Community hub
0 subscribers8 pages, 0 posts
Recent from talks
All channels
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Contribute something
Welcome to the community hub built to collect knowledge and have discussions related to Jennifer Runyon.
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Jennifer Runyon
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
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.
Key Information
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 Peter Venkman 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 | |
| 2019 | Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters | Herself | Documentary film |
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]- ^ "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.
- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Jennifer Runyon Credits". TV Guide. Archived from the original on December 30, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
- ^ 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]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jennifer Runyon.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
Jennifer Runyon
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life
Family background
Jennifer Victoria Runyon was born on April 1, 1960, in Chicago, Illinois.[5] She is the daughter of Jim Runyon, a prominent radio announcer and disc jockey known for his work in Chicago radio, including voicing characters on the comedy series Chickenman, and his wife Jane Roberts (stepmother), a Chicago theater actress and WCFL traffic reporter who also performed female roles in Chickenman.[6][7] The family's immersion in the entertainment world—through her father's broadcasting career and her stepmother's acting and on-air presence—offered early glimpses into the industry, fostering Runyon's initial interest in performance.Upbringing and education
Her father's career in radio broadcasting necessitated frequent relocations across various U.S. cities during her childhood, exposing her to diverse environments and fostering adaptability from an early age.[8] The family eventually settled in Los Angeles when Runyon was 14 years old, placing her at the epicenter of the entertainment industry and sparking her initial fascination with performing arts. Influenced by her parents' involvement in media, she began exploring creative expression without formal acting training. This period marked a pivotal shift, as the vibrant Hollywood scene encouraged her burgeoning interest in theater and performance.[2] Runyon attended North Hollywood High School in the Los Angeles area, where she engaged in drama club activities that honed her skills and passion for acting. She graduated from high school there, completing her secondary education just before launching her professional career.Career
Early acting roles
Jennifer Runyon made her professional acting debut in 1980, appearing in a supporting role as Nancy in the slasher horror film To All a Goodnight, directed by David Hess. The low-budget production, set at a ski lodge where a killer dressed as Santa targets college students, provided Runyon with her initial exposure to feature filmmaking at age 20.[9][10] Transitioning to television shortly thereafter, Runyon landed her first recurring role as Sally Frame on the daytime soap opera Another World from 1981 to 1983. Taped in New York, the character was involved in romantic subplots, including a relationship with the son of the show's matriarch, and represented Runyon's entry into serialized drama. This stint lasted approximately two years, during which she balanced the demands of daily production.[4][11] In the early 1980s, Runyon supplemented her credits with minor guest appearances on network television. As a newcomer hailing from a family rooted in radio broadcasting—her father, Jim Runyon, was a prominent disc jockey—rather than traditional stage or film circles, she navigated the industry's hurdles through persistent auditions and relocation from the Midwest to New York and eventually Los Angeles.[5][8]1980s breakthrough
Runyon's breakthrough in the 1980s began with her recurring role as Gwendolyn Pierce, Charles Pembroke's girlfriend, in the first season of the sitcom Charles in Charge, which aired from 1984 to 1985 and helped establish her as a recognizable face in television comedy.[12] This role marked a significant step up from her earlier soap opera work, providing steady exposure on a popular CBS and later syndicated series that averaged strong viewership during its initial run.[2] That same year, she secured lead roles in feature films, including portraying Heather Merriweather, the love interest in the comedy Up the Creek, a college-themed romp directed by Robert Butler that highlighted her comedic timing alongside Tim Matheson.[13] Shortly after, Runyon appeared in Ghostbusters as the female student subjected to Peter Venkman's pseudoscience experiment, a brief but memorable scene in the blockbuster hit that grossed over $295 million worldwide and cemented her association with 1980s pop culture icons.