Joanna Kerns
Known for

Acting

Credits

129

Gender

Woman

Birthday

12 Feb 1953 (71)

Place of birth

San Francisco, California, USA

Also known as
Joanne Crussie DeVarona
Joanne Kerns
Joanna Kearns
Joanne DeVarona
Joanna DeVarona
Joanna De Verona

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 roles
YearMovie / TV show / OtherRole
2009Eastwick
2007Knocked UpAlison's Mom
2004Growing Pains: Return of the SeaversMaggie Seaver
2004The Tony Danza ShowSelf
2002Less than Perfect
2001All Over the GuyLydia
2000The Growing Pains MovieMaggie Seaver
1999Girl, InterruptedAnnette
1999At the Mercy of a StrangerElizabeth Cooper
1998Emma's WishEmma Bridges-Mame
1997The Wonderful World of Disney
1997Mother Knows BestCeleste Cooper
1997Sisters and Other StrangersGail Connelly Metzger
1996E! True Hollywood Story
1996Terror in the FamilyCynthia Marten
1996No One Could Protect HerJessica Rayner
1996Aliens in the FamilySelf (voice)
1995See Jane RunJane Ravenson
1995Whose Daughter is She?Laura Eagerton
1995Hope and GloriaJoanna Kerns
1994Chicago Hope
1994Mortal FearDr. Jennifer Kessler
1994No Dessert, Dad, 'Til You Mow the LawnCarol Cochran
1993Intimate PortraitSelf
1993Shameful SecretsMaryanne Walker-Tate
1993Not in My FamilyVeronica Ricci
1993The Man with Three WivesKaty
1992Desperate Choices: To Save My ChildMel Robbins
1992The NightmanEve
1991CaptiveKathy Plunk
1991Voices That CareSelf - Choir Member
1991Deadly Intentions... Again?Sally
1990The Great Los Angeles EarthquakeDr. Clare Winslow
1990Blind FaithMaria Marshall
1989The Preppie MurderLinda Fairstein
1989Those She Left BehindDiane Pappas
1988She's Having a BabyJoanna Kerns (uncredited)
1987Cross My HeartNancy
1987Street JusticeCatherine Watson
1986Love Struck
1985Growing PainsMaggie Seaver
1985Street HawkMona Wiliams
1985The Rape of Richard BeckAnita Parrish
1985A Bunny's TaleAndrea
1985Stormin' HomeLana Singer
1984HunterDr. Kettering
1984The Return of Marcus Welby, M.D.Pamela Saletta
1984The Four Seasons
1983The A-TeamTrish Brenner
1983VMarjorie Donovan
1983Marjorie Donovan
1982Mother's Day on Waltons MountainDoris Marshall
1982A Wedding on Waltons MountainDoris Marshall
1981Hill Street Blues
1980Magnum, P.I.
1980Marriage Is Alive and WellMeg
1978ComaDiane
1977The Love BoatBeth Luckner
1977Three's CompanyBobby Trilling
1977CHiPsColleen
1976Charlie's AngelsNatalie
1976Quincy, M.E.
1976Laverne & Shirley
1976A*P*EMarilyn Baker
1976The Million Dollar Rip-OffJessie
1975Starsky & Hutch
1975It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman!Citizen (uncredited)
1975SwitchMae Brenner
1974Rhoda
1972Emergency!
Credits
YearMovie / TV show / OtherRole
2020The Baker and the BeautyDirector
2019High School Musical: The Musical: The SeriesDirector
2019WHAT / IFDirector
2018FBIDirector
2018Light as a FeatherDirector
2017The Good DoctorDirector
2017UnrestAssociate Producer
2016This Is UsDirector
2016Man with a PlanDirector
2016Recovery RoadDirector
2015Chicago MedDirector
2015Crazy Ex-GirlfriendDirector
2014Jane the VirginDirector
2014Chasing LifeDirector
2013The GoldbergsDirector
2012NashvilleDirector
2011Awkward.Director
2011Switched at BirthDirector
2011Friends with BenefitsDirector
2010Pretty Little LiarsDirector
2008PrivilegedDirector
2007Private PracticeDirector
2007Samantha Who?Director
2007Army WivesDirector
2007Notes from the UnderbellyDirector
2006PsychDirector
2006Men in TreesDirector
2005Grey's AnatomyDirector
2005Ghost WhispererDirector
2005MediumDirector
2005RelatedDirector
2004Phil of the FutureDirector
2004Growing Pains: Return of the SeaversDirector
2004ClubhouseDirector
2003One Tree HillDirector
2003Joan of ArcadiaDirector
2003Defending Our Kids: The Julie Posey StoryDirector
2003The O'KeefesDirector
2002Leap of FaithDirector
2001ScrubsDirector
2001The DivisionDirector
2000Boston PublicDirector
2000Strong MedicineDirector
2000TitansDirector
2000That's LifeDirector
1999Judging AmyDirector
1999Beggars and ChoosersDirector
1998Dawson's CreekDirector
1998FelicityDirector
1998Any Day NowDirector
1998Love Boat: The Next WaveDirector
1997Ally McBealDirector
1996CluelessDirector
1996Suddenly SusanDirector
1996Remember WENNDirector
1995Hope and GloriaDirector
1994ERDirector
1992The NightmanCo-Executive Producer
1985Growing PainsDirector