Jennifer Runyon: ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Charles in Charge’ actress dies at 65

Jennifer Runyon, an actress known for her roles in Ghostbusters and the sitcom Charles in Charge, has died at the age of 65 after a brief battle with cancer.

Her death on March 6 was confirmed by her close friend, actor Erin Murphy, in a Facebook tribute.

“So sad to share that my friend Jennifer Runyon Corman has passed away after a brief battle with cancer,” Murphy wrote. “Some people you just know you’ll be friends with before you even meet. She was a special lady. I’ll miss you Jenn. My thoughts are with your family and beautiful children.”

Runyon began her career in Hollywood with the 1980 slasher film To All a Good Night. She later gained wider recognition with supporting roles in the 1984 comedies Up the Creek and the blockbuster supernatural comedy Ghostbusters.

The same year, she secured a leading television role as Gwendolyn Pierce in the first season of the sitcom Charles in Charge, which helped establish her presence on American television during the 1980s.

In 1988, Runyon portrayed Cindy Brady in the television film A Very Brady Christmas. That same year, she starred in The In Crowd and also appeared in the pilot episode of the science fiction series Quantum Leap.

Over the course of her career, Runyon appeared in several popular television shows, including Murder, She Wrote, A Man Called Sarge and Beverly Hills, 90210. She also starred in the comedy 18 Again!.

Runyon was born on April 1, 1960, in Chicago, Illinois. She was the daughter of radio announcer and disc jockey Jim Runyon and actress Jane Roberts.

In 1991, she married Todd Corman, a collegiate basketball coach who also worked in film and television production during the off-season. The couple had two children together, a son named Wyatt and a daughter named Bayley.

In later years, Runyon stepped away from acting. In 2014, she said she had become semi-retired and was working as a teacher.

Murphy’s tribute described Runyon as someone deeply devoted to her loved ones.

“She will always be remembered for her love of life and her devotion to her family and friends,” the post read. “I know from above she’s looking down on all of us with her beautiful smile. Rest in peace, our Jenn.”