Add/Update Information: Ellen DeGeneres - Actor

Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedian, television host, and actress. DeGeneres started performing stand-up comedy at small clubs and coffee houses. By 1981 she was the emcee at Clyde's Comedy Club in New Orleans. DeGeneres cites Woody Allen and Steve Martin as her main influences at this time. In the early 1980s she began to tour nationally; and, she was named Showtime's Funniest Person in America in 1982. She starred in the popular sitcom Ellen from 1994 to 1998 and has hosted the talk show "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" since 2003. She also starred in "Mr. Wrong," (1996) appeared in "EDtv" (1999) and "The Love Letter," (1999) and provided the voice of Dory in the Disney-Pixar animated film "Finding Nemo," (2003) for which she was awarded the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress, the only time a voice performance has won a Saturn Award. She was a judge on the ninth season of "American Idol." DeGeneres has hosted the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, and the Primetime Emmys.