Ellen


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About

Ellen (originally titled These Friends of Mine for season one) is a U.S. television sitcom that ran on the ABC network from March 29, 1994 to July 22, 1998, producing 109 episodes.

The theme song, "So-Called Friend" is by Scottish band Texas. An ongoing gag was that each episode had a distinct opening credits sequence, resulting from Ellen's ongoing search for the perfect opening credits.

The title role of Ellen Morgan, played by stand-up comedian Ellen DeGeneres, was a neurotic bookstore owner in her thirties. The series centered around Ellen dealing with her quirky friends, her family and the problems of daily life.

The show was not connected to The Ellen Show, DeGeneres' second sitcom which ran from 2001-2002.

In 1997, Ellen made television history when the title character came out as a lesbian in the famous "Puppy Episode." (DeGeneres herself had come out earlier that year on The Oprah Winfrey Show and in TIME.) To ensure a memorable moment, the coming out scene was made into a gag where, at an airport, Ellen turns and tells Laura Dern "I'm gay!" - only to realize that she had turned right into the intercom microphone, announcing her sexuality to the entire terminal. Ellen DeGeneres' mother Betty can briefly be seen as one of the people in the terminal with a shocked reaction to the announcement. The revelation ignited a storm of controversy, prompting ABC to place a parental advisory at the beginning of each episode.

Starring

Ellen DeGeneres

Joely Fisher

Jeremy Piven

David Anthony Higgins

Clea Lewis

Arye Gross

Holly Fulger

Maggie Wheeler

Opening theme So Called Friend

Country of origin United States

No. of seasons 5

No. of episodes 109

Production

Camera setup Multi-camera

Running time Approximately 22 minutes

Broadcast

Original channel ABC

Original run March 29, 1994 – July 22, 1998

More from Wikipedia....

Highlights
Michael Eisner on how Ellen DeGeneres approached him about coming out on television; and how he pushed her to define what more the Ellen series would be about
Mary Tyler Moore on guest-starring as herself on the Ellen episode about animal activism,  "Lobster Diary" (airdate: February 20, 1996)
01:16
Elinor Donahue on her appearance on Ellen
01:31
W.G. Snuffy Walden on composing for Ellen
00:29
Who talked about this show

Army Archerd

View Interview
Army Archerd on appearing as a guest star on Ellen
00:26

Connie Britton

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Connie Britton on being cast as "Heather" on Ellen
01:14

Tom Cherones

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Tom Cherones on directing Ellen
05:01

Tim Conway

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Tim Conway on his guest appearances on Ellen
00:31

Elinor Donahue

View Interview
Elinor Donahue on her appearance on Ellen
01:31

Michael Eisner

View Interview
Michael Eisner on how Ellen DeGeneres approached him about coming out on television; and how he pushed her to define what more the Ellen  series would be about

Linda Ellerbee

View Interview
Linda Ellerbee on appearing on Tanner '88 directed by Robert Altman, and on appearing on the Ellen finale
01:13

Richard Frank

View Interview
Richard Frank on developing Ellen, and "Ellen" coming out
06:10

Florence Henderson

View Interview
Florence Henderson on appearing on Ellen
02:04

Mary Tyler Moore

View Interview
Mary Tyler Moore on guest-starring as herself on the Ellen episode about animal activism,  "Lobster Diary" (airdate: February 20, 1996)
01:16

Laraine Newman

View Interview
Laraine Newman on guest-starring on Ellen
01:05

Dean Valentine

View Interview
Dean Valentine on the difficulty developing Ellen, starring Ellen DeGeneres
04:36
Dean Valentine on phase two of Ellen, starring Ellen DeGeneres
01:14
Dean Valentine on Ellen DeGeneres' decision for her character "Ellen Morgan" to come out on Ellen and on ABC's reaction
04:47
Dean Valentine on the filming of the Ellen episode "The Puppy Episode" and the cultural impact of the character coming out
06:13

W.G. Snuffy Walden

View Interview
W.G. Snuffy Walden on composing for Ellen
00:29

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