Jennifer Runyon Corman, 'Charles in Charge' actress, dies at 65
Jennifer Runyon Corman, 'Charles in Charge' actress, dies at 65
KiMi Robinson, USA TODAYMon, March 9, 2026 at 1:56 AM UTC
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Jennifer Runyon Corman, 'Charles in Charge' actress, dies at 65
Jennifer Runyon Corman, an actress known for roles in "Charles in Charge" and "A Very Brady Christmas," has died. She was 65.
Her representative, Scott Ray, confirmed her passing to USA TODAY on Sunday, March 8. She'd died Friday, March 6, after "a long and arduous journey that ended with her surrounded by her family." A cause of death was not given.
Her friend, "Bewitched" star Erin Murphy, posted a tribute on social media March 8 that shared Runyon Corman had allegedly battled cancer.
"Some people you just know you'll be friends with before you even meet. She was a special lady I'll miss you Jenn," Murphy wrote. "My thoughts are with your family and beautiful children."
Runyon Corman played Charles' (Scott Baio) girlfriend, Gwendolyn Pierce, on "Charles in Charge" in the sitcom's first season, which started airing in 1984. She briefly reprised her character at the end of Season 2. A few years later, she appeared in the 1988 made-for-TV holiday film "A Very Brady Christmas," replacing Susan Olsen as Cindy Brady.
The Chicago-born actress' first film credit was in the 1980 thriller "To All a Goodnight," which she followed with roles in Season 3 of "The Fall Guy," the 1984 comedy "Up the Creek," Season 7 of "Magnum, P.I.," Season 1 of "Quantum Leap" and "Murder, She Wrote," according to her IMDB page.
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Working with Bill Murray on 'Ghostbusters' set was 'huge'
Runyon Corman also played a female student, acting opposite Bill Murray's Dr. Peter Venkman in the original "Ghostbusters" film.
"When I went to go to the ['Ghostbusters'] premiere, I was blown away by the movie, and I'm like, 'Oh my God. This is a big movie. I'm in a big movie.' It was huge for me," she said in an August 2023 interview with the Horror Heathen YouTube channel. "I was so excited but so nervous to meet [Murray]. He just puts you right at ease. It was fun; it was playful."
1 / 0Passages 2026 – Country Joe McDonald, Eric Dane, more stars we lost
"Country Joe" McDonald, who became a Woodstock festival legend and fronted the band Country Joe and the Fish, has died at age 84.
The singer, born Joseph Allen McDonald, died March 7, in Berkeley, California, from complications from Parkinson's disease, according to a statement from the band that was shared on Facebook. McDonald served as the lead singer and co-founder of the 1960s psychedelic folk-rock group Country Joe and the Fish, and he wrote the group's most enduring songs, including the protest song against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, titled "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag." That track became a battle cry and was immortalized, along with an infamous f-word cheer during his 1969 Woodstock performance.
Runyon Corman, who described herself as "an extremely shy child," got her start in Hollywood after moving to California at age 12 following the death of her radio DJ father, she said in the interview. Her family's neighbor was a casting director who suggested acting classes to "open" her up.
The actress was a pharmacy employee unsure of her career path when a casting director saw her perform a scene in class and offered her an audition for a soap opera.
Though that gig didn't pan out, she was eventually cast in NBC's "Another World," which brought her out to New York. She was one of several actresses who portrayed Sally Frame; her tenure lasted from 1981 to 1983 and helped launch her TV career.
She is survived by her husband, Todd Corman, and their two children.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jennifer Runyon dies – 'Ghostbusters' actress was 65
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
