Jennifer Runyon Dead at 65: Iconic Scene, Hidden Later Career as a Teacher, and Six-Month Cancer Fight

Millions know her face. Few remember her name.

Jennifer Runyon, the 1980s actress best known for that unforgettable 'Ghostbusters' scene opposite Bill Murray, died on 6 March following a six-month battle with cancer. She was 65.

Her representative confirmed to Fox News Digital that Runyon passed away surrounded by family. Bewitched star Erin Murphy, a close friend, broke the news publicly on social media: 'Some people you just know you'll be friends with before you even meet. She was a special lady.'

That Ghostbusters Moment

In 1984, Runyon sat across from Bill Murray's Dr. Peter Venkman during a fake ESP experiment. He flirted. He lied about test results. He pretended to shock a male student while letting the attractive female subject slide. The scene became one of the film's most quoted sequences, and Runyon's face became burned into pop culture memory.

That same year, she landed the lead role of Gwendolyn Pierce in 'Charles in Charge'. Four years later came 'A Very Brady Christmas,' where she took over the role of Cindy Brady from Susan Olsen. She also appeared in the pilot of 'Quantum Leap'.

Then she walked away.

The Teacher No One Knew About

Here's what most coverage has missed: Runyon left acting behind. In a 2014 interview, she said she was semi-retired from Hollywood and working as a teacher instead. She also co-hosted her own cooking podcast.

No fanfare. No comeback attempts. Just a quiet second act built around education and family.

Her mother-in-law, Nan Corman, offered a heartfelt insight into Runyon's illness. 'Friday night, we lost Jenn to cancer. She fought it for six months and left all of us devastated,' Corman wrote on Facebook. 'Jenn will never be forgotten for being the perfect wife and daughter-in-law.'

'Watching You Slip Away'

Willie Aames played Buddy Lembeck on 'Charles in Charge'. He and Runyon stayed close for four decades. His tribute, shared on Facebook, didn't soften anything.

'Jenn was more than a friend. She was my dear dear friend, muse, and encourager,' Aames wrote. 'We shared family Christmases together, vacations, weekends, lunches and dinners together. But most of all, we LAUGHED. That was Jenn, even up until her last weeks.'

Then came the gut punch.

'Watching you slip away these last few months was one of the hardest times of my life,' Aames continued. 'I can still hear your voice so clearly. No one will ever be able to fill the massive hole that's been left in our hearts.'

35 Years of Marriage

Runyon married Todd Corman, a collegiate basketball coach who also worked in film and television production during off-seasons, in 1991. They raised two children: Wyatt, now 32, and Bayley, 30.

Bayley followed her mother into acting. Her Instagram tribute cut straight to the point: 'All of the best parts of me came from you. The kindest most compassionate person I've ever known.'

The family's official statement described a 'long and arduous journey that ended with her surrounded by her family.' They added that Runyon would 'always be remembered for her love of life and her devotion to her family and friends.'

Runyon was born in Chicago on 1 April 1960. Her father, Jim Runyon, worked as a radio disc jockey. Her mother, Jane Roberts, was an actress. The family moved frequently as her father's career demanded.

She made her film debut at 20 in the 1980 slasher 'To All a Good Night.' A year later, she joined the NBC soap 'Another World'. By 23, she was in 'Ghostbusters'.

By 54, she was teaching.

Millions know her face. Now they know her story.