Ellen Hamilton Latzen - A Look Back At Her Early Acting Days

For many who grew up watching movies and television in the late 1980s and into the 1990s, a certain young face might bring back some memories. We're talking about Ellen Hamilton Latzen, a person whose childhood acting work really left a mark. She was, you know, a part of some pretty big films and TV shows during that time.

She's someone who really stood out for her parts in movies like "Fatal Attraction" from 1987, where she played Ellen Gallagher, and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," where she was Ruby Sue. These were, quite honestly, big screen experiences that a lot of people still remember and talk about. Her presence in those films, as a child performer, was something special, and she made those characters her own, so to speak.

Her work on screen, which spanned from 1987 all the way to 1997, included some well-known television programs too, like "Family Ties" and "The Equalizer." It's almost as if she was everywhere for a little while, making appearances that stuck with audiences. This piece will take a look at her time in front of the cameras and what made her early acting so notable.

Biography of Ellen Hamilton Latzen
Early Life and Beginnings for Ellen Hamilton Latzen
What Roles Did Ellen Hamilton Latzen Play?
Memorable Appearances of Ellen Hamilton Latzen
How Did Ellen Hamilton Latzen Start Acting?
The Serendipitous Start for Ellen Hamilton Latzen
Was Ellen Hamilton Latzen Only a Child Actor?
Ellen Hamilton Latzen's Acting Years
What Happened to Ellen Hamilton Latzen After?

Biography of Ellen Hamilton Latzen

Ellen Hamilton Latzen is a person who was born on July 26, 1980, in the United States of America. She is, as a matter of fact, someone who worked as a performer when she was a child. Her acting time was mostly in films and on television during a period from 1987 to 1997. She became quite well-known for certain parts she took on, especially in some big movies that many people still watch today.

Her early acting path, you know, really put her in the public eye. She was often recognized for her work as a child, and her parts in those movies really made an impression. It’s pretty clear that her talent, even at a young age, allowed her to be a part of some stories that have stayed with audiences over the years. She was also, apparently, known by a nickname, "Beano," which is kind of sweet.

Early Life and Beginnings for Ellen Hamilton Latzen

Born and brought up in the USA, Ellen Hamilton Latzen started her life like many others. Her mother, Anne Hamilton, played a part in her early days, and it seems like her entry into the acting world was a bit unexpected, which we will get into later. For a person who would go on to be in some rather famous films, her start was, in some respects, quite ordinary, just a regular kid, you know, before the cameras came calling.

Her family background, so far as information goes, includes her mother. It's interesting to think about what it must have been like for a young person to suddenly find themselves on movie sets. Her early years were, basically, the foundation for what would become a decade of on-screen appearances. She was, you know, just a little kid when she first began to act, and that's pretty remarkable.

Here are some personal details about Ellen Hamilton Latzen:

Full Name	Ellen Hamilton Latzen
Nickname	Beano
Birth Date	July 26, 1980
Birth Place	United States of America
Parent	Anne Hamilton (Mother)
Occupation	Former Child Actress
Active Years	1987 – 1997

What Roles Did Ellen Hamilton Latzen Play?

When you think about Ellen Hamilton Latzen, a couple of specific characters probably come to mind right away. She was, you know, someone who played parts that became quite memorable. Her acting work, even as a young person, seemed to stick with those who watched her. It's quite something to have such a lasting impact from roles taken on during childhood, don't you think?

She is most widely recognized for two particular film parts. One was in the movie "Fatal Attraction," which came out in 1987. In that picture, she took on the character of Ellen Gallagher. This part, you know, put her in a story that was quite intense for its time. The other big role was in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," where she played a character named Ruby Sue. That movie, of course, became a holiday favorite for many, and her part in it is still talked about, basically, every Christmas season.

Memorable Appearances of Ellen Hamilton Latzen

Beyond those two well-known films, Ellen Hamilton Latzen also showed up in a few television shows. These appearances, you know, helped round out her acting work during those years. For instance, she was on "Family Ties," which was a pretty popular show back then. She also had a part in "The Equalizer," a show that had a bit of a different feel to it.

