Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce has lived several different lives without ever completely leaving the earlier ones behind. She has been an actress, singer, producer, reality television personality, author, business owner, mother, partner, and community advocate. Her name first became widely recognized through her marriage to Danny Bonaduce, the former child star of The Partridge Family, but her story extends far beyond that highly publicized relationship.
Born Gretchen Renee Hillmer on September 24, 1965, in Waukegan, Illinois, she eventually moved through entertainment, music, television, and entrepreneurship before finding a distinctive second act in Bisbee, Arizona. Today, her life is closely connected to hospitality, music, family, and community involvement.
I find her story especially interesting because it resembles a winding road rather than a straight career path. Each chapter appears to have supplied material for the next, from television exposure and a difficult marriage to motherhood, music, business ownership, and civic life.
Early Life and Entry Into Entertainment
Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce was born in Illinois in 1965 and developed interests in entertainment and performance. Her early professional work included acting, with a credit in the 1993 production America’s Deadliest Home Video. She also developed experience behind the scenes, eventually moving into television production.
In 2003, she worked as an associate producer on NBC’s Life Moments. Her career then took a more personal and highly visible turn when she became part of Breaking Bonaduce, the VH1 reality series centered on her marriage to Danny Bonaduce.
The program aired during 2005 and 2006 and placed an already complicated family situation under a bright television spotlight. Gretchen was not simply a participant. She also served as an executive producer, giving her a role in shaping the program as well as appearing on screen.
Marriage to Danny Bonaduce
Gretta met Danny Bonaduce on a blind date on November 4, 1990. Their relationship moved quickly. They married that day, immediately after meeting.
Born Dante Daniel Bonaduce on August 13, 1959, Danny Bonaduce played Danny Partridge on The Partridge Family. He later worked in radio, television, comedy, and other entertainment.
Their marriage was over 16 years. They had two children and faced the unique strains of celebrity, family, and public scrutiny.
Breaking Bonaduce highlighted their issues. Danny’s infidelity, substance abuse, and personal troubles strain the partnership. Gretchen later wrote on the emotional challenges of a highly personal and public marriage in her memoir.
They divorced in 2007. After their marriage dissolved, Gretchen and Danny remained close through their children and spoke about co-parenting.
The Bonaduce Children
Gretchen and Danny Bonaduce have two children, each representing an important part of Gretchen’s life after her marriage.
| Family member | Birth date | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce | September 24, 1965 | Mother |
| Danny Bonaduce | August 13, 1959 | Former husband |
| Countess Isabella Michaela Bonaduce | November 23, 1994 | Daughter |
| Count Dante Jean-Michel Valentino Bonaduce | February 14, 2001 | Son |
Countess Isabella Michaela Bonaduce
Countess Isabella Michaela Bonaduce was born on November 23, 1994. She grew up in a family surrounded by entertainment, unusual public attention, and the challenges that accompanied her parents’ highly visible marriage.
Gretchen has frequently expressed pride in Isabella and has shared family milestones and memories over the years. Her relationship with her daughter reflects the strong emphasis she places on family, affection, and staying connected through changing circumstances.
Count Dante Jean Michel Valentino Bonaduce
Count Dante Jean-Michel Valentino Bonaduce was born on February 14, 2001. He is also known as Dante Bonaduce or Count Dante and has pursued acting and creative interests.
Gretchen has remained closely involved in celebrating his milestones. One particularly memorable family event was his wedding in a historic chateau in Burgundy, France. The occasion represented another chapter in a family story that has moved far beyond the television drama associated with his parents.
For Gretchen, motherhood appears to have been one of the anchors running through every stage of her adult life. Even while she pursued business and entertainment, her children remained central to her identity.
Kevin Kautzky Starr and a New Chapter
After her divorce from Danny, Gretchen entered a long-term relationship with musician and drummer Kevin Kautzky Starr, also known as Kevin Starr. The pair became engaged around 2009 and have collaborated in both music and business.
