appears on the film's soundtrack.
15
Educated at Cornell University.
16
Raised in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania.
17
She taught Drama and Dance for 30 years.
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
CBS Summer Playhouse
1989
TV Series
Little Old Lady
Hooperman
1989
TV Series
Freddy's Nightmares
1989
TV Series
Old Woman
Going to the Chapel
1988
Grandma Haldane
Webster
1988
TV Series
Mrs. Crane
Mr. Belvedere
1986-1988
TV Series
Old Lady
Moonlighting
1988
TV Series
Mrs. Baer
Beauty and the Beast
1987
TV Series
Anna Lausch
Walk Like a Man
1987
Organist
Munchies
1987
Little Old Lady
Highway to Heaven
1987
TV Series
Lady
Body Slam
1986
Organist
The Twilight Zone
1986
TV Series
Old Woman (segment "The Storyteller") / Mrs. Hotchkiss (segment "Need to Know")