He has a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he won the top student prize, the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship.

In 1992, he was part of the Newsday staff when they received a Pulitzer Prize[1] for spot reporting for their coverage of the 14th Street – Union Square (New York City Subway) train wreck.

His weekly "Culture Clash" segments—an irreverent look at television, movies and pop-culture trends – were a popular daytime feature on the USA Network.

In 2024, Ellis Henican co-wrote "In the Shadows: True Stories of High-Stakes Negotiations to Free Americans Captured Abroad" with Mickey Bergman.

The memoir details Bergman's role in high-stakes hostage negotiations, providing an insider's perspective on the efforts to secure the release of Americans held captive overseas.