Tuesday, December 9, 2008

FLASHBACK: ANOTHER WORLD Newbie Ellen Wheeler 1984

Soap Beat: Ellen Wheeler

by Nancy M. Reichardt
Rome News-Tribune
August 31, 1984

At the tender age of 3, Ellen Wheeler (Marley Love on ANOTHER WORLD) got her first taste of performing professionally when she appeared as Trouble in "Madame Butterfly." The production was presented in a theater owned by her parents, who are both actors.

"My father started his career as a hoofer during the Hollywood musical era and all of us learned to dance because of his career beginnings," remembers Miss Wheeler. "My younger brother and I used to do George Burns-Gracie Allen comedy routines when we weren't pretending to be Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers." Today, Miss Wheeler still keeps in shape with dancing and aerobics classes.

"In high school I was very involved in the drama department and won all kinds of awards," says Miss Wheeler, who appeared in many theatrical productions throughout her childhood.

"After graduation, my parents said, 'So, are you going to go to Hollywood now?' But I was only 17 and too scared to do it. At the age of 19, however, I packed up and went to Tinsel Town; just like a thousand other kids," recalls Miss Wheeler, who was one of the lucky ones, since she landed an agent, some commercials and guest-starring roles on television.

Miss Wheeler, who is also a singer, was working on an album, "for a real small label," she says, before she moved to New York and "AW."

A practicing Mormon, Miss Wheeler admits that "there are certain things I won't do on-screen, such as a nude scene. Also, since I dont smoke or drink, I won't do either on-screen if I can't fake it," she says. "I do, however, realize that as actors we have to portray what goes on in real life and I also feel that acting should mirror what's going on in society so that people can see what is good and what isn't."

1 comment:

  1. I loved Ellen Wheeler in the dual roles of sweet, innocent Marley
    and tough, street smart, Vicky.
    ...Another World was the first soap I'd race home from high school in 1983 and 1984 to watch the last 30 minutes. Marly and Donna Love, Cecile, Cass, Felicia, Aunt Liz, Perry Hutchins and Julia Shearer, Jamie Frame and Rachel were excellent characters...It really was a great show and had the writing been a little better as it progressed into the 1990s the show would likely be on the air today.

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