In addition to being born into the entertainment industry, one of Lorne Greene’s children also married into it. Greene, of course, is famous for his role as Ben “Pa” Cartwright on the beloved Western television show “Bonanza.”
That child is Gillian Greene. And, she married Sam Raimi – one of the most famous directors working in Hollywood during the last several decades.
According to IMDb.com, the “Bonanza” star’s daughter married Raimi in 1993. They have five children together. One of those children is named Lorne in honor of Gillian’s father.
Gillian Greene got her start in Hollywood thanks to her famous father. She was born in Los Angeles on Jan. 6, 1968, and her father took her to work with him during her younger years. This allowed her to spend time on the sets of her father’s shows and let her see what went on behind the scenes.
This exposure influenced Gillian Greene to pursue her own career in Hollywood. And, she had acting roles on the revivals of “Bonanza,” as well as on “Battlestar Galatica.” She appeared in “Battlestar Galatica” in 1979 as the role of Melanie. In 1988, she played Jennifer Sills in the television movie “Bonanza: The Next Generation.” Gillian would later decide that she wanted to direct. Interestingly, one of her films was inspired by her famous director husband. That is the short film titled “Fanboy.”
Based on the IMDb.com synopsis, the plot of the film is: “A video store employee from South Carolina travels to Hollywood when he learns that his favorite director is holding auditions for his next big film.” Of course, that director is Sam Raimi and he plays himself in the film. Gillian Greene’s other directing credit is the 2014 film “Murder of a Cat.”
‘Bonanza’ Star’s Son-In-Law Driving Force Behind Very Popular Films
In addition to marrying into a “Bonanza” family, director Sam Raimi has been a driving force behind some very beloved films during his career. In addition to his work as a director, Raimi has also been a writer and producer of many projects.
Among the films Raimi has directed are the series of “The Evil Dead” movies. This includes the first film in the trilogy. Titled “The Evil Dead,” it debuted in 1981 and remains a cult classic. The film’s sequel – “Evil Dead II” – came out in 1987. It was also followed by “Army of Darkness” in 1992.
Other films directed by Sam Raimi include the early 2000s “Spider-Man” movies starring Tobey Maguire as the beloved superhero and Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson. Raimi has directed three “Spider-Man” films during his career. These movies were released in 2002, 2004, and 2007.
Raimi’s other directing credits include the Western “The Quick and the Dead” in 1995, “A Simple Plan” in 1998, “For Love of the Game” starring Kevin Costner in 1999, and “The Gift” in 2000.