Joanna Kerns

Acting

Joanna Kerns

Born February 12, 1953San Francisco, California, USA129 credits

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

Filmography

Love, Danielle
2024Love, Danielle
Executive ProducerMovie
WHAT / IF
2019WHAT / IF
DirectorTV
FBI
2018FBI
DirectorTV
This Is Us
2016This Is Us
DirectorTV
Chicago Med
2015Chicago Med
DirectorTV
Nashville
2012Nashville
DirectorTV
Awkward.
2011Awkward.
DirectorTV
Eastwick
2009Eastwick
as EdieTV
Privileged
2008Privileged
DirectorTV
Army Wives
2007Army Wives
DirectorTV
Knocked Up
2007Knocked Up
as Alison's MomMovie
Psych
2006Psych
DirectorTV
Related
2005Related
DirectorTV
Medium
2005Medium
DirectorTV
Clubhouse
2004Clubhouse
DirectorTV
Less than Perfect
2002Less than Perfect
as Judy, Owen's Other MomTV
Scrubs
2001Scrubs
DirectorTV
The Growing Pains Movie
2000The Growing Pains Movie
as Maggie SeaverMovie
Titans
2000Titans
DirectorTV
That's Life
2000That's Life
DirectorTV
Girl, Interrupted
1999Girl, Interrupted
as AnnetteMovie
At the Mercy of a Stranger
1999At the Mercy of a Stranger
as Elizabeth CooperMovie
Judging Amy
1999Judging Amy
DirectorTV
Emma's Wish
1998Emma's Wish
as Emma Bridges-MameMovie
Felicity
1998Felicity
DirectorTV
Any Day Now
1998Any Day Now
DirectorTV
Ally McBeal
1997Ally McBeal
DirectorTV
Sisters and Other Strangers
1997Sisters and Other Strangers
as Gail Connelly MetzgerMovie
Mother Knows Best
1997Mother Knows Best
as Celeste CooperMovie
Clueless
1996Clueless
DirectorTV
Terror in the Family
1996Terror in the Family
as Cynthia MartenMovie
Aliens in the Family
1996Aliens in the Family
as Self (voice)TV
No One Could Protect Her
1996No One Could Protect Her
as Jessica RaynerMovie
Whose Daughter is She?
1995Whose Daughter is She?
as Laura EagertonMovie
Hope and Gloria
1995Hope and Gloria
as Joanna KernsTV
See Jane Run
1995See Jane Run
as Jane RavensonMovie
Mortal Fear
1994Mortal Fear
as Dr. Jennifer KesslerMovie
ER
1994ER
DirectorTV
Chicago Hope
1994Chicago Hope
as Stephanie SeroneTV
Shameful Secrets
1993Shameful Secrets
as Maryanne Walker-TateMovie
Not in My Family
1993Not in My Family
as Veronica RicciMovie
The Nightman
1992The Nightman
as EveMovie
Captive
1991Captive
as Kathy PlunkMovie
Voices That Care
1991Voices That Care
as Self - Choir MemberMovie
The Great Los Angeles Earthquake
1990The Great Los Angeles Earthquake
as Dr. Clare WinslowMovie
Blind Faith
1990Blind Faith
as Maria MarshallTV
The Preppie Murder
1989The Preppie Murder
as Linda FairsteinMovie
Those She Left Behind
1989Those She Left Behind
as Diane PappasMovie
She's Having a Baby
1988She's Having a Baby
as Joanna Kerns (uncredited)Movie
Cross My Heart
1987Cross My Heart
as NancyMovie
Street Justice
1987Street Justice
as Catherine WatsonMovie
Growing Pains
1985Growing Pains
as Maggie SeaverTV
The Rape of Richard Beck
1985The Rape of Richard Beck
as Anita ParrishMovie
Stormin' Home
1985Stormin' Home
as Lana SingerMovie
A Bunny's Tale
1985A Bunny's Tale
as AndreaMovie
Street Hawk
1985Street Hawk
as Mona WiliamsTV
Hunter
1984Hunter
as Dr. KetteringTV
The Four Seasons
1984The Four Seasons
as Pat DevonTV
V
1983V
as Marjorie DonovanTV
The A-Team
1983The A-Team
as Trish BrennerTV
A Wedding on Waltons Mountain
1982A Wedding on Waltons Mountain
as Doris MarshallMovie
Magnum, P.I.
1980Magnum, P.I.
as Mary KanferTV
Coma
1978Coma
as DianeMovie
The Love Boat
1977The Love Boat
as Beth LucknerTV
CHiPs
1977CHiPs
as ColleenTV
Three's Company
1977Three's Company
as Bobby TrillingTV
A*P*E
1976A*P*E
as Marilyn BakerMovie
Switch
1975Switch
as Mae BrennerTV