Jennifer Runyon, Chicago-native actress who appeared in "Ghostbusters" and "Charles in Charge," dies at 65
Jennifer Runyon, a Chicago native who became famous as an actress appearing in "Ghostbusters" and "Charles in Charge," died last week.
Runyon was 65.
Runyon's friend, Erin Murphy of "Bewitched" fame, announced on Instagram that Runyon had died after a brief battle with cancer.
"Some people you just know you'll be friends with before you even meet," Murphy wrote,. "She was a special lady. I'll miss you Jenn. My thoughts are with your family and beautiful children."
Multiple published reports also said Runyon's family reported she died Friday after a battle with cancer, but Runyon's social media accounts have since gone private.
Runyon was born April 1, 1960, in Chicago, and moved around with her family to multiple cities growing up. Her father, Jim Runyon, was a radio announcer and disc jockey who notably worked in Chicago, Cleveland, and Boston, while her mother, Jane Roberts, was also an actress. Runyon's parents worked together at Chicago's WCFL, where both did voices for the superhero-spoofing "Chickenman" show, published reports noted.
As noted by Fandango, Runyon's got her break playing Sally Frame in the daytime soap opera "Another World" from 1981 until 1983.
In 1984, Runyon took on the role of Gwendloyn Pierce — the girlfriend of Scott Baio's Charles character — in the first season of the sitcom "Charles in Charge," which aired on CBS. "Charles in Charge" was initially canceled after one season, and except for a guest appearance in a two-part episode, Runyon did not return when the show was revived in 1987 for four seasons of first-run syndication.
On the big screen, Runyon is remembered for what Fandango called a "sexpot" role as Heather Merriweather in the 1984 teen movie "Up the Creek," with "Animal House" veterans Tim Matheson and Stephen Furst.
In 1984's "Ghostbusters," Runyon played a student who received an ESP test from Bill Murray's Peter Venkman character and was deemed psychic.
In 1988, Runyon appeared in the TV movie "A Very Brady Christmas," replacing Susan Olsen as Cindy Brady, Fandango noted.
In 1993, she starred as Ann "Thrush" in the science horror film "Carnosaur."
Runyon married Todd Corman in 1991, and became the mother of son Wyatt and daughter Bayley, published reports noted. She told The Lady in Red blog in 2016 that she left the acting business to raise her family.
The Cormans moved away from Hollywood and lived in Idaho and Oregon, but later returned to Southern California as Runyon and Corman's parents were getting older, the blog reported. Runyon also taught acting to kids after returning to California.
"When I came home, my kids were 10 and 12, and in-between I would work in their schools and teach acting, not to introduce kids to being actors, but doing all of the fun improv exercises with the kids because it helps them get over that fear of being in front of an audience and peers, if they have to give a speech or do a report," Runyon told The Lady in Red.
Runyon told the blog that she would advise everyone "never [to] be afraid to try something new."
Willie Aames, who starred alongside Runyon in "Charles in Charge" as Buddy Lembeck, honored Runyon in a social media post.
"Jenn was more than a friend. She was my dear dear friend, muse, and encourager. We shared family Christmas's together, vacations, weekends, lunches and dinners together… We did shows together, but most of all- we LAUGHED," Aames wrote. "That was Jenn- even up until her last weeks."
