Lunden, Joan 1950(?)-

PERSONAL

Original name, Joan Elise Blunden; Born September 9 (some sources cite 15 or 19), 1950 (some sources cite 1951), in Fair Oaks (near Sacramento), CA; daughter of Erle Murray (a physician) and Gladyce Lorraine (maiden name, Somervill) Blunden; married Michael Krauss (a television producer), September 10, 1978 (divorced, 1992); married Jeff Kongisberg (a businessman and summer camp owner), April 18, 2000; children: (first marriage) Jamie Beryl, Lindsay Leigh, Sarah Emily; (second marriage) Kate Elizabeth and Max Aaron (twins), Kimberly Elise and Jack Andrew (twins). Education: Attended Chapman College, 1967, and Universidad de Las Americas, Mexico City, 1968-72; American River Junior College, A.A., 1972. Avocational Interests: Horseback riding.

Career:

Television news anchor, talk show host, producer, and writer. Joni Lisa Charm and Modeling School, Sacramento, CA, owner and manager, 1972-73; KCRA-Television and Radio, Sacramento, coanchor and producer, 1973-75; WABC-TV, New York City, Eyewitness News reporter, then coanchor on weekend newscasts, 1976-80. Montclair State College, visiting instructor in broadcast journalism. Appeared in Mother's Minutes, a series of informational spots televised on weekday afternoons; spokesperson for Beechnut baby food, Revlon Care for Kids products, and American Lung Association pregnancy and smoking campaign; appeared in television commercials for Claritin allergy medicines and in "infomercials."

Member:

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Awards, Honors:

Named outstanding mother of the year, National Mother's Day Committee, 1982-83; Spirit of Achievement Award, Albert Einstein College of Yeshiva University; named outstanding woman of the year, Baylor University; Matrix Award, New York Women in Communications, 1991, for outstanding contributions to the broadcasting field; distinguished civilian service award, U.S. Army; awards from National Women's Political Caucus and New Jersey Division on Civil Rights.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

Reporter, Good Morning America, ABC, 1976-80.

Cohost, Good Morning America, ABC, 1980-97.

Host, Mother's Day, Lifetime, 1983-89.

Everyday with Joan Lunden, syndicated, 1989-90.

Host, Behind Closed Doors with Joan Lunden, Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Announcer, The Real Story, Arts and Entertainment, 2002.

Host, Wickedly Perfect, CBS, 2005.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Secret World of the Very Young, CBS, 1984.

Host, Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade, ABC, 1985, annually, 1985-96.

Host, Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade, ABC, annually, 1986-95.

Whatta Year … 1986, ABC, 1986.

Host, Good Evening America, ABC, 1987.

Host, Tournament of Roses Parade, ABC, 1989, 1990, 1991.

Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music, 1990.

American Red Cross Emergency Test, ABC, 1990.

A Broadway Tribute to Julia Child—Compliments to the Chef!, PBS, 1993.

Host, Every Breath You Take, syndicated, 1993.

Host, Good Morning America: Evening Edition, ABC, 1993.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation, ABC, 1993.

Kathie Lee Gifford's Celebration of Motherhood, ABC, 1993.

Host, How I Spent My Summer Vacation, ABC, 1993.

Host, People's 20th Birthday, ABC, 1994.

Presenter, The 21st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1994.

Host, Behind Closed Doors with Joan Lunden, ABC, annually, 1994-99.

Earth Day at Walt Disney World, The Disney Channel, 1996.

Intimate Portrait: Joan Lunden, Lifetime, 1998.

Narrator, Intimate Portrait: Celine Dion, Lifetime, 1998.

Narrator, Intimate Portrait: Leeza Gibbons, Lifetime, 1999.

Narrator, Intimate Portrait: Betty Friedan, Lifetime, 1999.

Host, When Animals Talk, Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Host, Miracle Babies II, PAX, 2000.

Host, Miracle Babies III, PAX, 2000.

Host, LeTourneau Live, USA Network, 2000.

The Great American History Quiz: America at War, History Channel, 2001.

Host, The American Wedding, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Host, Loretta Lynn Live by Request, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Anchor from Pearl Harbor, Live from Pearl Harbor, History Channel, 2001.

InStyle: Celebrity Weddings, NBC, 2001.

Host, Holiday at Pops 2001, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Host, George Harrison: Quiet Legend, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Host, "Brenda Lee: Little Miss Dynamite," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Host, "Bobby Vinton: A Melody of Love," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Intimate Portrait: Mothers and Daughters, Lifetime, 2003.

ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration, ABC, 2003.

Host, America's Invisible Children: The Homeless Education Crisis in America, 2007.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Anchor, Salt Lake 2002: Paralympic Winter Games, Arts and Entertainment, 2002.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Herself, "A Chance of Showers," Murphy Brown, CBS, 1992.

Herself, "Sox and the Single Girl," Murphy Brown, CBS, 1993.

Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 1996.

Herself, "Murphy Redux," Murphy Brown, CBS, 1997.

Herself, "Al Anonymous," LateLine, NBC, 1998.

Barbara Canfield, "From Top to Bottom," Home Improvement, ABC, 1998.

Television Guest Appearances; Episodic:

The Phil Donahue Show (also known as Donahue), 1985, 1989.

Late Show with David Letterman (also known as The Late Show and Letterman), CBS, 1993, 1997.

Howard Stern, E! Entertainment Television, 1995.

The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, between 1996 and 2001.

20/20 (also known as ABC News 20/20), ABC, 2003.

On-Air with Ryan Seacrest, syndicated, 2004.

The View, ABC, 2005.

Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show, syndicated, 2005.

The Tony Danza Show, syndicated, 2005.

Television Work; Series:

Executive producer, Behind Closed Doors with Joan Lunden, Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Television Work; Specials:

Executive producer, Behind Closed Doors with Joan Lunden, ABC, annually, 1994-99.

Film Appearances:

(Uncredited) Saloon hostess, Macho Callahan, Avco Embassy, 1970.

Television announcer, What About Bob?, Buena Vista, 1991.

Herself, Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (also known as Willy II: The Adventure Home and Sauvez Willy 2), Warner Bros., 1995.

Television announcer, Conspiracy Theory, Warner Bros., 1997.

Herself, Thank You for Smoking, Fox Searchlight, 2006.

RECORDINGS

Audio Books; Reader:

A Bend in the Road Is Not the End of the Road: 10 Positive Principles for Dealing with Change, HarperAudio, 1998.

Videos:

Narrator, Your Newborn Baby, Everything You Need to Know, 1990.

Let's Get a Move On! (for children), Fast Forward Video, 1990.

Joan Lunden, Workout America (fitness), Republic Pictures, 1990.

WRITINGS

Television Series:

Behind Closed Doors with Joan Lunden, Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Television Specials:

Behind Closed Doors with Joan Lunden, ABC, annually, 1995-99.

Loretta Lynn Live by Request, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Other:

(With Ardy Friedburg) Good Morning, I'm Joan Lunden (autobiography), Putnam, 1986.

(With Michael Krauss and Sue Castle) Joan Lunden's Mother's Minutes, illustrated by Allan Neuwirth, Warner Books, 1986.

(With Krauss and Castle) Your Newborn Baby: Everything You Need to Know, Warner Books, 1988.

(With Laura Morton) Joan Lunden's Healthy Cooking, Little, Brown, 1996.

(With Morton) Joan Lunden's Healthy Living: A Practical, Inspirational Guide to Creating Balance in Your Life, Crown, 1997.

A Bend in the Road Is Not the End of the Road: 10 Positive Principles for Dealing with Change, Morrow, 1998.

(With Myron Winick) Growing Up Healthy: A Complete Guide to Childhood Nutrition and Well-Being, Birth through Adolescence, Atria, 2004.

Author of the syndicated column Parent's Notes.

ADAPTATIONS

A Bend in the Road Is Not the End of the Road: 10 Positive Principles for Dealing with Change was also released as an audio book.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Contemporary Authors, Volume 145, Gale, 1995.

Lunden, Joan, and Ardy Friedburg, Good Morning, I'm Joan Lunden, Putnam, 1986.

Periodicals:

Good Housekeeping, September, 2003, p. 160; July, 2005, p. 138.

Ladies Home Journal, May, 1993, p. 150; July, 1998, p. 114.

Newsweek, May 1, 2000, p.64.

People Weekly, June 9, 1997, p. 58; July 7, 1997, p. 16; November 16, 1998, p. 47; May 8, 2000, p. 257; March 10, 2003, p. 88.

Saturday Evening Post, September-October, 1996, p. 38.

Us Weekly, May 8, 2000, p. 28.

Woman's Day, May 25, 2004, p. 22.

Other:

Intimate Portrait: Joan Lunden (television special), Lifetime, 1998.