Jillian Kesner-Graver

(Redirected from Jillian Kessner)

Jillian Kesner-Graver (August 9, 1949 – December 5, 2007), credited onscreen as Jillian Kesner, was an American actress and historian who worked with her husband, Gary Graver, to preserve the work and legacy of director Orson Welles. She was best known as an actress for playing Fonzie's girlfriend, Lorraine, on a 1977 episode of Happy Days.

Jillian Kesner-Graver
Jillian Kesner with Michael Cavanaugh filming Inferno in 1996
Born
Jillian Kesner

August 9, 1949
Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.
DiedDecember 5, 2007(2007-12-05) (aged 58)
Irvine, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, film historian
Years active1976–2006
Spouse
(m. 1981; died 2006)

Early life

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Kesner-Graver was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. Her father was in the United States Navy and she spent much of her childhood in Denver, Colorado. She first moved to Los Angeles in 1959, where she worked as a model before getting into television and movie acting.[1]

Career

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Kesner-Graver was best known for playing Fonzie's girlfriend, Lorraine, on Happy Days. She appeared in a number of "B-rated" films throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Her credits included Raw Force, Starhops and Beverly Hills Vamp. She developed a following among fans of B-level action films.

She appeared on a number of television shows, including Three's Company, The Rockford Files and Mork & Mindy. She met her husband, director and cinematographer, Gary Graver, on the set of the film The Student Body in 1976.

Death

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Jillian Kesner-Graver died on December 5, 2007, in Irvine, California of complications from a staph infection, which she contracted after having been diagnosed with leukemia. She was 58 years old.[1]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1976 The Student Body Carrie
1978 Starhops Angel
1980 Ang agila at ang falcon (English: The Eagle and The Falcon)
1981 Firecracker Susanne Carter aka Naked Fist in Australia
1982 Raw Force Cookie Winchell aka Kung Fu Cannibals
Trick or Treats Andrea
1987 Moon in Scorpio Claire
Evil Town Dorothy
1989 Jaded Sara
Beverly Hills Vamp Claudia
1992 Roots of Evil Brenda
1997 Operation Cobra Jasmine aka Inferno

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1975 S.W.A.T. Miss California Episode: "The Steel-Plated Security Blanket"
1976 The Blue Knight Lady in swimsuit Episode: "Bullseye"
Happy Days Patty Petrolunga Episode: "Fonzie the Superstar"
1977 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Paula Clark Episode: "Mystery of the Solid Gold Kicker"
Happy Days Lorraine Episode: "Marion Rebels"
1979 Co-ed Fever Melba Main cast
The Rockford Files Lily Showalter Episode: "No Fault Affair"
The Ropers Linda Graham 2 episodes
1981 Three's Company The sister Episode: "The Not-So-Great Imposter"
1982 Mork & Mindy Judi Episode: "Metamorphosis - The TV Show"
1983 T.J. Hooker Crystal Episode: "A Child Is Missing"
1996 Subliminal Seduction Cherl TV movie

References

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  1. ^ a b "Actress Jillian Kesner-Graver dies". Variety. September 19, 2007. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
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