Ellen Albertini Dow, best known for her rendition of "Rapper's Delight" in the 1998 Adam Sandler movie The Wedding Singer, passed away last night, as confirmed by Deadline. She was 101.
The actress didn't start acting on-screen until the 1980s, when she was in her 70s. Her credits include My Blue Heaven and the Sister Act films. She also appeared on television in series like The Golden Girls, The Wonder Years, and Seinfeld.
The actress most recently voiced a character on Family Guy and was last seen on-screen in New Girl.
Dow was born November 16, 1913 in Mount Carmel, PA and eventually moved to New York to pursue an acting career. Dow taught drama at Los Angeles City College and Pierce College in Southern California for several years until she retired from teaching in 1985.
Dow is best known for her scene-stealing role as the rapping granny in the hit Adam Sandler–Drew Barrymore romantic comedy. Her rendition appeared on The Wedding Singer soundtrack, which cracked the Billboard Top 5 and went double-platinum.
In a 1988 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Dow said that she "never heard of (the song) in my life… I just sang it and put some movement on it."
Watch a clip of her version of the Sugarhill Gang's classic song below.
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