BIOGRAPHY – ETHAN PHILLIPS as Neelix
Ethan Phillips stars as Neelix, a Talaxian, on Paramount Network Televsion’s STAR TREK: VOYAGER. A member of an alien race never before encountered in the Star Trek universe, Neelix is a charming yet scraggly scavenger who acts as the ship’s morale officer and budding ambassador.Born and raised on Long Island, Phillips grew up as the only boy of six children. He received a Jesuit education in New York and attended Boston University, where he graduated with a degree in English Literature. He went on to study at Cornell University and eventually received a Master of Fine Arts degree.Phillips began his acting career in the theater, appearing in such Broadway and off-Broadway productions as “My Favorite Year” at Lincoln Center, “Measure for Measure” at the Delacorte, “Lips Together, Teeth Apart” at the Lucille Lortel and “Modigliani” at the Astor Place, along with new productions for Playwrights Horizons, Ensemble Studio Theater, Hudson Guild Theater and others. He also played leading roles for many of the major regional theaters in the country.While he may have “cut his acting teeth” on stage, Phillips is perhaps best known for his extensive television work. He starred for five seasons as Pete Downey, the Govenor’s press aide on the hit television sitcom “Benson.” In addition, he had a recurring role in the nighttime drama “Werewolf” and guest-starred on a score of other shows, including “NYPD Blue,” “L.A. Law,” “Murphy Brown,” Paramount’s “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Law & Order” and “Chicago Hope.” Phillips also guest-starred in HBO’s critically-acclaimed “From the Earth to the Moon,” which was a 13-episode mini-series.His feature film credits include “Jeffrey,” in which he plays a sexaholic attending a 12-step group meeting, “The Shadow,” “Wagons East,” “Man Without a Face,” “Green Card,” “Bloodhounds of Broadway,” “For Richer or Poorer,” “Glory” and “Lean on Me.” Recently, Phillips appeared in the feature film “Civil Action” with John Travolta. In addition to acting in stage, television and film projects, Phillips is also a published and produced playwright. His original work, “Penguin Blues” was published by the Samuel French company and has been produced more than 150 times throughout the U.S. and Canada.Phillips currently lives with his wife, Patricia, their two dogs, Frank, a West Highland terrier and Lucy, an Australian cattle dog. In his spare time, he is a devoted backpacker and an amateur ornithologist and botanist. He dreams of hiking the Appalachian trail from end-to-end.
