Film, Television & Stage Appearances with Ellie Weingardt
Film credits include:
The Evil One / Breakaway Films / Ms. Mudgett
Laelynn / Kate Adkins Productions / Dr. Renee
The Rockville Slayer Marc Selz Production's / Mrs. Henderson
Bad Meat / Chill-O-Vision / Mrs. Greely
Just Visiting / Hollywood Productions / Singing Barfly
Save The Last Dance / Paramount / Judge's Assistant
Early Edition / TV Show / Receptionist
Somewhere In Between / Loomis Productions / Charlotte
A League of Their Own / Columbia Pictures / Charm School Instructor
Chicago Story / MGM / Reporter
Video Bingo / TV Show - 13 Weeks / Co-Hostess
Blue Light Special / TV Show - 13 Weeks / Co-Hostess
The Holcroft Covenant / Walden Book
Cassettes / Multi-Characters
The Auerbach Will / Walden Book Cassettes / Multi-Characters
The Miracle / Walden Book Cassettes / Multi-Characters
Party Line / Radio Drama - 26 Weeks / Kathy
5-Star Disney Cartoons / Estes Productions / Multi-Characters
Ivanhoe / Estes Productions / Multi-Characters
Cine / Hlavka Productions / Lome
Appassionato / Hecker Productions / Mrs. Cohen
Bob Harvey / Rogue's Scholars Productions / Mrs. Harvey
Butterscotch and Chocolate / Ricky Hendon
Productions / Joan Rivers
Miss Twigley's Tree / Bix Pix / Mayor's Wife
Chicago Fire - Rich Patient Southside
Mrs. Patricia Van Slavin comedy central /HBO Max
Chicago Fire/Rich Patient, NBC
A League Of Their Own
Charm School Teacher
Motion Picture Press Articles - Ellie Weingardt
SKYLINE
THE WIFE FROM HELL is a juicy role for veteran character actress Ellie Weingardt, and she gets to show her best bitchy moves in "Bad Meat," a Chevy Chase dark comedy that just finished shooting in Chicago. "Chevy is a delight to work with," Ellie enthused. "He couldn't have been more helpful, suggesting how I should play his mate. He's a crooked congressman who gets kidnapped with dire results. Our scenes battling and cursing in our home, at the layer's office, is a hoot." The script was written by two Onion editors. You've seen Ellie in "A League of Their Own" with Madonna, in "Shear Madness," tons of "little theater," and in some strong Altoid ads.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
They Make Sure It's Ladies' Day for 'League"
Ellie Weingardt teaches etiquette to a Women's baseball team In "A League of Their Own." Call them the Priss Patrol. When it comes to heinous rules and outdated regulations, two Chicago actresses are in a league of their own. Ellie Weingardt plays the charm school teacher, and Pauline Brailsford is the chaperone of a '40s women's baseball team in the film "A League of Their Own" (now at local theaters). "Sip your tea, don't slurp," Weingardt said in a high-pitched trill, demonstrating her character. "Walk gracefully and grandly. I say, 'Ladies. Legs together. Always.' I looked right at Madonna when I delivered that line."
"No drinking, no smoking, no men in your bedroom," Brailsford said in an English accent. Well, some ladies in her group did prefer to be wild women. "Madonna's character poisons my food, so I'm really sick," said Brailsford, laughing. "Then all the women sneak out of the hotel room." Both actresses played actual historical figures. In real life, the women baseball players - mostly farm girls - were put through rigorous charm lessons conducted by cosmetics guru Helena Rubenstein. Adding to their woe was a 24-hour chaperone. "On the set, we read the real rules for the league," says Ellie Weingardt. "I was shocked." No wonder. The women were not allowed to drive outside town limits. Spitting and swearing were forbidden. Male dates had to be approved. And, "ladies did not sweat; they glowed," Weingardt added. "I reminded the girls to fan themselves between innings." Weingardt got her role by dressing the part of a matronly teacher. "I walked into the audition with my hair rolled and even did Joan Crawford's eyebrows," said Weingardt, who has appeared in "Shear Madness" and scads of commercials. Brailsford, the former artistic director of Body Politic Theatre, also dressed the part by pulling her hair back severely. Filming took place in Wrigley Field and in Evansville, Indiana. "Tom Hanks would entertain the crowd by singing old sitcom themes," Brailsford said. "Madonna and I got our hair done together," Weingardt said. "We flipped through fashion magazines, just chatting away."
CHICAGO TRIBUNE By O'Malley & Collin
PIONEER PRESS By Gerst, Bonesteel & Andries
Please to 'Meat' ya By Gerst, Ingram & Andries
Highland Park actress Ellie Weingardt has been cast as Chevy Chase's wife/widow in "Bad Meat," and shot her role in the independent feature in Chicago last week. Writer/director is Scott Dikkers, former editor of The Onion and Michael Hirsch. "It's what you would call a meaty role," jokes Weingardt, who must pay a ransom for Chase's kidnapped body before she can collect on the will.
Trading on her own charms, Highland Park actress Ellie Weingardt has been cast in a new Penny Marshall movie to be filmed in and around Chicago. "A League of Their Own," the story of a girl's baseball team, stars Madonna, Tom Hanks and Geena Davis, among others. Weingardt plays an instructor at the charm school, where the girls go to polish off the rough edges. Charming.
