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

(1960-04-01) April 1, 1960
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1981–1993, 2015-present
Spouse(s)
Todd Corman
​
(m. 1991)​
Children2
Parent(s)

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 fourteen 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 in Ghostbusters (1984) and she 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).

She was a guest on Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1991. 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.[7] In 1990 she played a supporting role in the World War II parody A Man Called Sarge, produced by the brother of Roger Corman, Gene Corman, father of her husband Todd Corman.

Personal life

Runyon married former actor and collegiate basketball coach Todd Corman on March 9, 1991.[8] Corman previously served as the head coach of the Concordia University (Irvine, California) women's basketball team from 2004 to March 2008. Beginning in 2008, he was the assistant coach of the women's basketball team at Oregon State University.[8] The couple have a son, Wyatt, and a daughter, Bayley.[8]

Per a 2014 interview, Runyon stated she was semi-retired 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
1980To All a GoodnightNancy
1984Up the CreekHeather Merriweather
1984GhostbustersFemale Student
1985The Falcon and the SnowmanCarole
1986Flight of the Spruce GooseTerry
1986Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher StoryAngel FisherTelevision film
1986Blue de VilleJ.C. SmithTelevision film
1986Pros & ConsChristyTelevision film
1988The In CrowdVicky
198818 Again!Robin Morrison
1988A Very Brady ChristmasCindy BradyTelevision film
1990A Man Called SargeFifi LaRue
1991Killing StreetsSandra Ross
1991TagteamRita ValentineTelevision film
1992Till Death Us Do PartJudy DavisTelevision film
1993CarnosaurAnn 'Thrush'
2015Silent Night, Bloody Night 2: RevivalCarol Brickman
2016Terror TalesMelanieSegment: "Epidemic"
2017Bloodsucka Jones vs. The Creeping DeathNurse Zarkov

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1981–1982Another WorldSally FrameMain cast
1983The Fall GuyKateEpisode: "Hollywood Shorties"
1983BooneConnie SueEpisode: "Second Fiddle"
1984The MasterAlicia ClaytonEpisode: "Hostages"
1984–1987Charles in ChargeGwendolyn PierceMain cast (1984-1985); guest appearance (1987)
1985SpaceMarcia GrantMiniseries
1987Magnum, P.I.Christine Maxfield BentleyEpisode: "Murder by Night"
1987The HighwaymanAmanda MerrickEpisode: "The Highwayman"
1987Who's the Boss?DoreenEpisode: "Hell on Wheels"
1988Dear JohnKarenEpisode: "The Younger Girl"
1988ValerieGwenEpisode: "Foiled Again"
1988Quantum LeapPeggy StrattonEpisode: "Genesis: Part 1 - September 13, 1956"
1989–1991Murder, She WroteRebecca Beiler / Kelly Barrett2 episodes
1990BookerLinda FowlerEpisode: "The Red Dot"
1991Beverly Hills, 90210ChristineEpisode: "Down and Out of District in Beverly Hills"
1992Vinnie & BobbyHillary BomgardenEpisode: "Spring is in the Air"

References
  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. Specht, Cathie (February 17, 1987). "Courier TV Mail Q&A". The Courier. Waterloo, Iowa. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Reichardt, Nancy M. (November 21, 1982). "Runyon has run-in with kook". The Daily Spectrum. Saint George, Utah. p. 38 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 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. "Jennifer Runyon IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  8. "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.
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