Ellen Rose Albertini Dow (November 16, 1913 – May 4, 2015) was an American film and television character actress and drama coach. She portrayed feisty old ladies and is best known as the rapping grandmother Rosie in The Wedding Singer (1998), performing "Rapper's Delight". Dow's other film roles include elderly lady Mary Cleary who "outs" her grandson in Wedding Crashers, Disco Dottie in 54, the recipient of Christopher Lloyd's character's slapstick in Radioland Murders and a choir nun in Sister Act. She was best known to small screen audiences for her guest appearances on sitcoms The Golden Girls (playing Lillian, a friend of Sophia's) and Will & Grace (as Karen Walker's mother-in-law Sylvia).

Early life Albertini was born on November 16, 1913, in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania,Reference to Ellen Albertini Dow's 100th birthday, businessinsider.com; accessed November 17, 2014. the seventh and youngest child of Italian immigrant parents, Ellen and Oliver, from Non Valley, Trentino.The father Oliverio Albertini was born on March 21, 1875, in Brez, Trentino and the mother Arcangela Stancher on May 29, 1882, in Tavon, Trentino.Census 1920 She studied dance and piano at age five and would later move to New York City, where she studied and worked with renowned dancers and choreographers Hanya Holm and Martha Graham.

Secondary education Dow earned a B.A. and M.A. in theatre from Cornell University, where she became a member of Kappa Delta sorority, graduating in 1935.Ellen Rose Albertini, Cornell University alumna (class of 1935), e-yearbook.com; accessed June 23, 2014. Dow studied acting with Michael Shurtleff and Uta Hagen, and worked with mimes Marcel Marceau and Jacques Lecoq in NYC.

Career

Educator When Dow moved to Los Angeles with her husband, she taught drama at Los Angeles City College. She and her husband later taught at Los Angeles Pierce College.

Acting Albertini Dow did not start acting on screen until the 1980s, when she was in her seventies. Her television work includes appearances in such television series as Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Golden Girls, The Wonder Years, Family Matters, Newhart, Designing Women, Just Shoot Me, ER, Will & Grace, Seinfeld, Ned's Declassified, Hannah Montana, Scrubs, Sister, Sister, According to Jim, Six Feet Under, Wings, The Nanny and My Name Is Earl.

Her film appearances include Tough Guys (1986), My Blue Heaven (1990), Sister Act (1992), Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993), Radioland Murders (1994), Problem Child 3 (1995), The Wedding Singer (1998), 54 (1998), Patch Adams (1998), Road Trip (2000) and Wedding Crashers (2005).

Personal life and death Dow married Eugene Dow Jr. on June 27, 1951. Eugene died on October 11, 2004. They had no children.

Dow died on May 4, 2015, at the age of 101 due to pneumonia.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes ref 1985 American Drive-In Allison 1986 Tough Guys Old Lady Body Slam Organist Munchies Little Old Lady Walk Like a Man Organist 1988 Going to the Chapel Grandma Haldane 1990 My Blue Heaven Nun Genuine Risk Receptionist 1991 Blood and Concrete Old Lady 1992 Memoirs of an Invisible Man Mrs. Coulson Sister Act Choir Nun #1 Twogether Mrs. Norton Space Case Betsy 1993 Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Choir Nun #1 1994 Radioland Murders Organist1995Problem Child 3Lila Duvane 1998 The Wedding Singer Rosie Carnival of Souls Mrs. Meltzer 54 Disco Dottie Patch Adams Aggie Kennedy 2000 Ready to Rumble Mrs. MacKenzie Road Trip Mrs. Manilow 2001 Longshot Mrs. Fleisher 2002 Eight Crazy Nights See's Candies Box Voice 2005 Wedding Crashers Mary Cleary Halfway Decent Mrs. Kahn 2006 Fat Girls Mildred 2007 The Blue Hour Anabella 2008 Lonely Street Lydia the Librarian2009Without a Paddle: Nature's CallingMrs. Bessler 2010 The Invited Natalie Shaw 2011 Not Another Not Another Movie Older Rose 2012 She Wants Me Grandma Elma 2013 Frank the Bastard Dora Final film role

Television Year Title Role Notes ref 1986 The Twilight Zone Mrs. Hotchkiss Episode: "Need to Know" Mr. Belvedere Old Lady Episode: "Grandma" The Twilight Zone Old Woman Episode: "The Storyteller" 1987 Beauty and the Beast Anna Lausch Episode: "Nor Iron Bars a Cage" 1988 Moonlighting Mrs. Baer Episode: "Los Dos DiPestos" Mr. Belvedere Old Lady Episode: "The Trip: Part 1" Webster Mrs. Crane Episode: "Papa's Big Romance" The Golden Girls Mrs. Leonard Episode: "The Days and Nights of Sophia Petrillo" 1989 Lillian Episode: "Sophia's Choice" 1991 Sarah Episode: "Older and Wiser" 1992 The Wonder Years Mrs. Tambora Episode: "Kevin Delivers" Down the Shore The Old Woman Episode: "Atlantic City" Wings Debbie Episode: "The Customer's Usually Right" 1993 Star Trek: The Next Generation Felisa Howard Episode: "Sub Rosa" 1993 Family Matters Elderly LadyEpisode: "Scenes From The Mall" 1994 Family Matters Mrs. Ostendorf Episode: "That's What Friends Are For" 1995ERMrs. RibletEpisode: "Hell & High Water" Seinfeld Peterman's mother Episode: "The Secret Code" 1997 Beyond Belief - Fact or Fiction Aunt Connie Segment: "Mystery Lock" Sabrina the Teenage Witch Homeowner Episode: "A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It" 1999 Just Shoot Me! Mrs. Gallo Episode: "Jack Vents" 2001 Will & Grace Sylvia Walker Episode: "The Young and the Tactless" 2005 Scrubs Betty Episode: "My Faith in Humanity" Six Feet Under Roberta Episode: "Time Flies" My Name Is Earl Gertrude Balboa Episode: "Broke Joy's Fancy Figurine" 2006 Hannah Montana Katherine McCord Episode: "Debt It Be" Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide Miss Knapp Episode: "Social Studies/Embarrassment"The Emperor's New SchoolAzmaVoice, episode: "The Bride of Kuzco" 2007 Cold Case Audrey Abruzzi Episode: "Torn" 2009 According to Jim Emily Rose Episode: "Diamonds are a Ghoul's Best Friend" 2011 Shameless The Real Aunt Ginger Episode: "Aunt Ginger" 2012 Family Guy Aunt Helen Voice, episode: "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" 2013 New Girl Aunt Ruthie Episode: "Chicago"

See also List of centenarians (actors, filmmakers and entertainers)

References

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