Ellen Dolan was born on October 16, 1955 in Monticello, Iowa. She was educated at University of Iowa where she earned degrees in theater. While in college, she also spent her summers studying dramatic arts at the Webber Douglas Academy if Dramatic Art in London. Dolan's theatrical career began in 1980 when she took on roles like Katrin in Mother Courage, a Milwaukee Repertory Theater production. She also participated in regional productions such as Cat on the Hot Tin Roof at the Virginia Stage Company, May in How the Other Half Loves at the Pennsylvania Stage Company, and Cellia in The Nerd at the Capitol Repertory in Albany, NY. Dolan also successfully put up her own theater company by the name of The Studio Three Group. She stars in two television soap operas, Guiding Light and As the World Turns.

Margo Montgomery Hughes is played by Ellen Dolan in the soap opera As the World Turns. Being one half of the supercouple, Margo is the daughter of Lyla Montgomery with Dr. John Dixon. She had three siblings namely Cricket, Craig and Katie. Later on in her life she became a nurse like her mother, however changed careers to become a police officer. Her first husband was Tom Montgomery with whom she had a son, Casey. However, prior to Casey's birth, Margo had an affair with Detective Hal Munson and produced his son, Adam. Tom then had an affair with Emily, thus Margo decided to look for other men. She had an affair with Alec Wallace who was a criminal she was investigating. She was later found on his bed after his murder without any clue of what had happened the night before. She was charged of murder but was found to be innocent when the real killer was found. She and Tom reconciled shortly.