Ellen DeGeneres
Born 1958 · Age 67
American comedian, actress, television host, writer, producer and businesswoman known for stand-up comedy, the sitcom Ellen, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, voice of Dory (Finding Nemo), multiple awards including Presidential Medal of Freedom, and consumer brands (ED Ellen DeGeneres).
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Metairie, Louisiana
Ellen Lee DeGeneres was born to Betty (née Pfeffer), a speech therapist, and Elliott Everett DeGeneres, an insurance agent.
Sexual abuse by stepfather (reported later)
DeGeneres reports she was molested by her stepfather when she was 15 or 16; she later ran away and spent the night in a hospital.
Parents file for separation
Her parents filed for separation (eventually divorced the following year).
Parents divorce; move to Atlanta, Texas
Her parents divorced; mother Betty remarried Roy Gruessendorf and Ellen and her mother moved from New Orleans area to Atlanta, Texas.
Early jobs: law firm clerical work and service jobs
Worked clerical at a law firm, at J. C. Penney, as a waitress at TGI Fridays, house painter, hostess and bartender.
Attended University of New Orleans (briefly)
Moved back to New Orleans and enrolled in the University of New Orleans, majoring in communication studies; left after one semester.
Graduated from Atlanta High School
Completed high school (after earlier years at Grace King High School in Metairie).
Emcee at Clyde's Comedy Club (New Orleans)
By 1981 she served as the emcee at Clyde's Comedy Club and began performing regularly in comedy clubs.
Named Showtime's 'Funniest Person' (per Britannica)
Won a national talent contest run by Showtime; cited by Britannica as 'Funniest Person of the Year' (source discrepancy with other sources citing 1984).
Named Showtime's Funniest Person in America (alternate date)
Some sources (Wikipedia) state she was named Showtime's 'funniest person in America' in 1984 — included due to source variation.
Breakthrough Tonight Show appearance
Appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; became one of the first female comedians invited to sit on Carson's couch during a first-appearance interview.
First regular TV role: Open House
Cast as Margo Van Meter in the Fox sitcom Open House (spin-off of Duet).
American Comedy Awards honor
Honored as best female stand-up comic at the 1991 American Comedy Awards (per biography sources).
Cast in Laurie Hill
Played Nurse Nancy MacIntyre in the sitcom Laurie Hill (series canceled after four episodes in some runs; she appeared in 10 episodes per filmography).
Starred in These Friends of Mine (renamed Ellen)
Co-starred in These Friends of Mine which was later renamed Ellen; show evolved into a hit sitcom anchored by her observational comedy.
Hosted the Grammy Awards (first time)
Hosted the Grammy Awards in 1996 (and again in 1997).
The 'Puppy Episode' airs — peak ratings & awards
The coming-out episode of Ellen was one of the highest-rated episodes and led to widespread attention; her sitcom later won awards (Peabody, Emmy for writing attributed to the episode).
Came out publicly on Time cover
Publicly came out as a lesbian on the cover of Time magazine with the headline 'Yep, I'm gay'; her TV character also came out in the 'Puppy Episode'.
Ellen (sitcom) canceled
After falling ratings following the coming-out arc, Ellen ended its run in 1998.
Films: EDtv and The Love Letter
Appeared in EDtv and The Love Letter (both released in 1999).
Stand-up special HBO: The Beginning
Released the HBO stand-up special 'The Beginning'.
Starred in The Ellen Show (CBS)
Returned to sitcom TV with The Ellen Show; series was canceled after 13 episodes.
Hosted televised Emmy Awards (wider exposure)
Hosted the Emmy Awards broadcast on Nov 4, 2001 — widely praised for tone after 9/11 and earned strong exposure.
Voiced Dory in Finding Nemo
Provided the voice of Dory in Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo (2003); role brought awards including Saturn, Annie, and Nickelodeon Kids' Choice recognition.
Stand-up special HBO: Here and Now
Released the HBO stand-up special 'Here and Now'.
Launched The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Debuted her syndicated daytime talk show in September 2003; show would run through 2022 and win many Daytime Emmys.
American Express ad campaign
Appeared in an American Express commercial campaign (first ad in Nov 2004; later 2006 spot won Emmy for Outstanding Commercial in 2007).
