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Ellen Albertini Dow

Ellen Albertini Dow

Whenever a script calls for a wacky old lady, character actor Ellen Albertini Dow is there to play the part. After a lifetime as a teacher, the Cornell graduate made her television debut on an episode of the Twilight Zone in 1985 when she was in her late sixties. She spent the rest of the '80s making TV guest appearances on family sitcoms (Mr. Belvedere, The Golden Girls, Family Matters, and Newhart, just to name a few). On the big screen, she appeared in inumerable supporting roles as a grandma, nun, or any random old lady, leading to choir parts in both Sister Act and Sister Act 2. She got to exploit her comedic schtick regularly in 1996 when she joined the cast of the Nickelodeon series Kenan & Kel in the role of Ethel Quagmire. If a cameo can be considered a breakthrough, she at least gained face recognition as the old lady, Rosie, who raps in The Wedding Singer by appearing in the film's commercial. She continued playing the sassy granny role as Disco Dottie in 54, Mrs. MacKenzie in Ready to Rumble, and Tom Green's grandma in Road Trip. In 2001, she returned to the small screen to play Grandma Harriet on the WB series Maybe It's Me. At the age of 84, she lent her voice to Adam Sandler's animated feature Eight Crazy Nights. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide


Filmography of Ellen Albertini Dow:

Ellen Albertini Dow Trivia

Who did Ellen Albertini Dow portray in The Wedding Singer?
Ellen Albertini Dow was Rosie in The Wedding Singer

Who did Ellen Albertini Dow portray in Fat Girls?
Ellen Albertini Dow was Mildred in Fat Girls

Who did Ellen Albertini Dow play in 54?
Ellen Albertini Dow was Disco Dottie in 54

Who did Ellen Albertini Dow portray in Road Trip?
Ellen Albertini Dow was Barry's Grandma in Road Trip

Who did Ellen Albertini Dow portray in Wedding Crashers?
Ellen Albertini Dow was Grandma Mary Cleary in Wedding Crashers

Who did Ellen Albertini Dow play in Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights?
Ellen Albertini Dow was See's Candies Box in Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights

Who did Ellen Albertini Dow play in Radioland Murders?
Ellen Albertini Dow was Organist in Radioland Murders

Who did Ellen Albertini Dow play in Walk Like a Man?
Ellen Albertini Dow was Organist in Walk Like a Man

What role did Ellen Albertini Dow play in Sister Act?
Ellen Albertini Dow played Choir Nun in Sister Act

Who did Ellen Albertini Dow play in Memoirs of an Invisible Man?
Ellen Albertini Dow was Mrs. Coulson in Memoirs of an Invisible Man

Who did Ellen Albertini Dow play in American Drive-In?
Ellen Albertini Dow was Allison in American Drive-In


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Portions of Content Provided by All Movie Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.© 2008 All Media Guide, LLC.