Ayn Ruymen (born July 18, 1947)[2][3] is an American former actress and theater director. She began her career as a stage actress, starring in a Broadway production of Neil Simon's The Gingerbread Lady (1970–1971), for which she won a Theatre World Award.

Ayn Ruymen
Ruymen in 1977
Born (1947-07-18) July 18, 1947 (age 77)
OccupationActress
Years active1970–1993
Spouse
Robert Ross
(m. 2009)
[1]

After relocating to Los Angeles, Ruymen made her feature film debut in Paul Bartel's horror film Private Parts (1972) and appeared in several television films during the 1970s. She had a lead role on the sitcom The McLean Stevenson Show from 1976 to 1977. She made her last screen appearance in the television film Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland (1993). Since then, Ruymen has worked primarily as a theater director of productions for the Mendocino Theatre Company.

Early life

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Ruymen was born July 18, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York City, one of six children, and was raised in Long Island.[2] Her father, George Ruymen, worked as a building inspector for the City of New York.[4] She began working as an actress while still a teenager, performing in theater productions in New Jersey.[2] In 1969, Ruymen appeared as a model at the Miami International Boat Show to promote Sungard sunscreen, covering half her face in it before spending time in the sun, demonstrating the product's efficacy at preventing sunburns.[5]

Career

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Ruymen in The McLean Stevenson Show, 1977

In 1970, she was cast as Polly Meara in a Broadway production of Neil Simon's The Gingerbread Lady opposite Maureen Stapleton, which ran between December 1970 and 1971.[6] Critic George Oppenheimer praised Ruymen for "showing great promise" in the "difficult" role.[7] For her performance, she won the Theatre World Award in 1971.[8] During her stage career, she became a member of Actors' Equity.[2]

Ruymen subsequently relocated to Los Angeles in late 1971 to pursue a film career.[2] She commented that she initially disliked California: "I found the Sunset Strip disgusting. I was trying to get work and nothing happened for six months. It makes you want to pull your hair out."[2] In early 1972, she was cast in an episode of the medical drama series Medical Center.[2] She was subsequently cast in the lead role of Paul Bartel's horror film Private Parts (1972), playing a young woman who uncovers dark secrets in a Los Angeles hotel operated by her aunt. The following year, she appeared in the television film Go Ask Alice.[9] She later had a minor uncredited role as a nurse in Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975).[9]

Between 1976 and 1977, Ruymen had a lead role on the sitcom The McLean Stevenson Show, playing the daughter of a hardware store proprietor.[10]

Ruymen's last film appearance was the 1993 television film Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland. In September 2009, she married Robert Ross, a visual artist and instructor at the Mendocino Arts Center and Oregon School of Arts & Crafts.[1][11]

Ruymen has directed numerous plays for the Mendocino Theatre Company (MTC) as early as 1993, when she directed a production of Love Letters, which featured a nightly rotating cast.[12]

In 1996 she directed 'A Perfect Ganesh' by Terrence McNally.

In August 2009, she directed an MTC stage production of W. Somerset Maugham's The Circle.[13]

Select filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1972 Private Parts Cheryl Stratton
1973 Go Ask Alice Jan [3]
1974 Tell Me Where It Hurts Lynn Television film [3]
1974 Hurricane Suzanne Television film
1975 Jaws Nurse
1976 Three Times Daley Jenny Television film
1976 Our Family Business Annie Television film [3]
1993 Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland Mavis Television film [3]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1972 Medical Center Denny Episode: "Betrayed"
1972 Bonanza Evie Parker Episode: "The Hidden Enemy"
1973 Ghost Story aka Circle Of Fear Young Gypsy Woman Episode: "Death's Head"
1973 The F.B.I. Lorrie Episode: "Night of the Long Knives"
1973 Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Rita Episode: "A Lesson in Loving"
1973 The Streets of San Francisco Liza Cullen Episode: "Shield of Honor"
1973 Ozzie's Girls Roberta Episode: "A Wedding To Remember"
1974 Medical Center Sharon Jennings Episode: "No Escape"
1974 Lucas Tanner Kathy Farnsworth Episode: "Look The Other Way"
1974 The Texas Wheelers Treva Episode: "Big Night In The Blue Gum"
1975 Baretta Susie Episode: "The Five and a Half Pound Junkie"
1975 The Rookies Sarah Episode: "One-Way Street to Nowhere"
1975 Petrocelli Katie Episode: "Terror On Wheels"
1975 Police Story Bobbie Episode: "A Community Of Victims"
1975 Cannon Fabiana De Marco Episode: "Tomorrow Ends At Noon"
1976 Harry O Virgiana McBain Episode: "Hostage"
1976 Visions Liza Stedman Episode: "Liza's Pioneer Diary"
1976–1977 The McLean Stevenson Show Janet Ferguson Main role [10]
1977 Hawaii Five-O Shirley Collins Episode: "Tsunami"
1978 Richie Brockelman, Private Eye Ginny Kelly Episode: "Escape From Cain Abel"
1978 Quincy, M.E. Carol Neilson Episode: "Dead And Alive"
1990 Midnight Caller Mary Jessick Episode: "Home to Roost"

Stage credits

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1970–1971 The Gingerbread Lady Polly Meare Plymouth Theatre [8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Class Notes: 1961". Reed College Magazine. Portland, Oregon: Reed College. March 2010. p. 38. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022 – via Issuu. In September, [Robert Ross] married Ayn Ruymen, star of the 1972 cinematic cult classic Private Parts.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Brachman, James (July 20, 1975). "Ayn Ruymen—Heroine of the Sore Throat on Set". San Francisco Examiner. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Ayn Ruymen Biography". AllMovie. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  4. ^ "Obituary: Mr. George D. Ruymen". Bryant Funeral Home. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  5. ^ "Ayn's Poster Girl with Two Faces". The Miami News. February 25, 1969. p. 15B – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Ayn Ruymen". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  7. ^ Oppenheimer, George (December 14, 1970). "Too many wisecracks". Newsday. p. 90 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "Ayn Ruymen". Playbill. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Ayn Ruymen". Moviefone. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Good vibes for the new show". Pacific Daily News. February 13, 1977. p. 8C – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Robert Ross". Mendocino Figure Drawing Collective. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  12. ^ Claire, Berna (August 12, 1993). "'Love Letters' is real life". Ukiah Daily Journal. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Fort Bragg Advocate-News Staff (August 28, 2009). "MTC"s The Circle" … a witty satire". Fort Bragg Advocate-News. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
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