Voice-Over Press Reviews
The Press loves Ellie Weingardt's Commercial Voice Talent, and so will you!
THE CHICAGO PRODUCTION WEEKLY By Ruth Ratny
VOs are the talk of Windy Awards
Chicago's voice-overs were seen instead of just heard as they took the spotlight in last week's annual Windy Awards, sponsored by Radio Broadcasters of Chicagoland and the Broadcast Advertising Club of Chicago. Ellie Weingardt was named "Best Chicagoland Female Voice-over Talent" for her work on the Coca-Cola "Shooting in Kenya" spot, produced by Cerny American. Cerny was also the production company behind Joe Guzaldo, who won in the Male Voice-over category for Ameritech's "Holidaze" spot. It was the first time the talent category was recognized in the round-up of radio excellence, a fact that VOs and audio producers applauded. "It's really' such a hip thing that they have this brand-new category," said Cerny American president JoBe Cerny, whose company also produced the spots behind the second-place VOs, P.J. Byrnes and Dave Razowsky. "Most awards shows always recognize the creatives and the directors, but it's a rare thing for a show to remember the outstanding talent. It's great that [the Windys] realize what a deep talent market we have here. One of the largest Windy crowds (which included local broadcast celebs like Jack Brickhouse, Steve Dahl, Ron Santo, and actor Mickey Rooney) feted winners and first and second-place runners-up in a variety of categories, including the 1992 Golden Windy Award winner Wally Phillips.
PIONEER PRESS By George Lazarus
Toothbrush wars take a new turn
Ellie Weingardt and Joe Guzaldo were judged as the best voice-over talents for radio among females and males, respectively, in 1992. WGN Radios Wally Phillips was honored with the Golden Windy Award for his achievements in the industry at the Westin Chicago luncheon on Tuesday, recognizing the winners. A 60-second Bud Dry radio commercial, dubbed "Blind Date," won "Best of Show" at the annual Windy Awards competition co-sponsored by Radio Broadcasters Of Chicagoland and the Broadcast Advertising Club Of Chicago. This spot will air once gratis Wednesday on most Chicago area radio stations in recognition of being the top spot. For the winning agency, D.D.B. Needham, Chicago, there was a $2,500 cash prize from the rep form firm Interep Radio Store. The recipient is Dennis Ryan, who wrote the copy on this spot for client Anheuser-Busch and, by some coincidence, is being promoted to a group creative director at the agency.
Michigan Avenue Magazine Rosie O'Donnell Cover Party Michigan Avenue and Horseshoe Casino
Michigan Avenue and Horseshoe Casino rolled out the red carpet to welcome December cover star—and new Chicago resident— Rosie O'Donnell to our fair city. The actress and talk-show host graciously took photos with fans and answered a slew of questions about her recent engagement to longtime girlfriend, Michelle Rounds. There was even an A League of Their Own reunion, as Ellie Weingardt, who played the etiquette expert, popped up on the red carpet to surprise O'Donnell. Marveling at Horseshoe's proximity to the city, Rosie had one request of the crowd: "Meet me at the dollar slots. Mommy doesn't do nickels."
MONTAGE By Marilyn Soltis
Voice-over Vixen
Marilyn Monroe, Mae West, and Zsa Zsa Gabor are only a few of Ellie Weingardt's impersonations-voice, that is. Recently, she placed fifth in the "Joan Rivers Look-Alike Contest on the Late Show," a slight aberration from the aforementioned stars. But impersonations are only a small part of Weingardt's repertoire. Her industrial film and commercial work covers characters ranging from housewives to anchors. Her calling card reads, "When it comes to spots, Scotch Gard and StainGard can't hold a candle to Weingardt!" Weingardt's career began 10 years ago when a friend asked her to accompany her to an acting class because she didn't want to go alone. "I was in my thirties and from the suburbs. The class was in a dingy basement where everybody was swearing. You had to stand up and say #!x@. It took me a while to understand the method, but I stuck with it after my friend dropped out. Everyone made a voice tape to get into commercials, and so I've been in the business ever since." When she first started out, Weingardt won a trip to the Academy Awards. Upon deciding that she didn't look any different from anybody else in the audience, she decided that acting would be her chosen profession. After 10 years, she believes anything is possible. Says Weingardt, "Why set limits? Why not win an Academy Award?"
S t a g e
PRODUCTION / COMPANY / ROLE
Follies / Triton College / Phyllis
Shear Madness / Blackstone Hotel / Mrs. Shubert
The Women / Pladium Theater / Sylvia
Cole - A Musical / Ivanhoe Theater / Ellie
No Sex Please, We're British / Old Orchard Country Club Theater / Eleanor Hunter
Harvey / Old Orchard Country Club Theater / Vale Simmons
Other Voyages on a City Street / Playwrights Center - World Premiere / Viola
A Company of Wayward Saints / Echo Theater / Columbine
Rosencrantz and Guildenstem are Dead / Steppenwolf / Gertrude
Beauty and the Beast / Royal Playhouse / Beauty
Cementville / Mary Arrchie Theater / Mother Crocker
Petrified Forest / Mary Arrchie Theater / Mrs. Chisolm
Never the Same Rhyme Twice / Mary Arrchie Theater / Charlie
Academy Awards Concert / Hartzell Productions / MC-Songstress
Watch on the Rhine / Eclipse Theatre / Anise