Ellen Ware Geer (born August 29, 1941) is an American actress, professor, screenwriter, film director and theatre director.
Geer was born in New York City, New York, the daughter of actors Herta Ware and Will Geer. She is currently married to children's musician Peter Alsop, and was previously married to actor Ed Flanders. Her daughters are Megan and Willow Geer-Alsop.
Geer has enjoyed a long, distinguished career in film and television. She began her career appearing as a nun in the 1968 Richard Lester drama Petulia. Geer followed this with an appearance in 1969's The Reivers with her father, Will Geer. In 1971, Geer played the deceased wife of the lead character in Kotch, appearing throughout the movie in flashbacks. That same year, she became a regular on The Jimmy Stewart Show (which aired until the following year) and had a supporting role in the acclaimed comedy Harold and Maude. In 1974, she starred in two films which she also wrote: Silence and Memory of Us. Both featured her father.
The remainder of Geer's 1970s career consisted primarily of guest appearances and made-for-TV movies. TV shows on which she appeared during this time included Barnaby Jones, Police Story, Charlie's Angels, CHiPs, and two episodes of Fantasy Island.
Her TV movie credits during this time included 1975's Babe, 1976's The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case, and 1979's A Shining Season. The only film on which she worked in the late '70s was Jonathan Kaplan's Over the Edge in 1979.
The remainder of her TV credits include guest appearances on Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Waltons, Quincy, M.E., Dallas, The Practice, CSI, ER, NYPD Blue, and Cold Case. She also had recurring roles on Falcon Crest and Beauty and the Beast. She played future Piper Halliwell on the WB series Charmed in the series finale. In October 2007, the actress returned briefly to Desperate Housewives which she briefly appeared in before.
Geer has served since 1978 as Artistic Director of the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, a professional repertory, open-air theater in Topanga Canyon, California. . Geer has also served as a Visiting Associate Professor, teaching acting, at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Theater for 12 years.
