Charles in Charge’s cast has gone on to star in many other notable projects after the hit 1980s sitcom. Debuting in 1984, Charles in Charge ended up enjoying five seasons as one of Universal’s biggest TV projects alongside the show Miami Vice. While also recruiting some notable sitcom stars of the era like Happy Days’ Scott Baio to play leading roles, Charles in Charge’s cast featured many relative newcomers who would follow different career paths after the series ended in 1990. However, long after the show concluded, Charles in Charge’s cast would become subject to major controversy for accusations of wrongdoing on set.
Starring Scott Baio in the title role, Charles in Charge follows a college student at the fictional Copeland College in New Brunswick, New Jersey who moves in with the energetic Pembroke family to work as a live-in housekeeper. Rather than receive payment, the family allows Charles room and board in exchange for taking care of the children Jason, Douglas, and Lila. However, Charles in Charge’s cast saw a major adjustment in season 2, with only Happy Days actor Scott Baio and Will Aames, who portrayed Charles’ best friend Buddy, returning in main roles. When Charles in Charge season 2 began, the title character returned to the Pembroke home after summer vacation to find that they had moved to Seattle, with a new family, the Powells, moving in and retaining Charles as their live-in housekeeper.
Outside the main actors, the Charles in Charge cast also featured early guest appearances from celebrities before they became famous. Meg Ryan starred in a two-episode arc during Charles in Charge season 1, Friends’ Matthew Perry appeared in a 1985 episode, Christina Applegate was seen in two episodes, Pamela Anderson was featured in a Charles in Charge season 5 episode, and Saved by the Bell’s Mark-Paul Gosselaar guest-starred in a 1988 episode. Here’s a breakdown of what happened to the main Charles in Charge cast after the series finale.
Scott Baio As Charles
Having previously come to prominence as The Fonz’s cousin Chachi Arcola on the sitcom Happy Days and its spinoff Joanie Loves Chachi, Scott Baio was scouted to star in the syndicated sitcom Charles in Charge as the title character, whose last name is never revealed. After five seasons as the lead of Charles in Charge’s cast, Baio next became the director of the kids’ comedy program Out of This World from 1987 to 1991. The Charles in Charge actor then starred in Diagnosis: Murder as Dr. Jack Stewart from 1993 to 1995, during which time Baio also had guest roles in notable sitcoms like Full House and The Nanny. Baio would later appear in Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2, Wes Craven’s Cursed, and Arrested Development as the Bluth family’s lawyer Bob Loblaw. The original Charles in Charge cast member also starred on VH1’s reality TV shows Scott Baio is 45… and Single, Scott Baio is 46… and Pregnant, and hosted Confessions of a Teen Idol. Baio’s last few acting credits include Nickelodeon’s See Dad Run, Sam & Cat, and A Fairly Odd Summer.
Charles in Charge’s lead actor encountered controversy around 2016 for discriminatory remarks about Barack Obama, with Baio later alleging that the wife of Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith had physically assaulted him for his Donald Trump support. Baio then came under fire in 2017 for retweeting a meme suggesting that the tragic death of Heather Heyer and the Sandy Hook shooting were linked hoaxes. In 2018, fellow cast member Nicole Eggert accused Baio (who nearly played Top Gun's Maverick) of sexually abusing her for three years on Charles in Charge beginning when she was 14 years old, having first publicly accused him on the Nik Richie Radio show in 2013. Only a few months later, their other Charles in Charge co-star Alexander Polinsky accused Baio of physically and mentally assaulting him on the set of the 1980s sitcom.
Will Aames As Buddy Lembeck
Will Aames was featured in Charles in Charge’s cast as Buddence “Buddy” Lembeck, Charles’ best friend throughout the sitcom. Aames is still best known for his role as Tommy Bradford on the 1970s sitcom Eight is Enough, but would continue to work on TV movies and reality shows after Charles in Charge. From 1995 until 2003, Aames portrayed Miles Peterson/Bibleman in the children’s direct-to-video Christian-themed series Bibleman. He then appeared as himself in the reality TV shows Celebrity Fit Club in 2005 and Celebrity Fit Club – Boot Camp in 2008. Before returning to acting in Hallmark TV movies beginning in 2016, Aames switched career paths in 2010 to become a Cruise Director for various cruise lines.
