Veteran actress Lorna Raver, best known for her chilling portrayal of the cursing elderly woman in Sam Raimi’s horror film “Drag Me to Hell,” died on May 12 at age 81. Her death was revealed in the “In Memoriam” section of SAG-AFTRA’s Summer 2025 magazine.
In the 2009 cult classic, Raver played Mrs. Sylvia Ganush, the elderly woman who curses Alison Lohman’s bank executive character Christine Brown, setting in motion the supernatural horror events that drive the film’s plot. The movie achieved significant commercial success, earning nearly $91 million at the worldwide box office.
Raver’s agent Michael Greene remembered her as “a beautiful lady” who will shine down on all from Heaven. Greene revealed that Raver landed the iconic role over another client because she was able to perform the flying harness sequences required for the film’s special effects with remarkable ease.
In a 2014 interview, Raver admitted she had no idea what the movie was about when she auditioned for the part. She indicated that she took the role primarily because of director Sam Raimi’s reputation, acknowledging she wasn’t fully aware of what she was getting into with the supernatural horror project.
Born on October 9, 1943, in York, Pennsylvania, Raver began her acting career at the Hedgerow Theater just outside Philadelphia. She later relocated 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 Cafe” in 1979 and Matt Williams’ “Between Daylight and Boonville.”
Raver’s screen debut came in the 1990 film “Opportunity Knocks,” where she played the secretary to Dana Carvey’s character. However, much of her career was built on television appearances across numerous popular series spanning several decades.
She had a notable recurring role on CBS’ soap opera “The Young and the Restless,” where she took over from Millie Perkins to portray Rebecca Kaplan, a concentration camp survivor, and mother of Brad Carlton, who emerges from hiding. Raver appeared on the show from 2006 to 2007, though she had previously appeared as Cape Cod resident Helen Miller when the show aired in 1997.
Throughout her television career, Raver frequently appeared in productions by David E. Kelley, including roles in the 1997 pilot of “The Practice” and as judges in both “Ally McBeal” and “Boston Legal.” Her extensive television resume included appearances on “ER,” “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” “Beverly Hills 90210,” “Felicity,” “Judging Amy,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Charmed,” “Bones,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “Weeds.”
Beyond her acting career, Raver established herself as an accomplished audiobook narrator, earning multiple Earphones Awards for her voice work. This recognition highlighted her versatility as a performer and her ability to bring characters to life through voice alone.
Raver shared a long-term partnership with Yuri Rasovsky, a writer, producer, and director, for 25 years. Rasovsky, who was 67 years old, died in 2012. The couple’s professional and personal relationship was a significant part of Raver’s life, and sources noted they are now reunited.
Her death at age 81 marks the end of a career that spanned theater, television, and film. While Raver appeared in numerous television shows and projects throughout her decades-long career, her role as the menacing Mrs. Ganush in “Drag Me to Hell” became her most recognizable performance, introducing her to a new generation of horror film fans.
The announcement of her death through the SAG-AFTRA magazine indicates the respect she held within the entertainment industry. Her passing represents the loss of a character actress who brought memorable performances to both television and film, particularly in her later career when she took on the role that would define her legacy in popular culture.
