Showbiz

Jennifer Runyon, Ghostbusters Star, Dies at 65

Actress Jennifer Runyon, best known for her roles in Ghostbusters and Charles in Charge, has died at the age of 65, her family has announced. Her loved ones sha...

Jennifer Runyon, Ghostbusters Star, Dies at 65
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Bintano News

March 8, 2026

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Actress Jennifer Runyon, best known for her roles in and Charles in Charge, has died at the age of 65, her family has announced. 

Her loved ones shared the news in a heartfelt post, saying: 'This past Friday night our beloved Jennifer passed away. It was a long and arduous journey that ended with her surrounded by her family.' 

They added she would 'always be remembered for her love of life and her devotion to her family and friends' and concluded with, 'Rest in peace our Jenn.' 

No specific cause of death was disclosed, but the message referenced a lengthy health battle.

Born in in April 1960, Runyon launched her acting career in 1980 with a role in the slasher film To All a Goodnight. 

She soon became a familiar face on screens throughout the 1980s, often balancing film and television work.

Actress Jennifer Runyon, best known for her roles in Ghostbusters and Charles in Charge, has died at the age of 65, her family has announced

Her breakout year came in 1984, when she appeared in the blockbuster comedy Ghostbusters as the nervous female student undergoing an ESP experiment

That same year she starred as Gwendolyn Pierce on the beloved sitcom Charles in Charge, a role that helped establish her as a recognizable television presence

Her breakout year came in 1984, when she appeared in the blockbuster comedy Ghostbusters as the nervous female student undergoing an ESP experiment - a small but memorable part that has endured with fans of the classic film. 

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That same year she starred as Gwendolyn Pierce on the beloved sitcom Charles in Charge, a role that helped establish her as a recognizable television presence.

Runyon’s film credits also included comedies like Up the Creek and The In Crowd, as well as the world war parody A Man Called Sarge and the cult sci‑fi horror Carnosaur.

On television she showed impressive range with roles in soap Another World, guest turns on Magnum, P.I., Quantum Leap and Murder, She Wrote, and even a part on Beverly Hills, 90210.

In 1988 she took on the nostalgic role of Cindy Brady in the holiday TV movie A Very Brady Christmas, stepping in for the original cast and earning fond recognition from fans.

Although she stepped back from regular acting in the early 1990s, Runyon occasionally returned to the screen in later years, appearing in horror and cult projects including Silent Night, Bloody Night 2: Revival (2015) and Terror Tales (2016).

Offscreen, Runyon led a quieter life in Southern California with her husband, basketball coach Todd Corman, and their two children. 

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