Ilene Graff
Career
Active 1979 – present
Biography
About Ilene Graff
Ilene Graff is an American actress with a career spanning from 1979 to the present, over 47 years in the industry. She was born on Monday, February 28, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in a musical family; her father, Jerry Graff, was a singer with The Pied Pipers, and her mother, Judy, a piano teacher who passed away in 1988. Graff attended Ithaca College in upstate New York, graduating in 1970, and worked as a studio singer as a teenager, doing background work and commercials.
Her Broadway breakthrough came when she replaced Carole Demas as Sandy in the original production of "Grease," a role she played for two-and-a-half years. That show also led her to meet her future husband, musical director Ben Lanzarone, who encouraged the move to the West Coast. They married on August 28, 1977, and remained together until his death on February 16, 2024. The couple had one child, daughter Nikka Graff Lanzarone, born in November 1983. Graff is known for her work on television, including "Remington Steele" (1982), "Mr. Belvedere" (1985), and "American Playhouse" (1980). She is also the older sister of actor Todd Graff.
Beyond acting, Graff has used her platform for charitable causes. In 1999, she spent her birthday helping to raise $45 million for the Variety Children's Club, and she serves as the national spokesperson for the AMC Cancer Research Center in Denver. She and her husband were also active participants in the annual Cedar Rapids telethon, and she performs on cruise ships and at charity events. Now 77 years old, she stands 5'6" with blonde hair and blue eyes, an average build, and she lives in Studio City, CA.
Record
Profile details
Personal
- Years Active
- 1979-present (started around 30 years old; 47 years active)
- Ethnicity
- Caucasian
- Sexuality
- Straight
Body
- Hair Color
- Blonde
- Eye Color
- Blue
- Weight
- 132 lbs (or 60 kg)
- Measurements
- 35–25–37 (B–W–H) · WHR 0.68
- Bra/Cup Size
- 40B show conversions - UK: 40B, EU: 90B, AU: 18B, JP: 90B
- Boobs
- Real/Natural
Frequently asked
How did Ilene Graff meet her husband Ben Lanzarone?
They met during the Broadway production of "Grease," where Lanzarone was the musical director; their meeting sparked her move to the West Coast.
What is Ilene Graff's family connection to music?
Her father Jerry Graff was a singer with the vocal group The Pied Pipers, and her mother Judy was a piano teacher.
What charitable work did Ilene Graff do in 1999?
In 1999, she spent her birthday helping to raise $45 million for the Variety Children's Club.
Who is Ilene Graff's daughter and what does she do?
Her daughter Nikka Graff Lanzarone, born in November 1983, is also a performer; her mother is her namesake.
Did you know
- Ilene Graff replaced Carole Demas as Sandy in the original Broadway production of "Grease" for two-and-a-half years.
- She worked as a studio singer as a teenager, doing background vocals and commercial work.
- Her husband Ben Lanzarone was the musical director of "Grease" when they met.
- Ilene Graff is the national spokesperson for the AMC Cancer Research Center in Denver.
- She and her husband enjoyed participating in the annual Cedar Rapids telethon.
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