Named PETA 'Woman of the Year'
Honored by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in 2009.
1000th episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Celebrated the show's 1,000th episode with celebrity guests including Oprah Winfrey and Justin Timberlake.
Joined American Idol as judge (debut)
Became a judge on American Idol Season 9, making her debut on Feb 9, 2010; left the show July 29, 2010.
Founded record label 'eleveneleven'
Announced the launch of her record label eleveneleven and signed Greyson Chance as the first act.
Published 'Seriously...I'm Kidding' and audio release
Published the best-selling book Seriously...I'm Kidding (2011); also released prior audiobook The Funny Thing Is... in 2003 and others.
Named Special Envoy for Global AIDS Awareness
Appointed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as a special envoy for Global AIDS Awareness in November 2011.
Received Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize
Awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2012.
Hosted the 86th Academy Awards; viral selfie
Hosted the Academy Awards on March 2, 2014; orchestrated a celebrity selfie that became one of the most-retweeted tweets (1.8M+ in first hour; >2M by ceremony end; ~3.4M by May 2017).
Launched E.D. on Air on QVC
Began offering a line of home products on QVC under the name E.D. on Air on Oct 24, 2014.
Launched lifestyle brand ED by Ellen (later ED Ellen DeGeneres)
Debuted ED by Ellen in summer 2015; brand later rebranded to ED Ellen DeGeneres and expanded into apparel, home goods, baby and pet products.
2,000th episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Surprised by Jennifer Aniston and Justin Timberlake on the show's 2,000th episode in December 2015.
Voiced Dory in Finding Dory (sequel)
Reprised the role of Dory in the Finding Nemo sequel Finding Dory (2016).
Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in November 2016 for contributions to the arts and entertainment.
PetSmart dog collection launch
Launched a dog collection at PetSmart in February 2017 (cat line later in 2017).
Preview of Ellen's Game of Games
Previewed Ellen's Game of Games on Dec 18, 2017; series began regular episodes in January and ran through 2021.
Netflix stand-up special 'Relatable'
Released the Netflix special Relatable (Dec 2018), her first stand-up special in 15 years.
60th birthday — Portia gifts permanent gorilla home in Rwanda
For her 60th birthday Portia de Rossi gifted Ellen a permanent gorilla home in Rwanda for the Digit Fund, launching the Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund (Jan 2018).
Announced Walmart partnership EV1
Announced partnership with Walmart to launch low-cost fashion collection EV1 on Aug 15, 2018; collection launched Sept 10, 2018.
Carol Burnett Award recipient
Received the honorary Carol Burnett Award at the Golden Globes in January 2020 for excellence in television (second-ever recipient).
BuzzFeed allegations and internal investigation launched
Ten former employees alleged a 'toxic' workplace on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in July 2020; Telepictures/WarnerMedia launched an internal investigation and consultant-led interviews.
Apology on season 18 opening
DeGeneres apologized publicly for workplace culture issues during the opening of the 18th season in Sept 2020 after the investigation.
Announced end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Announced she would end The Ellen DeGeneres Show following its 19th season in 2022, amid controversy and declining public support.
Final episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show airs
Show aired its final episode May 26, 2022 with guests including Jennifer Aniston, Pink and Billie Eilish; Portia de Rossi and family were in audience.
Sold Carpinteria property for $96M
Sold a property in Carpinteria, California for $96 million (reported Aug 2024).
Netflix special 'For Your Approval' released
Released final stand-up special 'For Your Approval' on Netflix (Sept 24, 2024); promoted as her final major public performance.
Relocated to the Cotswolds, England
Ellen and Portia de Rossi relocated from Montecito, CA to the Cotswolds region of England (reported Nov 2024); reportedly purchased before the presidential election.
Listed in Sunday Times Rich List (£363M)
Listed in the Sunday Times Rich List with a net worth of £363 million (May 2025). Converted estimate to USD provided in netWorth field.
Public statement about leaving show business
In July 2025 DeGeneres said she had been 'kicked out of show business for being mean' and planned to leave show business after contractual obligations ended.
Reported sale of country home announced
In August 2025 DeGeneres and de Rossi announced they were selling their country home (reported August 2025).
Key Achievement Ages
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