Joanna Kerns
Acting • Born 1953-02-12
Biography
Joanna Crussie DeVarona Kerns is an American actress and director best known for her role as Maggie Seaver on the family situation comedy Growing Pains from 1985 to 1992. After Growing Pains ended, she turned to directing. She directed one episode of Growing Pains while starring on the show and got hooked. She has also directed episodes of television shows including Dawson's Creek, Titans, Scrubs, Private Practice, Psych, Felicity, Grey's Anatomy, Privileged, ER, Ghost Whisperer, Army Wives, Pretty Little Liars, Switched at Birth, The Goldbergs, This Is Us, and Fuller House. She has also made notable appearances in feature films, including A*P*E, Girl, Interrupted, and the 2007 comedy Knocked Up. She has also starred in a number of TV movies. In 1974, Kerns met a commercial producer, Richard Kerns, on the set of a commercial, and they married two years later. Their marriage lasted nine years and the couple had a daughter, Ashley Cooper. In 1994, she married Marc Appleton, a prominent Los Angeles architect. In August 2019, she filed for divorce from Appleton. She previously dated comedian and actor Freddie Prinze a short time before he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The two had worked together on the 1976 TV movie, The Million Dollar Rip-Off.
Filmography
73 credits
All Over the Guy
Movie • 2001
Lydia
Love Struck
Movie • 1986
Coma
Movie • 1978
Diane
A*P*E
Movie • 1976
Marilyn Baker
Voices That Care
Movie • 1991
Self - Choir Member
Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain
Movie • 1982
Doris Marshall
Shameful Secrets
Movie • 1993
Maryanne Walker-Tate
The Rape of Richard Beck
Movie • 1985
Anita Parrish
The Great Los Angeles Earthquake
Movie • 1990
Dr. Clare Winslow
Not in My Family
Movie • 1993
Veronica Ricci
Street Justice
Movie • 1987
Catherine Watson
The Man with Three Wives
Movie • 1993
Katy
Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers
Movie • 2004
Maggie Seaver
The Growing Pains Movie
Movie • 2000
Maggie Seaver
Terror in the Family
Movie • 1996
Cynthia Marten
Mother Knows Best
Movie • 1997
Celeste Cooper
The Million Dollar Rip-Off
Movie • 1976
Jessie
Mortal Fear
Movie • 1994
Dr. Jennifer Kessler
No Dessert, Dad, 'Til You Mow the Lawn
Movie • 1994
Carol Cochran
Sisters and Other Strangers
Movie • 1997
Gail Connelly Metzger
Deadly Intentions... Again?
Movie • 1991
Sally
A Wedding on Waltons Mountain
Movie • 1982
Doris Marshall
Stormin' Home
Movie • 1985
Lana Singer
No One Could Protect Her
Movie • 1996
Jessica Rayner
Whose Daughter is She?
Movie • 1995
Laura Eagerton
Marriage Is Alive and Well
Movie • 1980
Meg
Captive
Movie • 1991
Kathy Plunk
Desperate Choices: To Save My Child
Movie • 1992
Mel Robbins
See Jane Run
Movie • 1995
Jane Ravenson
Those She Left Behind
Movie • 1989
Diane Pappas
The Nightman
Movie • 1992
Eve
The Preppie Murder
Movie • 1989
Linda Fairstein
A Bunny's Tale
Movie • 1985
Andrea
Emma's Wish
Movie • 1998
Emma Bridges-Mame
She's Having a Baby
Movie • 1988
Joanna Kerns (uncredited)
Girl, Interrupted
Movie • 1999
Annette
At the Mercy of a Stranger
Movie • 1999
Elizabeth Cooper
Cross My Heart
Movie • 1987
Nancy
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman!
Movie • 1975
Citizen (uncredited)
Knocked Up
Movie • 2007
Alison's Mom
The Return of Marcus Welby, M.D.
Movie • 1984
Pamela Saletta
Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade
Movie • 1989
Self
Ain't It Funny
Movie • 2017
Mom
Growing Pains
TV • 1985
Maggie Seaver
Less than Perfect
TV • 2002
Judy, Owen's Other Mom
Magnum, P.I.
TV • 1980
Mary Kanfer
CHiPs
TV • 1977
Colleen
The Tony Danza Show
TV • 2004
Self
Rhoda
TV • 1974
Starsky & Hutch
TV • 1975
The A-Team
TV • 1983
Trish Brenner
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Beth Luckner
Quincy, M.E.
TV • 1976
E! True Hollywood Story
TV • 1996
Charlie's Angels
TV • 1976
Natalie
Hill Street Blues
TV • 1981
Laverne & Shirley
TV • 1976
Three's Company
TV • 1977
Bobby Trilling
Emergency!
TV • 1972
Hunter
TV • 1984
Dr. Kettering
Chicago Hope
TV • 1994
Stephanie Serone
Intimate Portrait
TV • 1993
Self
Switch
TV • 1975
Mae Brenner
Aliens in the Family
TV • 1996
Self (voice)
The Four Seasons
TV • 1984
Pat Devon
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1997
Eastwick
TV • 2009
Edie
Blind Faith
TV • 1990
Maria Marshall
V
TV • 1983
Marjorie Donovan
Street Hawk
TV • 1985
Mona Wiliams
Hope and Gloria
TV • 1995
Joanna Kerns
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
Magnum, P.I.
TV • 1980
Jenny Hunter