Veteran actress Lorna Raver, best known for her chilling portrayal of the curse-wielding elderly woman in Sam Raimi’s horror film “Drag Me to Hell,” died on May 12 at age 81. Her death was just revealed in the “In Memoriam” section of the SAG-AFTRA’s Summer 2025 magazine.
In the 2009 horror film, Raver played Mrs. Sylvia Ganush, the elderly woman who places a curse on Allison Lohman’s bank executive character Christine Brown, setting the terrifying events of the movie in motion. The role became her most recognizable performance in a career spanning decades of television and film work.
Born on October 9, 1943, in York, Pennsylvania, Raver began her acting journey at the Hedgerow Theater just outside Philadelphia. She later moved to New York, where she performed in several theatrical productions, including two notable off-Broadway debuts: Robin Swicord’s “Last Days of the Dixie Girl Café” in 1979 and Matt Williams’ “Between Daylight and Boonville.”
Raver made her screen debut in the 1990 film “Opportunity Knocks,” playing the secretary to Dana Carvey’s character. Her television career proved extensive, with appearances across numerous popular series spanning multiple decades.
On the long-running soap opera “The Young and the Restless,” Raver took over the role from Millie Perkins to portray Rebecca Kaplan, a concentration camp survivor and mother of Brad Carlton, who emerges from hiding. She played this character from 2006 to 2007. Earlier, when the show premiered in 1997, she appeared as Cape Cod resident Helen Miller.
Raver became a familiar face in several David E. Kelley television productions. She appeared in the 1997 pilot episode of “The Practice” and portrayed judges in both “Ally McBeal” and “Boston Legal.” Her television credits extended far beyond these series, including roles in “ER,” “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” “Beverly Hills 90210,” “Felicity,” “Judging Amy,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Charmed,” “Bones,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Desperate Housewives.”
Beyond her screen work, Raver distinguished herself in the audiobook industry, earning several Earphones Awards for her narration work. This recognition highlighted her vocal talents and versatility as a performer across different mediums.
Raver shared her life with partner Yuri Rasovsky, a writer, producer, and director, for 25 years until his death in 2012 at age 67. The couple’s long partnership represented a significant personal relationship that spanned more than two decades in the entertainment industry.
Her career trajectory from regional theater in Pennsylvania to Hollywood productions demonstrates the path of a dedicated performer who built a substantial body of work across theater, television, and film. Starting with her early experience at the Hedgerow Theater, Raver developed skills that would serve her throughout her professional life.
The revelation of her death came months after the actual date, appearing in the professional publication that serves members of the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. This delayed announcement reflects how some industry deaths are communicated within professional circles.
Raver’s most memorable film role in “Drag Me to Hell” showcased her ability to embody a character that was both sympathetic and frightening. The performance required her to convey the desperation of someone wronged by the banking system while also serving as the catalyst for supernatural horror. Her portrayal helped anchor Raimi’s return to horror filmmaking after his work on the “Spider-Man” trilogy.
The actress’s television work demonstrated remarkable consistency, appearing in series across different genres and decades. From medical dramas to legal shows, from supernatural series to soap operas, her versatility allowed her to adapt to various storytelling formats and character requirements.
Her death at 81 marks the end of a career that began in regional theater and expanded to encompass multiple entertainment mediums. Raver indicated through her diverse body of work that character actors could build substantial careers through consistent, quality performances across many productions.