Their partnership became particularly important as Gretchen developed her life in Bisbee, Arizona. Together, they became involved in restaurants, lodging properties, music projects, and the broader creative culture of the community.
Their relationship also illustrates the way Gretchen’s personal and professional worlds tend to overlap. Music is not simply a performance interest for her. It has become part of the atmosphere she creates around her businesses and her life.
From Rocker Mom to Bisbee Entrepreneur
Gretchen’s move toward Bisbee marked one of the most significant transformations in her career. Rather than relying solely on her entertainment history, she began building physical businesses connected to hospitality, food, travel, music, and local culture.
Her approach has been entrepreneurial and highly personal. Historic buildings and unusual properties become part of experiences rather than simply places to stay or eat.
Greenway Manor
One of Gretchen’s most unique projects is Greenway Manor at 401 Cole Avenue in Bisbee’s Warren neighborhood.
The antique building became a rock-and-roll inn. The rooms are inspired by The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and the Rolling Stones.
The Johnny Cash suite, for instance, has a full kitchen and bathroom, making the musical motif practical rather than decorative.
Mystery surrounds Greenway Manor. The property’s ghostly reputation complements Bisbee’s eccentricity and offers themed dinners and seances.
The result exceeds traditional lodging. Gretchen seems to have spread her musical universe over a historic property and invited visitors in.
Hacienda del Avion
Another notable property is Hacienda del Avion, a luxury rental with an aviation connection.
The custom home was built in 2005 on approximately three landscaped acres, around 8 miles from downtown Bisbee and next to Bisbee Airport. It features three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a full pub, a four-car garage, and a large 50 by 50 foot attached aircraft hangar.
The property accommodates up to six guests and has been marketed toward visitors looking for an unusual, upscale retreat.
Its aviation facilities also complement Gretchen’s vision of Bisbee as a destination for musicians, entertainers, and travelers who want something more memorable than an ordinary hotel stay.
Le Cornucopia Café
Food became another important piece of Gretchen’s Bisbee story through Le Cornucopia Café, also known as Café Cornucopia.
The restaurant developed a reputation for its eclectic atmosphere and tapas-style offerings, including its well-known meatloaf sandwich. Gretchen and Kevin Starr have been involved in the business, and the café has evolved as demand increased.
The restaurant originally operated on Main Street before relocating to a larger space around 2026. The move allowed the business to accommodate more customers and reduce waiting times.
Its expansion reflects a recurring theme in Gretchen’s business career: she looks for ways to turn an existing idea into something larger while keeping the personality that made it distinctive.
Music and the Rocker Mom Identity
Music has remained a constant thread in Gretchen’s life.
She has performed as a singer and worked with bands including Ankh. Her musical activities have connected her with rock and 1980s music circles and helped shape the “rocker mom” identity that has become part of her public personality.
Unlike a celebrity who simply trades on past fame, Gretchen has incorporated music into her businesses. The sound, themes, personalities, and nostalgia associated with rock culture appear throughout her hospitality ventures.
This creates a bridge between her entertainment history and her present-day entrepreneurial work.
Her Memoir and Personal Reinvention
In 2018, Gretchen published Surviving Agent Orange: And Other Things I Learned From Being Thrown Under the Partridge Family Bus.
The memoir examines her marriage to Danny Bonaduce, divorce, motherhood, personal setbacks, and the process of rebuilding her life. Her writing combines humor with candid reflections on painful experiences.
The book is significant because it shifts Gretchen’s story from being someone else’s television character to being the author of her own narrative.
Instead of allowing the public memory of her marriage to define her completely, she uses the experience as raw material for a broader story about resilience and reinvention.
Community Life in Bisbee
Gretchen’s Bisbee participation goes beyond her businesses. She has supported LGBTQ+ causes, attended local events, and served on community boards.
She ran for Bisbee mayor in 2024, using her business and community development skills to politics. Although she lost the election, her campaign showed how deeply she had invested in the town where she had started her second career.
