​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Ellen Ware Geer (born August 29, 1941) is an American actress, professor, screenwriter, film director and theatre director.Geer has enjoyed a long, distinguished career in film and television. She began her career appearing as a nun in the 1968 Richard Lester drama Petulia. Geer followed this with an appearance in 1969's The Reivers with her father, Will Geer. In 1971, Geer played the deceased wife of the lead character in Kotch, appearing throughout the movie in flashback