Biography of Ellen DeGeneres

Currently seen in "The Ellen Show" on CBS, Ellen DeGeneres has most recently hosted the Saturday Night Live Christmas Special and the 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. A pioneer, DeGeneres made history in April 1997 when her on-screen persona, Ellen Morgan, became the first openly gay leading character on television, landing her on the cover of Time Magazine. Her groundbreaking legacy, however, began in 1986 during her first appearance on "The Tonight Show." She became the first and only woman to be summoned by Johnny Carson to sit down with him after her performance.

Ellen began her career as an emcee at a local comedy club in her hometown of New Orleans, which led to national recognition in 1982 when her videotaped club performances won Showtime?s "Funniest Person In America." She then moved from New Orleans, basing herself in San Francisco while performing at comedy clubs all over the country. When DeGeneres moved to Los Angeles, she filmed her first HBO Special "Young Comedians Reunion," then in 1986 "Women of the Night" and in 1989 "Command Performance: One Night Stand? for which she received a Cable Ace nomination. DeGeneres was also named Best Female Stand-Up at the 1991 American Comedy Awards.

Ellen began her TV career in Fox?s "Open House" then moved on to ABC?s "Laurie Hill" until being offered "These Friends of Mine" by ABC, which after its first season became "Ellen." The show garnered record ratings with DeGeneres receiving Emmy nominations each season in the Best Actress category. In 1997 DeGeneres was the recipient of the coveted Peabody Award as well as earning an Emmy for writing the critically acclaimed "Puppy Episode" when her character came out as a gay woman to a record 46 million viewers. In the course of producing and starring in "Ellen," DeGeneres received numerous accolades including The People?s Choice Award in 1995, two Golden Globe nominations and two Screen Actors Guild nominations. Her other television credits include Executive Producing and starring with Sharon Stone in the Emmy nominated "If These Walls Could Talk II" for HBO as well as a guest appearance on the "Larry Sanders Show," for which she received another Emmy nomination.

DeGeneres? equal success in Feature Film includes "EDTV" for director Ron Howard, "The Love Letter" for DreamWorks, New Regency?s "Goodbye Lover," "Coneheads" and "Mr. Wrong" in which she starred with Bill Pullman.

DeGeneres has also served as host for several industry events including the 38th and 39th Annual Grammy Awards for which she earned an Emmy nomination, the 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, receiving an American Comedy Award, and the VH1 Honors, which garnered her a Cable Ace Award.

In 1995 her first book "My Point...And I Do Have One" debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and in 1997 she released her comedy CD, "Taste This." In July 2000, DeGeneres returned to stand-up, embarking on a three-month tour of major theatres across the country that culminated in her critically acclaimed and Emmy nominated special "The Beginning."

Since she was first nationally recognized in 1982 as a comedian in New Orleans, Ellen?s many contributions to the entertainment industry have earned her numerous accolades including a Golden Apple Award as Female Discovery of the Year from the Hollywood Women?s Press Club, a Lucy Award honoring women in Television and Film, as well as an Amnesty International Award.