Ghostbusters and Charles in Charge Star Jennifer Runyon Dies at 65

Hollywood lost a piece of its eighties soul this week as news broke that Jennifer Runyon passed away at the age of 65. If you grew up glued to a cathode ray tube television, you know her face even if you could never quite place the name during a trivia night. From flirting with Dr. Peter Venkman to stealing the heart of a young Scott Baio, Runyon was the quintessential girl next door of a decade defined by hairspray and high stakes sitcoms. Her passing marks the end of an era for fans of vintage television and cult cinema alike.

Runyon first etched herself into the collective memory of pop culture junkies during the opening minutes of the original nineteen eighty four Ghostbusters. She played the unnamed blonde coed being "tested" for psychic abilities by Bill Murray. While the poor guy next to her was getting fried with electricity, Runyon was busy getting all the right answers and all of Venkman’s attention. She knew how to steal a scene without even having a character name.

Of course, TV Cave regulars will most likely remember her as Gwendolyn Pierce from the first season of Charles in Charge. Before the show moved to syndication and became a bizarre fever dream about the Powell family, it was a breezy sitcom about Charles trying to navigate life with the Pembrokes. Runyon was the primary object of his affection and she brought a level of charm that the show arguably struggled to replicate in its later years. She also famously stepped into the shoes of Susan Olsen to play Cindy Brady in the highly rated nineteen eighty eight television movie A Very Brady Christmas.

Beyond the bright lights of sitcom sets, Runyon enjoyed a steady career in films like Up the Creek and the holiday slasher To All a Goodnight. She eventually stepped away from the grind of Tinseltown to focus on her family and a career in teaching, but her impact on the golden age of cable television remains undeniable. She is survived by her husband Todd Corman and their two children.

Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones.