Jennifer Runyon, the actress best known for her roles in Ghostbusters and the CBS sitcom Charles in Charge, has died after a brief battle with cancer.
She was 65.
Runyon passed away on Friday, 6th March, surrounded by her family.
Her death was confirmed in a social media post by her family on Sunday, which read, “This past Friday, our beloved Jennifer passed away. It was a long and arduous journey that ended with her surrounded by her family.
She will always be remembered for her love of life and her devotion to her family and friends. Rest in peace our Jenn.”
Bewitched actress Erin Murphy, a close friend, also paid tribute on social media.
“So sad to share that my friend Jennifer Runyon Corman has passed away after a brief battle with 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. My thoughts are with your family and beautiful children,” Murphy, 61, wrote.
Runyon’s daughter Bayley, herself an actress with credits including 9-1-1, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Jane the Virgin, shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.
“All of the best parts of me came from you. I would give anything for one more day together,” she wrote. “The kindest most compassionate person I’ve ever known. My best friend. I wasn’t ready for this.”
Born on 1st April 1960 in Chicago to radio announcer Jim Runyon and actress Jane Roberts, Runyon made her feature film debut in the 1980 slasher film To All a Good Night before landing supporting roles in two 1984 comedies, Up the Creek and Ghostbusters, in which she appeared opposite Bill Murray in an iconic scene portraying a student undergoing a paranormal assessment.
That same year, she took on the lead role of Gwendolyn Pierce in the CBS sitcom Charles in Charge during its first season.
In 1988, she stepped into the role of Cindy Brady for the television film A Very Brady Christmas, taking over from Susan Olsen.
Her television work also included appearances on The Fall Guy, Quantum Leap, Murder, She Wrote, Magnum, P.I., and Beverly Hills, 90210, among others.
In 2014, Runyon said she had stepped back from acting to work as a teacher.
She is survived by her husband Todd Corman, a collegiate basketball coach, whom she married in 1991, and their two children, son Wyatt and daughter Bayley.
