Ayn Ruymen

Ayn Ruymen (born July 18, 1947)[2][3] is an American former actress and theater director. She began her career as a stage actress, starring in a Broadway production of Neil Simon's The Gingerbread Lady (1970–1971), for which she won a Theatre World Award.

Ayn Ruymen
Ruymen in 1977
Born (1947-07-18) July 18, 1947
New York City, New York, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1970–1993
Spouse
Robert Ross
​
(m. 2009)​
[1]

After relocating to Los Angeles, Ruymen made her feature film debut in Paul Bartel's horror film Private Parts (1972) and appeared in several television films during the 1970s. She had a lead role on the sitcom The McLean Stevenson Show from 1976 to 1977. She made her last screen appearance in the television film Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland (1993). Since then, Ruymen has worked primarily as a theater director of productions for the Mendocino Theatre Company.

Early life

Ruymen was born July 18, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York City, one of six children, and was raised in Long Island.[2] Her father, George Ruymen, worked as a building inspector for the City of New York.[4] She began working as an actress while still a teenager, performing in theater productions in New Jersey.[2] In 1969, Ruymen appeared as a model at the Miami International Boat Show to promote Sungard sunscreen, covering half her face in it before spending time in the sun, demonstrating the product's efficacy at preventing sunburns.[5]

Career
Ruymen in The McLean Stevenson Show, 1977

In 1970, she was cast as Polly Meara in a Broadway production of Neil Simon's The Gingerbread Lady opposite Maureen Stapleton, which ran between December 1970 and 1971.[6] Critic George Oppenheimer praised Ruymen for "showing great promise" in the "difficult" role.[7] For her performance, she won the Theatre World Award in 1971.[8] During her stage career, she became a member of Actors' Equity.[2]

Ruymen subsequently relocated to Los Angeles in late 1971 to pursue a film career.[2] She commented that she initially disliked California: "I found the Sunset Strip disgusting. I was trying to get work and nothing happened for six months. It makes you want to pull your hair out."[2] In early 1972, she was cast in an episode of the medical drama series Medical Center.[2] She was subsequently cast in the lead role of Paul Bartel's horror film Private Parts (1972), playing a young woman who uncovers dark secrets in a Los Angeles hotel operated by her aunt. The following year, she appeared in the television film Go Ask Alice.[9] She later had a minor uncredited role as a nurse in Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975).[9]

Between 1976 and 1977, Ruymen had a lead role on the sitcom The McLean Stevenson Show, playing the daughter of a hardware store proprietor.[10]

Ruymen's last film appearance was the 1993 television film Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland. In September 2009, she married Robert Ross, a visual artist and instructor at the Mendocino Arts Center and Oregon School of Arts & Crafts.[1][11]

Ruymen has directed numerous plays for the Mendocino Theatre Company (MTC) as early as 1993, when she directed a production of Love Letters, which featured a nightly rotating cast.[12] In August 2009, she directed an MTC stage production of W. Somerset Maugham's The Circle.[13]

Select filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1972 Private Parts Cheryl Stratton
1973 Go Ask Alice Jan [3]
1974 Tell Me Where It Hurts Lynn Television film [3]
1974 Hurricane Suzanne Television film
1975 Jaws Nurse
1976 Three Times Daley Jenny Television film
1976 Our Family Business Annie Television film [3]
1993 Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland Mavis Television film [3]

Television
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1972 Medical Center Sharon Jennings Episode: "Betrayed"
1972 Bonanza Evie Parker Episode: "The Hidden Enemy"
1973 Ghost Story (TV series) Young Gypsy Episode: "Death's Head"
1973 The F.B.I. Lorrie Episode: "Night of the Long Knives"
1973 Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Rita Episode: "A Lesson in Loving"
1973 The Streets of San Francisco Liza Cullen Episode: "Shield of Honor"
1975 Baretta Susie Episode: "The Five and a Half Pound Junkie"
1975 The Rookies Sarah Episode: "One-Way Street to Nowhere"
1976–1977 The McLean Stevenson Show Janet Ferguson Main role [10]
1990 Midnight Caller Mary Jessick Episode: "Home to Roost"

Stage credits
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1970–1971 The Gingerbread Lady Polly Meare Plymouth Theatre [8]

References
  1. "Class Notes: 1961". Reed College Magazine. Portland, Oregon: Reed College. March 2010. p. 38. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022 – via Issuu. In September, [Robert Ross] married Ayn Ruymen, star of the 1972 cinematic cult classic Private Parts.
  2. Brachman, James (July 20, 1975). "Ayn Ruymen—Heroine of the Sore Throat on Set". San Francisco Examiner. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Ayn Ruymen Biography". AllMovie. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  4. "Obituary: Mr. George D. Ruymen". Bryant Funeral Home. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  5. "Ayn's Poster Girl with Two Faces". The Miami News. February 25, 1969. p. 15B – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Ayn Ruymen". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  7. Oppenheimer, George (December 14, 1970). "Too many wisecracks". Newsday. p. 90 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Ayn Ruymen". Playbill. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  9. "Ayn Ruymen". Moviefone. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  10. "Good vibes for the new show". Pacific Daily News. February 13, 1977. p. 8C – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Robert Ross". Mendocino Figure Drawing Collective. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  12. Claire, Berna (August 12, 1993). "'Love Letters' is real life". Ukiah Daily Journal. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. Fort Bragg Advocate-News Staff (August 28, 2009). "MTC"s The Circle" … a witty satire". Fort Bragg Advocate-News. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
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