[14] In a 2016 interview, Runyon reflected that filming Ghostbusters—completed just before its explosive success—provided an early career highlight, with ongoing fan recognition from the role.[4] By the late 1980s, Runyon continued her ascent with prominent television appearances, notably replacing Susan Olsen as Cindy Brady in the holiday TV movie A Very Brady Christmas, which drew 55 million viewers and revived the Brady Bunch franchise for a new generation.[15] She also starred as Robin Morrison in the body-swap comedy 18 Again!, opposite George Burns and Charlie Schlatter, further showcasing her versatility in lighthearted family-oriented films, and played Peggy Stratton across the first two episodes of Quantum Leap (1989).[16][17] Guest spots on Murder, She Wrote followed, including Kelly Barrett in the 1989 episode "Seal of the Confessional".[18] Throughout the decade, Runyon's career trajectory shifted from supporting parts to leading and high-profile supporting roles across television and film, resulting in consistent bookings that capitalized on her girl-next-door appeal and comedic presence in an era dominated by ensemble casts and nostalgic revivals.[4] This period represented her most active and visible phase, with over a dozen credits that built on each other to elevate her from emerging talent to established 1980s actress.[2]Later career and semiretirement
In the early 1990s, Runyon continued to take on guest roles in television, notably appearing as Christine in the Beverly Hills, 90210 episode "Down and Out of District in Beverly Hills" (1991) and Rebecca Beiler in the Murder, She Wrote episode "Murder, Plain and Simple" (1991). As mainstream acting opportunities diminished following her 1980s prominence, she effectively retired from the industry around 1993, with her final credited role being in the low-budget horror film Carnosaur. From 1993 to 2015, Runyon took a prolonged hiatus from acting to prioritize family life and personal commitments, stepping back entirely from Hollywood pursuits.[2] Runyon returned to the screen in 2015 with a role in the independent horror sequel Silent Night, Bloody Night 2: Revival, playing the character Carol Brickman.[19] She followed this with appearances in other indie horror projects, including the anthology film Terror Tales (2016) as Melanie in the "Epidemic" segment, and Bloodsucka Jones vs. The Creeping Death (2017) as Nurse Zarkov. Her post-2019 work has included a supporting role in the Western Gunfight at Silver Creek (2020), and she appeared in the supernatural thriller Spectral Squad: The Haunting of Sophie Lawson (2025).[20][21] By 2014, Runyon had transitioned into semiretirement from active acting, shifting her professional focus to teaching acting classes and mentoring aspiring performers.[22] She also began co-hosting the cooking-focused podcast Feast On This with Venus Quintana, which launched that year on BlogTalkRadio and has continued sporadically with guest episodes into the present.[23] Recent podcast appearances include a 2021 episode of 90210MG, where she reflected on her Beverly Hills, 90210 guest spot, and a 2024 reunion special on MOVIES WITH... celebrating the 40th anniversary of Up the Creek.[24][25] Runyon has spoken fondly of her career's longevity, attributing it to a enduring passion for indie filmmaking, which allows for intimate storytelling and creative autonomy away from mainstream pressures.[26]Personal life
Marriage and family
Jennifer Runyon married Todd Corman, a collegiate basketball coach, on March 9, 1991.[8][27] Corman has held coaching positions at several universities, including as head coach at Loyola Marymount University from 1985 to 1995, where he became the program's all-time winningest coach with 98 victories, at Albertson College (now the College of Idaho) from 1995 to 2001, and as an assistant coach at Oregon State University from 2001 to 2004.[27][28][29] The couple has two children: a son named Wyatt Corman (born 1993) and a daughter named Bayley Corman (born 1995).[8][30][31][32] Runyon and Corman remain married, with no record of divorce or additional marriages.[8][32] The family resides in San Clemente, California. In semiretirement from acting, Runyon has focused on family life, supporting her husband's coaching career across various institutions while pursuing personal endeavors.[2] This balance aligned with her decision to step back from full-time roles in the entertainment industry following her marriage.[2]Post-acting pursuits
