Ellen Crawford is an American actress. She plays Iris Beckley on Desperate Housewives.
Most recently, she co-starred as "Edith", in The Man from Earth. She also played "Nurse Lydia Wright" on ER from 1994–2003 and then again in 2009 for the series finale. She has performed on stage as well, most recently as "Nora Melody" in A Touch of the Poet by Eugene O'Neil, for Friendly Fire Theatre in New York City.
Crawford was born in Normal, Illinois, graduated from Carnegie Mellon University's college of Fine Arts in 1975. She is married to Mike Genovese.
Art imitated life for the couple. On ER, Genovese portrayed officer "Alfred Grabarsky", whom "Nurse Wright" wed during the show's third season.
Currently she is performing on stage at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, in Cedar City Utah. She is "Mrs. Bennett" in Pride and Prejudice and "Miss Havisham" in Great Expectations.