Ellen Albertini Dow
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
When audiences saw the trailer for the romantic comedy film "The Wedding Singer" (1998), many took note of the petite elderly woman performing "Rapper's Delight" and asked "Who is she?" The answer is Ellen Albertini Dow, a veteran of NYC's Yiddish theater and a former drama teacher in L.A. Although coy about her age, Dow has been playing feisty old women since she resumed her acting career in the mid-1980s with a chilling turn as a mass murderer on an episode of "The Twilight Zone" (CBS, 1985). Since then, she played small roles in numerous TV shows (e.g., "Family Matters," "The Golden Girls," "Murphy Brown") and a handful of films ("Tough Guys" 1986; "Sister Act" 1992). Dow offered a memorable guest turn on a 1995 episode of "Seinfeld" as J Peterman's elderly mother. But it was her performance as a woman celebrating her 50th wedding anniversary who surprises her guests with a hip-hop number that made people take notice. Director Frank Coraci had cast Dow primarily on the strength of her rendition of the 1959 classic "Til There Was You" which she also performed in the film. Audiences were primed for her appearance as a cocaine-snorting oldster in the disco-flavored "54" (also 1998).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Special Thanks (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1938
Worked in theater in NYC, including appearances in Yiddish theater
1952
Moved to Los Angeles with her husband
1985
Resumed acting career with appearance as a mass murderer on an episode of "The Twilight Zone" (CBS)
1986
Had bit role in "Tough Guys"
1988
Appeared in the TV-movie "Wedding Day Blues"
1990
First played a nun in "My Blue Heaven"
1992
Appeared as one of the nuns in the choir in "Sister Act"
1993
Reprised role as a choir nun in "Sister Act 2"
1995
Made memorable guest appearance on NBC's "Seinfeld" as thee dying mother of J Peterman
1998
Played a cocaine-snorting senior citizen in "54"
1998
Garnered attention for her supporting performance in "The Wedding Singer"
2001
Had regular role as a grandmother on the fall sitcom "Maybe It's Me" (The WB)