She has emceed Pride and community events. Her public mix of Christian Republican and gay rights views is surprising.
Family Values After Celebrity Life
One of the most striking features of Gretchen’s story is the contrast between celebrity exposure and ordinary family priorities.
Her marriage to Danny Bonaduce placed her family life in front of television cameras, but her later years have increasingly centered on relationships, children, friends, music, hospitality, and community.
She has continued celebrating her children’s milestones and maintaining family connections despite the end of her marriage. Her story demonstrates that divorce does not necessarily erase a family’s shared history.
The Bonaduce name remains part of her biography, but it is no longer the entire story.
Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce Today
As of 2026, Gretchen remains active in Bisbee, combining business ownership, music, family life, and community participation.
Her career can be traced through several distinct periods:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1965 | Born in Waukegan, Illinois |
| 1990 | Met and married Danny Bonaduce |
| 1994 | Daughter Isabella born |
| 2001 | Son Dante born |
| 2003 | Worked as an associate producer on Life Moments |
| 2005 to 2006 | Appeared in and executive produced Breaking Bonaduce |
| 2007 | Divorce from Danny Bonaduce finalized |
| Around 2009 | Became engaged to Kevin Starr |
| 2010s | Expanded music activities and developed business interests |
| 2018 | Published her memoir |
| 2024 | Ran for mayor of Bisbee |
| 2025 onward | Continued business and community activities in Bisbee |
Her businesses, music, family relationships, and civic work now form a mosaic that is much larger than her television history.
FAQ
Who is Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce?
Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce is an American actress, singer, musician, producer, author, reality television personality, and entrepreneur. She became widely known through her marriage to Danny Bonaduce and their VH1 reality series Breaking Bonaduce, but later developed businesses and a community presence in Bisbee, Arizona.
When was Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce born?
Gretchen was born on September 24, 1965, in Waukegan, Illinois. Her birth name was Gretchen Renee Hillmer.
Who was Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce married to?
She was married to Danny Bonaduce. The couple met on November 4, 1990, and married the same day. Their marriage lasted more than 16 years before their divorce was finalized in 2007.
How many children does Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce have?
Gretchen and Danny Bonaduce have two children. Their daughter is Countess Isabella Michaela Bonaduce, born November 23, 1994. Their son is Count Dante Jean-Michel Valentino Bonaduce, born February 14, 2001.
Who is Kevin Starr?
Kevin Kautzky Starr, commonly known as Kevin Starr, is a drummer and musician who became Gretchen’s long-term partner and fiancé around 2009. The two have also worked together on music and business ventures in Bisbee.
What businesses does Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce own?
Her Bisbee ventures have included Greenway Manor, a rock-and-roll-themed historic inn, Hacienda del Avion, an aviation-oriented luxury rental, and Le Cornucopia Café, a restaurant that has expanded and relocated within Bisbee.
What is Greenway Manor?
Greenway Manor is a historic inn in Bisbee’s Warren district. Gretchen transformed the property into a rock-and-roll-themed lodging experience with rooms inspired by famous musicians and bands. The property is also associated with local stories about paranormal activity.
What is Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce’s memoir called?
Her memoir is titled Surviving Agent Orange: And Other Things I Learned From Being Thrown Under the Partridge Family Bus. It was published in 2018 and explores her marriage, divorce, motherhood, personal challenges, and reinvention.
Was Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce involved in politics?
Yes. Gretchen ran for mayor of Bisbee in 2024. Her campaign focused on issues including community development, business activity, and making better use of existing properties. She did not win the election.
Where does Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce live and work?
Her post-divorce career has become strongly associated with Bisbee, Arizona. The city is the center of her hospitality businesses, music activities, community involvement, and entrepreneurial projects.
What makes Gretchen Hillmer Bonaduce’s career distinctive?
Her career crosses entertainment, music, television production, authorship, hospitality, food service, and civic engagement. Her public identity began largely through a famous marriage, but she later built an independent life in Bisbee that combines creativity with entrepreneurship and family.
