Ellen Greene (born February 22, 1951) is an American singer and actress. Greene has had a long and varied career as a singer, particularly in cabaret, as an actor and singer in numerous stage productions, particularly musical theatre, as well as having performed in many films (notably in "Little Shop of Horrors") and television programs. She currently stars as Vivian Charles on the ABC series Pushing Daisies.
Greene was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a guidance counselor mother and a dentist father. She attended W T Clarke High School, Westbury, New York. She was first married to Tibor Hardik until their divorce. She has been married to Christian Klikovits since September 25, 2003. She has no children.
Greene’s career began as a nightclub singer in clubs such as The Brothers and Sisters, Grand Finale and Reno Sweeney. She received rave reviews from critics such as Rex Reed, George Bell and John S. Wilson. Around this time she befriended the late Peter Allen. Her first starring role was as the lead in the notorious Broadway bomb, Rachael Lily Rosenbloom (And Don't You Ever Forget It) in 1973, which co-starred Anita Morris.
She then won the starring role of Chrissy in Joe Papp's production of In the Boom Boom Room. Her reviews brought her to the attention of Paul Mazursky who was at that time casting for Next Stop, Greenwich Village; she got the role of Sarah, her first starring role in a film.
Continuing her work with Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival, Greene next essayed the role of Jenny in The Three Penny Opera at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre in Lincoln Center for which performance she was nominated for a Tony award.
In addition to a number other productions with the New York Shakespeare Festival as well as numerous other companies, Greene formed a close working relationship with the WPA Theatre, where she met Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, which led to a close, long-lasting friendship. This led, in turn, among other productions, to the role for which she is perhaps most-widely known, that of the hapless Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, a role she reprised in the film version opposite Rick Moranis.
Greene has worked extensively in theater, such as the part of Suzanne/The Little Rose in The Little Prince and the Aviator, as well as in films such as I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can, Léon, and Talk Radio. She has appeared on television in Miami Vice, Glory! Glory!, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Cybill, Law & Order, Suddenly Susan, The X-Files, Mystery Woman: Sing Me a Murder, Fielder’s Choice and Heroes.
In 2004, Greene released an album entitled In His Eyes, on which she is accompanied by her husband and musical director, Christian Klikovits.
Greene presently appears in the recurring role of Vivian Charles in the television series Pushing Daisies and is heard as the voice of Dolly Gopher in the animated Out of Jimmy's Head.Ellen Greene was also the voice of Goldie in the Don Bluth Film Rock-A-Doodle.
Greene was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in Threepenny Opera as well as for a Drama Desk Award for her performance in Little Shop of Horrors.
