A Farewell to Jennifer Runyon

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It’s terribly sad to hear of the the loss of Jennifer Runyon, the versatile actress who transitioned effortlessly from 80s slasher films to beloved sitcoms. Runyon passed away on Friday following a brief but courageous battle with cancer. She was 65 years old.

While her filmography is extensive, Runyon is immortalised in pop culture for her performance in the opening minutes of the 1984 classic Ghostbusters.

Playing “Jennifer,” the college student participating in Peter Venkman’s (Bill Murray) dubious ESP experiment, she served as the perfect foil for Murray’s cynical charm. While her male counterpart in the scene received electric shocks for every wrong guess, Runyon’s character was “rewarded” with Venkman’s blatant favoritism despite her incorrect answers, a scene that instantly established the moral flexibility of the film’s lead.

Jennifer Runyon boasted a career of remarkable range, capturing hearts across several decades of film and television. While she got her start in the horror genre with To All a Goodnight, she proved her comedic timing as a bright spot in the underappreciated 1984 romp Up the Creek. She was equally at home on television, starring as Gwendolyn Pierce in Charles in Charge and taking on the iconic mantle of Cindy Brady in A Very Brady Christmas. From prestige dramas like The Falcon and the Snowman to guest spots on Quantum Leap, Runyon’s presence always added a unique charm to the screen.

Up the Creek

In 1991, Runyon married assistant director Todd Corman (known for his work on cult classics like Killer Klowns from Outer Space). Following her marriage, she stepped back from the Hollywood limelight to focus on her family, though she remained a beloved figure at fan conventions.

She is survived by Corman and their two children, Wyatt and Bayley. In a lovely tribute posted to Instagram, her daughter Bayley shared:
“All of the best parts of me came from you. I would give anything for one more day together.”