In semiretirement from acting, Runyon became involved with Tilly's Life Center, a nonprofit organization supporting teens and families dealing with mental health issues in Southern California.[4][2] In 2014, Runyon began co-hosting the cooking podcast "Feast On This" alongside Venus Quintana, which ran on BlogTalkRadio and featured recipes interspersed with entertainment anecdotes from her career.[23] The show, which debuted that year and featured weekly episodes, highlights her passion for culinary arts as a creative outlet beyond performing. Runyon has continued appearing as a guest on industry podcasts, including a 2023 interview on the "Guest Star" series discussing her roles and insights for newcomers, and 2024 YouTube chats where she shares advice on sustaining a career in media while prioritizing family.[33][34] Runyon remains engaged with the horror genre through convention appearances and related projects, attending events like the 2019 New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival to connect with fans.[35] She contributed to the 2019 documentary Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters, providing interviews about her brief role in the 1984 film and the production's behind-the-scenes dynamics.[36] These activities underscore her ongoing commitment to community and legacy-building in entertainment without returning to full-time acting.Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | To All a Goodnight | Nancy | Supporting role[37] |
| 1984 | Up the Creek | Heather Merriweather | Lead role |
| 1984 | Ghostbusters | Female Student | Supporting role[38] |
| 1985 | The Falcon and the Snowman | Carole | Supporting role |
| 1986 | Flight of the Spruce Goose | Terry | [39] |
| 1988 | 18 Again! | Robin Morrison | Lead role[40] |
| 1988 | The In Crowd | Vicky | Lead role |
| 1990 | A Man Called Sarge | Fifi LaRue | Supporting role |
| 1991 | Killing Streets | Sandra Ross | Supporting role |
| 1993 | Carnosaur | Ann 'Thrush' | Supporting role[41] |
| 2015 | Silent Night, Bloody Night 2: Revival | Carol Brickman | Supporting role[42] |
| 2016 | Terror Tales | Melanie (segment "Epidemic") | Supporting role |
| 2017 | Bloodsucka Jones vs. The Creeping Death | Nurse Zarkov | Supporting role |
| 2019 | Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters | Self | Documentary |
| 2020 | Gunfight at Silver Creek | Dr. Laura Barkley | Supporting role |
| 2025 | Spectral Squad: The Haunting of Sophie Lawson | Jennifer | Supporting role |
Television
Jennifer Runyon began her television career with a recurring role on the soap opera Another World, where she portrayed Sally Frame from 1981 to 1983. Her early guest appearances included single-episode roles in various action and drama series throughout the mid-1980s. She achieved greater visibility with a main cast role on the sitcom Charles in Charge from 1984 to 1985, playing Gwendolyn Pierce in all 22 episodes of the first season, and returned for a two-part guest arc in 1987. Subsequent credits featured miniseries work and additional guest spots on popular shows, culminating in roles during the late 1980s and early 1990s before her semiretirement from acting. Runyon's television appearances are detailed below in chronological order:| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981–1983 | Another World | Sally Frame | Recurring role; approximately 25 episodes.[43] |
| 1983 | Boone | Connie Sue | Guest; 1 episode ("Second Fiddle").[44] |
| 1983 | The Fall Guy | Kate | Guest; 1 episode ("Hollywood Shorties").[45] |
| 1984 | The Master | Alicia Clayton | Guest; 1 episode ("Hostages").[46] |
| 1984–1985 | Charles in Charge | Gwendolyn Pierce | Main cast; 22 episodes (season 1).[47] |
| 1985 | Space | Marcia Grant | Miniseries; 3 episodes.[48] |
| 1986 | Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story | Angel Fisher | TV movie.[49] |
| 1986 | Blue de Ville | J.C. Swift | TV movie.[50] |
| 1986 | Pros & Cons | Christy | TV movie.[51] |
| 1987 | The Highwayman | Amanda Merrick | Guest; 1 episode (pilot: "The Highwayman").[52] |
| 1987 | Who's the Boss? | Doreen | Guest; 1 episode ("Hell on Wheels").[53] |
| 1987 | Magnum, P.I. | Christine Maxfield Bentley | Guest; 1 episode ("Murder by Night").[54] |
| 1987 | Charles in Charge | Gwendolyn Pierce | Guest; 2 episodes ("Twice Upon a Time: Part 1" and "Part 2").[55] |
| 1988 | Dear John | Karen | Guest; 1 episode ("The Younger Girl").[56] |
| 1988 | Valerie (also known as The Hogan Family) | Gwen | Guest; 1 episode ("Foiled Again").[57] |
| 1988 | A Very Brady Christmas | Cindy Brady | TV movie special; replacing Susan Olsen in the role.[58] |
| 1989 | Quantum Leap | Peggy Stratton | Guest; 2 episodes (pilot: "Genesis: Part 1" and "Part 2").[59] |
| 1989 | Murder, She Wrote | Kelly Barrett | Guest; 1 episode ("Seal of the Confessional").[60] |
| 1990 | Booker | Linda Fowler | Guest; 1 episode ("The Red Dot").[61] |
| 1991 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Christine | Guest; 1 episode ("Down and Out of District in Beverly Hills").[62] |
| 1991 | Murder, She Wrote | Rebecca Beiler | Guest; 1 episode ("Murder, Plain and Simple").[63] |
| 1991 | Tagteam | Rita Valentine | TV movie.[64] |
| 1992 | Till Death Us Do Part | Judy Davis | TV movie.[65] |