Jennifer Runyon
Jennifer Victoria Runyon (born April 1, 1960) is an American actress. She made her feature-film debut in the slasher film To All a Goodnight (1980), and went on to have supporting roles in the comedies Up the Creek (1984) and Ghostbusters (1984). She also had a lead role as Gwendolyn Pierce in the 1984 sitcom Charles in Charge during its first season. In 1988, she portrayed Cindy Brady in the television film A Very Brady Christmas.
Jennifer Runyon | |
|---|---|
 Runyon at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2017 | |
| Born | Jennifer Victoria Runyon April 1, 1960 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1980–1993, 2015-2020 |
| Spouse |
Todd Corman (m. 1991) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
|
Early life
Runyon was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of radio announcer and disc jockey Jim Runyon, and actress Jane Roberts.[1] She has one half-brother, Scott, from her father's first marriage.[2] Runyon grew up in various cities in the United States, as her father's disc-jockey career required the family to move frequently.[3] The family eventually settled in Los Angeles when Runyon was 14 years old.
Career
Runyon made her feature-film debut in the slasher film To All a Goodnight (1980), about a group of school girls stalked by a killer in a Santa Claus costume.[3] She was subsequently cast in a supporting role as Sally Frame on the soap opera Another World,[4] which she taped in New York from March 1981 until February 1983.[3] She had a small part as a student being given an ESP test by Bill Murray's character in Ghostbusters (1984), and starred in Up the Creek that same year, the latter of which she filmed over several weeks in Bend, Oregon.[5] She later appeared on television as Gwendolyn Pierce in the sitcom Charles in Charge (1984–1985), and replaced Susan Olsen as Cindy Brady in the television film A Very Brady Christmas (1988).
In 1988, Runyon played the lead in The In Crowd and was in the pilot of Quantum Leap.[6] She also starred in the comedy 18 Again!. She also appeared in Murder, She Wrote in the 1989 episode, "Seal of the Confessional" playing the character Kelly Barret alongside leading role Angela Lansbury. In 1990 she played a supporting role in the World War II parody A Man Called Sarge, produced by Gene Corman (her father-in-law). She was a guest on Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1991.
Personal life
Runyon married film and television director and collegiate (Loyola Marymount, Albertson College, Oregon State University) basketball coach Todd Corman on March 9, 1991.[7] The couple have a son, Wyatt, and a daughter, Bayley.[7]
In a 2014 interview, Runyon stated she was semiretired from acting, and instead working as a teacher; she also stated that she co-hosted her own cooking podcast.[5]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | To All a Goodnight | Nancy | |
| 1984 | Up the Creek | Heather Merriweather | |
| 1984 | Ghostbusters | Female Student | |
| 1985 | The Falcon and the Snowman | Carole | |
| 1986 | Flight of the Spruce Goose | Terry | |
| 1986 | Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story | Angel Fisher | Television film |
| 1986 | Blue de Ville | J.C. Smith | Television film |
| 1986 | Pros & Cons | Christy | Television film |
| 1988 | The In Crowd | Vicky | |
| 1988 | 18 Again! | Robin Morrison | |
| 1988 | A Very Brady Christmas | Cindy Brady | Television film |
| 1990 | A Man Called Sarge | Fifi LaRue | |
| 1991 | Killing Streets | Sandra Ross | |
| 1991 | Tagteam | Rita Valentine | Television film |
| 1992 | Till Death Us Do Part | Judy Davis | Television film |
| 1993 | Carnosaur | Ann 'Thrush' | |
| 2015 | Silent Night, Bloody Night 2: Revival | Carol Brickman | |
| 2016 | Terror Tales | Melanie | Segment: "Epidemic" |
| 2017 | Bloodsucka Jones vs. The Creeping Death | Nurse Zarkov |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981–82 | Another World | Sally Frame | Main cast |
| 1983 | The Fall Guy | Kate | Episode: "Hollywood Shorties" |
| 1983 | Boone | Connie Sue | Episode: "Second Fiddle" |
| 1984 | The Master | Alicia Clayton | Episode: "Hostages" |
| 1984–85, 1987 | Charles in Charge | Gwendolyn Pierce | Main cast (1984–85); guest appearance (1987) |
| 1985 | Space | Marcia Grant | Miniseries |
| 1987 | Magnum, P.I. | Christine Maxfield Bentley | Episode: "Murder by Night" |
| 1987 | The Highwayman | Amanda Merrick | Episode: "The Highwayman" |
| 1987 | Who's the Boss? | Doreen | Episode: "Hell on Wheels" |
| 1988 | Dear John | Karen | Episode: "The Younger Girl" |
| 1988 | Valerie | Gwen | Episode: "Foiled Again" |
| 1989 | Quantum Leap | Peggy Stratton | Episode: "Genesis: Part 1 and 2 - September 13, 1956" |
| 1989–91 | Murder, She Wrote | Rebecca Beiler / Kelly Barrett | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Booker | Linda Fowler | Episode: "The Red Dot" |
| 1991 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Christine | Episode: "Down and Out of District in Beverly Hills" |
| 1992 | Vinnie & Bobby | Hillary Bomgarden | Episode: "Spring is in the Air" |
References
- "Jennifer Runyon: Is she the 1980s' Marilyn Monroe?". Nl.newsbank.com. August 24, 1986. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- Morrow, Larry, ed. (2010). This is Larry Morrow: My Life on and Off the Air. Cleveland, Ohio: Gray & Company. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-598-51069-0.
- Specht, Cathie (February 17, 1987). "Courier TV Mail Q&A". The Courier. Waterloo, Iowa. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
- Reichardt, Nancy M. (November 21, 1982). "Runyon has run-in with kook". The Daily Spectrum. Saint George, Utah. p. 38 – via Newspapers.com.
- Runyon, Jennifer (2014). "Killing Nancy: An Interview with Jennifer Runyon". To All a Goodnight (Blu-ray bonus featurette). Scorpion Releasing and Kino Lorber.
- "Jennifer Runyon Credits". TV Guide. Archived from the original on December 30, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
- "Women's Basketball: Todd Corman". OSU Beavers. Oregon State University. November 2, 2011. Archived from the original on December 30, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
