Ilene Susan Graff (born February 28, 1949) is an American

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...

and singer.

Life and career

The

Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

native began her professional career as a teenager when she performed as a background singer and commercial actress while attending Martin Van Buren High School in

Queens Village Queens Village is a mostly residential middle class neighborhood in the eastern part of the New York City borough of Queens. It is bound by Hollis to the west, Cambria Heights to the south, Bellerose to the east, and Oakland Gardens to the north. ...

. She graduated from

Ithaca College Ithaca College is a private college in Ithaca, New York. It was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music and is set against the backdrop of the city of Ithaca (which is separate from the town), Cayuga Lake, waterfalls, and ...

in 1970. Graff's Broadway credits include '' Promises, Promises'', '' Grease'', and ''

I Love My Wife ''I Love My Wife'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman, based on a play by Luis Rego. A satire of the sexual revolution of the 1970s, the musical takes place on Christmas Eve in suburban Trenton, New ...

''. Her television work includes ''

Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law, who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, California. The show was or ...

'', ''

Laverne & Shirley ''Laverne & Shirley'' (originally ''Laverne DeFazio & Shirley Feeney'') is an American sitcom television series that played for eight seasons on ABC from January 27, 1976, to May 10, 1983. A spin-off of '' Happy Days'', ''Laverne & Shirley'' st ...

'', ''

Mork & Mindy ''Mork & Mindy'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 14, 1978, to May 27, 1982. A spin-off after a highly successful episode of ''Happy Days'', "My Favorite Orkan", it starred Robin Williams as Mork, an extraterrestr ...

'', '' Three's Company'', '' Lewis & Clark'', and ''

St. Elsewhere ''St. Elsewhere'' was an American medical drama television series created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982, to May 25, 1988. The series stars Ed Flanders, Norman Lloyd, and William Daniels as ...

''. From 1985 until 1990, she played what is possibly her best known role, Marsha Owens, the wife of Bob Uecker's character, George, in the sitcom '' Mr. Belvedere''. In addition to her roles on television, Graff also appeared in the motion picture '' Ladybugs'' playing the girlfriend of

Rodney Dangerfield Rodney Dangerfield (born Jacob Rodney Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating one-liner humor, his catchphrase "I don't get no re ...

and mother of Jonathan Brandis. Her recent screen credits include films ''The Things We Carry,'' ''Ma-i pa-deo,'' and ''

Loving Annabelle ''Loving Annabelle'' is a 2006 American romantic drama film written and directed by Katherine Brooks. Inspired by '' Mädchen in Uniform'', it tells the story of a boarding school student who falls in love with her teacher. Plot Annabelle Till ...

''.

Personal life

Graff is the daughter of Jerry Graff, a member of the musical group The Pied Pipers. While performing in ''Grease'' she met and married composer

Ben Lanzarone Benjamin Anthony Lanzarone (born October 28, 1938) is an American composer. He was the winner of ASCAP's Most Performed Composer Award. See also Bhen Lanzaroni Filmography Composer * "The Love Boat" (1979-1986) * "Dynasty" (1982-1985) * "Hap ...

, and they have one daughter, Nikka, born 1983. Graff is the older sister of

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

-nominated actor, film producer, writer, film director and former Short Circus member

Todd Graff Todd Graff (born October 22, 1959) is an American actor, writer and director, best known for his 2003 independent film '' Camp'' and his role as Alan "Hippy" Carnes in the 1989 science fiction film '' The Abyss''. Early life Graff was born in Ne ...

and cousin of Tony winner

Randy Graff Randy Lynn Graff (born May 23, 1955) is an American actress and singer. Career Graff was born in Brooklyn, New York City and is a graduate of Wagner College. She is a cousin of actors Todd Graff and Ilene Graff. Graff has been in feature films ...

. She serves as the spokesman for the AMC Cancer Research Center.

Select filmography

* ''

Hart of Dixie ''Hart of Dixie'' is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on The CW from September 26, 2011, to March 27, 2015. The series, created by Leila Gerstein, stars Rachel Bilson as Dr. Zoe Hart, a New Yorker who, after her dreams o ...

'' .... Ellen Aim (6 episodes, 2011-2015) * ''The Things We Carry'' (2009) .... Ellen Aim * '' My Father'' (2007) .... Nancy Parker ... aka Ellen Aim (South Korea: DVD title) * ''

'' (2006) .... Mother Immaculata * '' Living with Fran'' .... Jessica (1 episode, 2006) * ''Haunted'' .... Emily Eastway (1 episode, 2002) * ''

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

'' (2001) (TV) .... Singing Ngana ... aka Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific (USA: complete title) * ''

Touched by an Angel ''Touched by an Angel'' is an American fantasy drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes over nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and executive produced ...

'' .... Gloria Brewer (1 episode, 1997) * '' Abandoned and Deceived'' (1995) (TV) * '' Sisters''.... Cynthia (1 episode, 1994) * '' Ladybugs'' (1992) .... Bess * '' Walter & Emily'' .... Dr. Barbara Morris (1 episode, 1992) * ''

Opposites Attract "Opposites Attract" is a song by American singer Paula Abdul from her debut album, ''Forever Your Girl'' (1988). It was written and produced by Oliver Leiber. Vocals on the song, in addition to Abdul, were provided by Bruce DeShazer and Marv Gunn ...

'' (1990) (TV) .... Frannie * '' Mr. Belvedere'' .... Marsha Cameron Owens (117 episodes, 1985–1990) * ''Jury Duty: The Comedy'' (1990; TV) .... Marilyn Worth ... aka The Great American Sex Scandal * ''New Love, American Style'' (1 episode, 1986) .... Love at First Sight/Love and the Judge (1986; TV) * ''

'' .... Heidi Brechman (1 episode, 1985) * ''Earthlings'' (1984) (TV) .... Jane Lassiter * ''

The Paper Chase The Paper Chase (stylized as "the pAper chAse") was an American alternative rock band formed in 1998 by producer/engineer John Congleton in Dallas, Texas, who were signed to Kill Rock Stars and Southern Records. Their albums ''God Bless Your Blac ...

''.... Carolyn (1 episode, 1983) * '' Three's Company'' .... Daphne Smith (1 episode, 1983) * ''

Charley's Aunt ''Charley's Aunt'' is a farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. The story centres on Lord Fancourt Babberley, an undergraduate whose friends Jack and Charley persuade him to impersonate the latter's aunt. The complications of the plot in ...

'' (1983; TV) .... Kitty Verdun * ''

Remington Steele ''Remington Steele'' is an American television series co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from O ...

''.... Ivy Shapiro (1 episode, 1982) * ''Madame's Place''.... Gloria Beecham Meade (1 episode, 1982) * ''

'' .... Tracy /Receptionist ... (4 episodes, 1981-1982) * '' Lewis & Clark'' .... Alicia Lewis (3 episodes, 1981) * ''

'' .... Monique Dobson (1 episode, 1980) * ''

Beulah Land Beulah is a land referred to in the Biblical Book of Isaiah. It is the land of the Jewish people, the Israelites, to which they must return: an earthly paradise. The land of Beulah is referred to in various hymns and other works. Bible The only k ...

'' (1980; TV mini-series) .... Annabel Davis * '' Angie''.... Debbie (1 episode, 1980) * ''Supertrain'' .... Penny Whitaker (3 episodes, 1979) * ''

'' .... Stephanie Capello (2 episodes, 1979)

References

External links

Official website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Graff, Ilene 1949 births Living people Actresses from New York City American film actresses American musical theatre actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Ithaca College alumni Martin Van Buren High School alumni People from Queens, New York Singers from New York City 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses