Ellen Cleghorne
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Ellen Cleghorne | |
---|---|
Actress, comedian | |
Years active | 1984–present |
Children | 1 |
Dr. Ellen Leslye Cleghorne
Life and career
A native of the Red Hook Projects in Brooklyn, Cleghorne is a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School and Hunter College.[3] She first established her talents in New York City comedy clubs and career started when she competed in the Johnnie Walker Comedy Search in 1989 where she was directed in a video by Saturday Night Live short film producer Neal Marshad at the comedy club Caroline's in the South Street Seaport. In 1991, she appeared on Def Comedy Jam and landed minor roles in season two of In Living Color, where she was discovered by producers of Saturday Night Live.
Cleghorne joined Saturday Night Live in 1991, and remained on the show for four seasons until 1995.
In 1995, Cleghorne left SNL to star as single mother Ellen Carlson on Cleghorne!, a sitcom that aired for one season on The WB network, and which also starred fellow SNL alumnus Garrett Morris, and Sherri Shepherd in her first acting role.[5][7] Cleghorne later said, "I don't think I was ready. In terms of being strong and saying, 'I can write, this is what I do,' and feel confident in that. And to be able to say, 'No, this does not work, this works better.'"[5]
In 1993 and 1994, Cleghorne made appearances on the
Cleghorne was mentioned on a segment of the Family Guy DVD Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, when Stewie asks if "they ever found a suitable vehicle for Ellen Cleghorne." Seth MacFarlane claimed that she called the show's staff about the joke, which Cleghorne has denied.[8]
In 2013, Cleghorne appeared in a small role in Grown Ups 2.[9]
In 2014 she received her
In 2015, Cleghorne was one of the contestants for
In 2018, she played the role of Shaniqua in Second Act.
Saturday Night Live
Celebrity impressions
- Alfre Woodard
- Alice Walker
- Amy Fisher
- Anita Baker[3][4]
- Anita Hill
- Debbie Allen[4]
- Dr. Dre[3]
- Florence Griffith Joyner[4]
- Gladys Knight
- Isabel Sanford
- Jackée Harry[3]
- Joycelyn Elders[4]
- Kim Wayans
- Marguerite Whitley Simpson[4]
- Marla Gibbs[4]
- Mary J. Blige[4]
- Natalie Cole[3][4]
- Norma Quarles
- Patti LaBelle[3][4]
- Robin Quivers[3][4]
- Ruby Dee
- Sister Souljah[3]
- Tina Turner[4]
- Toni Morrison[4]
- Whoopi Goldberg[3]
Recurring characters
- Queen Shenequa, an Afrocentric social critic who dressed in African garb, observed Kwanzaa, and made commentaries on race.[3][4]
- Zoraida, an exuberant but short-tempered NBC page who pesters the celebrity hosts of the show as they prepare backstage. Usually, when the celebrity grew tired of her bothering them and would try to leave, she would suddenly become angry and threaten them.[3][4]
References
- ^ Cleghorne, Ellen. "158th Commencement, Hunter College" (PDF). Hunter College Library Catalog. Hunter College. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ "'Saturday Night Live': All 145 Cast Members Ranked". Rolling Stone.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Wright, Megh (August 14, 2012). "Saturday Night's Children: Ellen Cleghorne (1991-1995)". Vulture. Archived from the original on July 6, 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Potempa, Philip (November 27, 2013). "Offbeat: Funny Ellen Cleghorne could give NBC's SNL casting advice". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved June 12, 2020 – via nwi.com.
- ^ Slate. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ISBN 978-1401300067.
- ^ Variety staff (December 17, 1995). "WB Net Revamps Sunday Slate". Variety. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- ^ a b Bellino, Damian (February 16, 2015). "SNL Alum Ellen Cleghorne on Black Women in Comedy and What She's Been Up To Since the Show". VH1. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ^ a b Martin-Osuagwu, Deanna (June 11, 2014). "What Ever Happened to ... Ellen Cleghorne?". Jet. Archived from the original on February 22, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
External links
- Ellen Cleghorne at IMDb
- Brief Biography at Hollywood.com
- TV.com description of Cleghorne! Archived 2009-01-14 at the Wayback Machine