Jennifer Runyon

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Jennifer Runyon
Runyon at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2017
Born
Jennifer Victoria Runyon

(1960-04-01) April 1, 1960 (age 63)
OccupationActress
Years active1980–1993, 2015-present
Spouse
Todd Corman
(m. 1991)
Children2
Parent

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.

Early life[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

On March 9, 1991, Runyon married Todd Corman, a collegiate basketball coach with stints at Loyola Marymount, Albertson College, and Oregon State University; he also worked in film and television production during breaks between sports seasons.[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[edit]

Film[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

  1. ^ "Jennifer Runyon: Is she the 1980s' Marilyn Monroe?". Nl.newsbank.com. August 24, 1986. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ a b c Specht, Cathie (February 17, 1987). "Courier TV Mail Q&A". The Courier. Waterloo, Iowa. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Reichardt, Nancy M. (November 21, 1982). "Runyon has run-in with kook". The Daily Spectrum. Saint George, Utah. p. 38 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ a b Runyon, Jennifer (2014). "Killing Nancy: An Interview with Jennifer Runyon". To All a Goodnight (Blu-ray bonus featurette). Scorpion Releasing and Kino Lorber.
  6. ^ "Jennifer Runyon Credits". TV Guide. Archived from the original on December 30, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  7. ^ a b "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.

External links[edit]