
Joanna Kerns
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Female
Birthday
1953-02-12 (72 years old)
Place of Birth
San Francisco, California, USA
Joanna Kerns
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.
Known For
Acting
(2007)
Knocked Up
as Alison's Mom
(2004)
Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers
as Maggie Seaver
(2001)
All Over the Guy
as Lydia
(2000)
The Growing Pains Movie
as Maggie Seaver
(1999)
Girl, Interrupted
as Annette
(1999)
At the Mercy of a Stranger
as Elizabeth Cooper
(1998)
Emma's Wish
as Emma Bridges-Mame
(1997)
Mother Knows Best
as Celeste Cooper
(1997)
Sisters and Other Strangers
as Gail Connelly Metzger
(1996)
Terror in the Family
as Cynthia Marten
(1996)
No One Could Protect Her
as Jessica Rayner
(1995)
See Jane Run
as Jane Ravenson
(1995)
Whose Daughter is She?
as Laura Eagerton
(1994)
Mortal Fear
as Dr. Jennifer Kessler
(1994)
No Dessert, Dad, 'Til You Mow the Lawn
as Carol Cochran
(1993)
Shameful Secrets
as Maryanne Walker-Tate
(1993)
Not in My Family
as Veronica Ricci
(1993)
The Man with Three Wives
as Katy
(1992)
Desperate Choices: To Save My Child
as Mel Robbins
(1992)
The Nightman
as Eve
(1991)
Captive
as Kathy Plunk
(1991)
Voices That Care
as Self - Choir Member
(1991)
Deadly Intentions... Again?
as Sally
(1990)
The Great Los Angeles Earthquake
as Dr. Clare Winslow
(1989)
The Preppie Murder
as Linda Fairstein
(1989)
Those She Left Behind
as Diane Pappas
(1988)
She's Having a Baby
as Joanna Kerns (uncredited)
(1987)
Cross My Heart
as Nancy
(1987)
Street Justice
as Catherine Watson
(1986)
(1985)
The Rape of Richard Beck
as Anita Parrish
(1985)
A Bunny's Tale
as Andrea
(1985)
Stormin' Home
as Lana Singer
(1984)
The Return of Marcus Welby, M.D.
as Pamela Saletta
(1982)
Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain
as Doris Marshall
(1982)
A Wedding on Waltons Mountain
as Doris Marshall
(1980)
(1978)
Coma
as Diane
(1976)
A*P*E
as Marilyn Baker
(1976)
The Million Dollar Rip-Off
as Jessie
(1975)
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman!
as Citizen (uncredited)
Crew
(2024)
Love, Danielle
Executive Producer
(2017)
Unrest
Associate Producer
(2004)
(2003)
(1992)
The Nightman
Co-Executive Producer