Jillian Kesner, a radiant and vibrant blonde actress, was born on August 9, 1949, in Portsmouth, Virginia, and spent most of her childhood in Denver, Colorado. Her father, a Navy officer, instilled in her a strong sense of discipline and responsibility. Jillian's academic background is marked by her Bachelor of Arts degree in business, which she earned from a reputable Colorado university in 1967.
After completing her education, Jillian ventured to Los Angeles, California, in 1969, where she initially pursued a career as a model before transitioning to acting. Her film debut was a memorable one, as she played the role of fiery juvenile delinquent Carrie in the 1970 drive-in exploitation romp "The Student Body." During the filming of this picture, Jillian met her future husband, renowned cinematographer Gary Graver.
Throughout her acting career, Jillian has made a lasting impression with her diverse range of roles. She has portrayed sweet and intelligent characters, such as Angel in the amusing "Starhops," tough and sexy characters, like Susanne Carter in the enjoyable "Firecracker," feisty martial arts experts, like Cookie Winchell in the gloriously tasteless "Raw Force," and alluring vamps, like Claudia in the lowbrow hoot "Beverly Hills Vamp."
Jillian's television credits are equally impressive, with notable roles in the short-lived sitcom "Co-ed Fever" and memorable guest appearances on popular shows such as "Happy Days," "S.W.A.T.," "The Blue Knight," "The Rockford Files," "Three's Company," "Mork & Mindy," and "T.J. Hooker." Outside of her acting career, Jillian has also worked as a production coordinator on a handful of low-budget straight-to-video movies directed by Graver.
Jillian Kesner's dedication to preserving the cinematic legacy of Orson Welles continued even after her husband's passing in 2006. Unfortunately, Jillian's life was cut short when she succumbed to a staph infection on December 5, 2007, at the age of 58, in Irvine, California.