The source material also mentions "Mr.," which likely refers to "Mr. Belvedere," another television show she was on. These TV roles, while perhaps not as widely remembered as her film work, still show that she was a working actor for a good stretch of time. It's pretty cool to think about a young person having such a consistent presence on screen, across different kinds of stories. Her acting, you know, spanned various types of productions, which is quite interesting.

How Did Ellen Hamilton Latzen Start Acting?

It seems that Ellen Hamilton Latzen's path into acting wasn't something that was planned out from the very beginning. Her career, you know, had what some might call a happy accident to it. It wasn't like she was taking acting classes for years or anything like that. Instead, it was a moment of chance that opened the door for her, which is, in a way, a pretty unique story for someone who ended up in such big films.

The story goes that in 1986, her mother was reading the newspaper. And in that paper, her mother came across an article. This article was about an open call for actors for a new film project. This film was, you know, being put together by a director named Adrian Lyne, and at that point, it didn't even have a title. This discovery, basically, set everything in motion for Ellen Hamilton Latzen to begin her acting journey.

The Serendipitous Start for Ellen Hamilton Latzen

This open casting call, which her mother found, was for the film that would become "Fatal Attraction." So, you know, it wasn't a matter of agents or big industry connections at first. It was just a newspaper clipping that led to an audition. This kind of start, honestly, is not something you hear about every day in the acting world, especially for a part in what would become a very well-known movie. It speaks to a certain kind of luck, or perhaps, just being in the right place at the right moment.

Her involvement in that Adrian Lyne film, which was her very first big screen role, really set the stage for everything that followed. It’s almost like one chance encounter just led to another, building her acting experience piece by piece. This beginning, in some respects, highlights how sometimes, the biggest opportunities can come from the most unexpected places, just a little bit out of the blue, you know.

Was Ellen Hamilton Latzen Only a Child Actor?

Based on the information available, Ellen Hamilton Latzen is described as a "former child actress." This means that her time performing in front of cameras was during her younger years. Her acting career, you know, ran from when she was quite young, starting in 1987, and continued for about a decade, ending in 1997. So, it seems her professional work was indeed confined to that period of her life, when she was a child and a young teenager.

She is known for her work as a child, and the roles she played, like Ellen Gallagher and Ruby Sue, were, you know, parts for young people. This suggests that after a certain point, she moved on from acting. It's pretty common for child actors to have careers that are limited to their youth, either by choice or by circumstance. For Ellen Hamilton Latzen, that decade was her time in the spotlight, so to speak.

Ellen Hamilton Latzen's Acting Years

Her active years in the acting business spanned from 1987 to 1997. During this stretch of time, she appeared in various television and film projects. These included the movies we've talked about, "Fatal Attraction" and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," which are, you know, still watched by many. But her work also extended to the smaller screen, with appearances on shows like "Family Ties," "The Equalizer," and "Mr. Belvedere."

This period of her life, basically, saw her working consistently in the entertainment field. It's interesting to consider what it must have been like to grow up while also having a job that involved being on sets and in front of cameras. Her roles, you know, gave her a presence in popular culture during that time. She was, in a way, a familiar face for a generation of viewers, making her mark in a variety of stories.

What Happened to Ellen Hamilton Latzen After?

The information we have tells us that Ellen Hamilton Latzen is a "former actress." This suggests that her acting work concluded after her time as a child performer, specifically by 1997. The available details focus on her career during those ten years, from 1987 to 1997, and do not, you know, provide information about any acting roles she took on after that period. So, it appears her public life as a performer came to an end after her childhood and early teenage years.

Her story, you know, seems to be one of a child who had a notable run in the entertainment world and then, perhaps, moved on to other things in her adult life. Many child actors do choose to step away from the industry for various reasons, whether it's to pursue other interests, go to school, or just live a more private life. For Ellen Hamilton Latzen, her time on screen was a specific chapter, and it seems that chapter closed after 1997, leaving behind a collection of memorable performances for people to look back on, which is pretty cool.