Biography.guide
Home › People › Actor › Jillian Kesner-Graver
Portrait of Jillian Kesner-Graver

Jillian Kesner-Graver

1949 – 2007

American actress

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Jillian Kesner-Graver

Lived 1949 – 2007 (aged 58). Jillian Kesner-Graver was an American actor, television actor, film actor and film historian.

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.

Early life 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.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1976 The Student Body Carrie 1978 Starhops Angel 1980 Ang agila at ang 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 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

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Family & relationships

Spouse
Gary Graver

People in Jillian Kesner-Graver's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jillian Kesner-Graver's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jillian Kesner-Graver?

American actress (1949-2007)

When was Jillian Kesner-Graver born?

Jillian Kesner-Graver was born on 9 August 1949 in Portsmouth.

When did Jillian Kesner-Graver die?

Jillian Kesner-Graver died on 5 December 2007 in Irvine.

What was Jillian Kesner-Graver's occupation?

Jillian Kesner-Graver was an actor, television actor, film actor and film historian.

What nationality was Jillian Kesner-Graver?

Jillian Kesner-Graver was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jillian Kesner-Graver

· Wikidata: Q2249250

· DBpedia: Jillian Kesner-Graver

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jillian Kesner-Graver. https://biography.guide/jillian-kesner-graver/

MLA: "Jillian Kesner-Graver." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jillian-kesner-graver/.

Chicago: "Jillian Kesner-Graver." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jillian-kesner-graver/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:30 UTC