Jennifer Runyon, the actress best known for her memorable roles in ghostbusters and the ’80s sitcom charles in charge, has died. She was 65.
News of Runyon’s death was confirmed by her family in a social media post shared Sunday, march 8. In the message, her loved ones said she passed away on friday, march 6, following what they described as a long, difficult health journey — and that she was surrounded by family when she died.
“This past friday, our beloved jennifer passed away,” the post read. “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.”
Her friend erin murphy — the former child star who played tabitha on bewitched — also posted about the loss, sharing that Runyon faced what she called a “brief battle with cancer.”
“some people you just know you’ll be friends with before you even meet,” murphy wrote. “she was a special lady. i’ll miss you jenn. my thoughts are with your family and beautiful children.”
for fans, runyon’s passing is a gut punch of pure nostalgia. she wasn’t just “a familiar face” — she was part of the pop-culture fabric for anyone who grew up on classic ’80s movies and tv reruns that never left the rotation.
Runyon’s most iconic film credit comes from ghostbusters (1984), where she appears in one of the movie’s most unforgettable early scenes: the paranormal “test” with bill murray’s character, peter venkman. It’s a short moment, but it became legendary because it sets the tone for the entire film — funny, strange, and instantly quotable.
If you’ve rewatched ghostbusters even once, you know exactly the scene. Fans have been sharing it again in the wake of her death, remembering how Runyon’s screen presence helped make that moment pop.
Runyon was born in chicago on april 1, 1960. She broke into film at a time when a lot of young actors were landing roles fast and working nonstop across movies, sitcoms, and guest spots. Her career took off in the early 1980s, and within a few years she’d stacked up a résumé that reads like a time capsule of that era.
Her feature film debut came in the 1980 slasher to all a good night. Not long after, she appeared in up the creek (1984), a comedy that became another staple of the decade’s movie scene.
For tv audiences, Runyon became especially recognizable for charles in charge. The sitcom — a classic of the era — helped cement her as one of those familiar faces who could pop up on your screen and immediately feel like part of the tv “family.”
That kind of recognition lasts. Even decades later, charles in charge still circulates through reruns and streaming rabbit holes, and fans still talk about the cast like they’re old friends.
Runyon kept working steadily through the ’80s and ’90s, showing up across a long list of popular shows. Her credits include appearances on series like murder, she wrote and beverly hills, 90210 — exactly the kind of titles that defined a tv generation.
She also took on the role of cindy brady in a very brady christmas, stepping into a beloved character with a built-in fanbase. For any actor, that’s not a small thing — brady fans notice everything, and holiday classics have a way of living forever.
While Runyon’s career made her a recognizable name to pop-culture fans, her life wasn’t defined only by hollywood.
She later married todd corman, a collegiate basketball coach, and the couple had two children: son wyatt and daughter bayley. Over time, Runyon stepped back from acting and described herself as semi-retired, shifting her focus to teaching.
It’s the kind of pivot fans always find surprising — the star you remember from a huge movie and classic sitcom quietly building a different life away from the spotlight.
Runyon’s daughter bayley, who has built her own acting career with appearances on series like 9-1-1, chilling adventures of sabrina, and jane the virgin, shared a devastating tribute that hit people right in the chest.
“all of the best parts of me came from you,” she wrote, adding that she would give anything for one more day together.
She also called her mom “the kindest most compassionate person i’ve ever known,” describing her as her best friend — and admitting she wasn’t ready to lose her.
Celebrity deaths can feel distant — until they’re not. And this is one of those losses that lands differently because Runyon is tied to comfort-watch entertainment. ghostbusters. classic sitcom reruns. holiday nostalgia. late-night channel flipping.
She represents that time when you’d discover actors by simply watching what was on — and when a single scene in a blockbuster could make someone unforgettable.
Runyon is survived by her family, including her children, who have been at the center of the tributes shared since the news broke.
and for fans, the rewatch is inevitable — because sometimes the only way to say goodbye is to press play on the movies and shows that made someone part of your life in the first place.
