Joanna Kerns

Joanna Kerns

Birthdate
February 12, 1953 (71 years old)
Place of Birth
San Francisco, California, USA
Known For
Acting

Details

Birthdate
February 12, 1953 (71 years old)
Place of Birth
San Francisco, California, USA
Known For
Acting

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.

Joanna Kerns's LGBTQ+ Titles

All Over the Guy
All Over the Guy
Lydia

Acting (70)

2009
Eastwick (1 episode)
2007
Knocked Up as Alison's Mom
2004
Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers as Maggie Seaver
2004
The Tony Danza Show as Self (1 episode)
2002
Less than Perfect (1 episode)
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
The Wonderful World of Disney (1 episode)
1997
Sisters and Other Strangers as Gail Connelly Metzger
1997
Mother Knows Best as Celeste Cooper
1996
E! True Hollywood Story (1 episode)
1996
Terror in the Family as Cynthia Marten
1996
Aliens in the Family (1 episode)
1996
No One Could Protect Her as Jessica Rayner
1995
Whose Daughter is She? as Laura Eagerton
1995
Hope and Gloria as Joanna Kerns (1 episode)
1995
See Jane Run as Jane Ravenson
1994
Mortal Fear as Dr. Jennifer Kessler
1994
Chicago Hope (2 episodes)
1994
No Dessert, Dad, 'Til You Mow the Lawn as Carol Cochran
1993
Intimate Portrait as Self (1 episode)
1993
Shameful Secrets as Maryanne Walker-Tate
1993
The Man with Three Wives as Katy
1993
Not in My Family as Veronica Ricci
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
1990
Blind Faith as Maria Marshall (2 episodes)
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
Love Struck
1985
Growing Pains as Maggie Seaver (166 episodes)
1985
The Rape of Richard Beck as Anita Parrish
1985
Stormin' Home as Lana Singer
1985
A Bunny's Tale as Andrea
1985
Street Hawk as Mona Wiliams (1 episode)
1984
Hunter as Dr. Kettering (1 episode)
1984
The Return of Marcus Welby, M.D. as Pamela Saletta
1984
The Four Seasons (13 episodes)
1983
V as Marjorie Donovan (2 episodes)
1983
as Marjorie Donovan (2 episodes)
1983
The A-Team as Trish Brenner (1 episode)
1982
Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain as Doris Marshall
1982
A Wedding on Waltons Mountain as Doris Marshall
1981
Hill Street Blues (1 episode)
1980
Magnum, P.I. (2 episodes)
1980
Marriage is Alive and Well as Meg
1978
Coma as Diane
1977
The Love Boat as Beth Luckner (1 episode)
1977
CHiPs as Colleen (1 episode)
1977
Three's Company as Bobby Trilling (2 episodes)
1976
Quincy, M.E. (1 episode)
1976
Charlie's Angels as Natalie (1 episode)
1976
The Million Dollar Rip-Off as Jessie
1976
A*P*E as Marilyn Baker
1976
Laverne & Shirley (1 episode)
1975
Starsky & Hutch (1 episode)
1975
Switch as Mae Brenner (1 episode)
1975
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman! as Citizen (uncredited)
1974
Rhoda (1 episode)
1972
Emergency! (1 episode)

Directing (56)

2020
The Baker and the Beauty • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2019
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series • Director (3 episodes)
• Director (3 episodes)
2019
WHAT / IF • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2018
Light as a Feather • Director (4 episodes)
• Director (4 episodes)
2018
FBI • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2017
The Good Doctor • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2016
Man with a Plan • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2016
This Is Us • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2016
Recovery Road • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2015
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
2014
Jane the Virgin • Director (3 episodes)
• Director (3 episodes)
2014
Chasing Life • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2013
The Goldbergs • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2012
Nashville • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2011
Friends with Benefits • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2011
Awkward. • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2011
Switched at Birth • Director (3 episodes)
• Director (3 episodes)
2010
Pretty Little Liars • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
2008
Privileged • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2007
Samantha Who? • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2007
Private Practice • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2007
Army Wives • Director (4 episodes)
• Director (4 episodes)
2007
Notes from the Underbelly • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2006
Men in Trees • Director (4 episodes)
• Director (4 episodes)
2006
Psych • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
2005
Related • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
2005
Ghost Whisperer • Director (3 episodes)
• Director (3 episodes)
2005
Grey's Anatomy • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2005
Medium • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2004
Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers • Director
• Director
2004
Clubhouse • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2004
Phil of the Future • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2003
Joan of Arcadia • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2003
One Tree Hill • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2003
Defending Our Kids: The Julie Posey Story • Director
• Director
2003
The O'Keefes • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2002
Leap of Faith • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2001
Scrubs • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
2001
The Division • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2000
Boston Public • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2000
Titans • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2000
That's Life • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2000
Strong Medicine • Director (3 episodes)
• Director (3 episodes)
1999
Judging Amy • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
1999
Beggars and Choosers • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
1998
Felicity • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
1998
Any Day Now • Director (4 episodes)
• Director (4 episodes)
1998
Love Boat: The Next Wave • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
1998
Dawson's Creek • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
1997
Ally McBeal • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
1996
Clueless • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
1996
Suddenly Susan • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
1996
Remember WENN • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
1995
Hope and Gloria • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
1994
ER • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
1985
Growing Pains • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)

Production (2)

2017
Unrest • Associate Producer
• Associate Producer
1992
The Nightman • Co-Executive Producer
• Co-Executive Producer