Nicole Eggert As Jamie Powell
Having previously appeared in small roles on TV shows like Fantasy Island and T.J. Hooker, Nicole Eggert rose to fame as Jamie Powell, one of the kids that Charles looks after on Charles in Charge. Eggert joined Charles in Charge’s cast when the series changed up the actors and characters for season 2, with the actress staying in the role until the end of the series. After Charles in Charge, Eggert appeared in the movies Blown Away, The Demolitionist, Decoys, and Cattle Call. The Charles in Charge cast member most notably scored a role on the popular TV Show Baywatch as Roberta “Summer” Quinn, with Eggert staying in the role from 1992 until 1994. Eggert then appeared in guest roles on TV shows like Gilmore Girls, Boy Meets World, and Married with Children. By 2010, the former Charles in Charge actress largely began appearing as herself on reality TV shows like Celebrity Fit Club, Splash, and Botched.
Josie Davis As Sarah Powell
Josie Davis is still best known for playing the bookish and quiet character Sarah Powell as a child on Charles in Charge but went on to star on many other notable TV projects. After her time in the Charles in Charge cast, Davis had guest roles on shows in the ‘90s like Baywatch, L.A. Heat, and Profiler. In 2000, Davis earned the role of Camille Desmond on the series Beverly Hills, 90210 and a stint as Laurie Williams on the soap opera Titans. The former Charles in Charge cast member then had various appearances on shows like NCIS, Two and a Half Men, and the Nickelodeon series Hollywood Heights. Davis has also been seen in various made-for-TV movies on the Lifetime and Hallmark channels since 2005.
Alexander Polinsky As Adam Powell
After being featured in Charles in Charge’s main cast as Adam Powell, Alexander Polinsky became notable for his voice roles in TV shows, movies, and video games. Polinsky voiced Control Freak in the Teen Titans, Argit and various other characters in Ben 10, Jelly, Lanky, and Stumpy in Breadwinners, Darington in Blaze and the Monster Machines, and additional voices in the 2015 Minions movie.
James T. Callahan As Walter Powell
Well known for his many roles in TV sitcoms from the 1960s to 1980s like Dr. Kildare, Wendy and Me, and The Runaways, James T. Callahan is still best remembered for his place in the cast of Charles in Charge. After portraying Powell kids’ grandfather Walter on Charles in Charge, Callahan appeared in The Golden Girls, Return of the Living Dead 3, and ER. In 2007, the main Charles in Charge cast member passed away at the age of 76.
Sandra Kerns As Ellen Powell
Taking over as Charles in Charge’s matriarch, Sandra Kerns joined the series in season 2 as Ellen Powell, the mother to the three children Charles watches. Unlike the other actors for the 1980s sitcom's first season, Kerns became only a guest and recurring member of Charles in Charge’s cast after season 3. Following Charles in Charge’s ending in 1990, Kerns only appeared in 1991 episodes of She-Wolf of London and The New Adam-12 as well as the movie 1993 movie Magic Kid, after which she retired from acting entirely.
Ellen Travolta As Lillian
After notably portraying Scott Baio’s mother in Happy Days, Ellen Travolta was cast in Charles in Charge as his mother Lillian. First appearing in season 2, Travolta became a member of Charles in Charge’s main cast beginning in season 3. After Charles in Charge ended, the older sister of Grease actor John Travolta starred in General Hospital (1995) as Gloria Cerullo, Mel (1998) as Dr. Vogul, and Lonely Hearts (2006) as Ida.
Julie Cobb As Jill Pembroke
The original matriarch of Charles in Charge’s cast was Julie Cobb, who played the kids’ mother Jill Pembroke. When the studio decided to readjust the sitcom into a syndicated series, the cast was adjusted accordingly, with Cobb departing the series. Following Charles in Charge season 1, Cobb appeared in The Runnin’ Kind (1989), Defending Your Life (1991), and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1995). She also had roles in various TV shows like Family Ties, Days of Our Lives, and 2017-2018 show Whatta Lark. The former Charles in Charge cast member also married American Horror Story actor James Cromwell the year after leaving the sitcom, though the marriage would end in divorce in 2005.
Michael Pearlman As Jason Pembroke
When the majority of the cast of Charles in Charge season 1 departed, Jason Pembroke became Michael Pearlman’s last major acting role. The only other acting gig that Pearlman took after Charles in Charge was in one 1987 episode of Katie & Allie, whereafter he gave up being a child actor. Pearlman then went to NYU for journalism and moved to Wyoming to become a reporter. Having stayed in Wyoming, the former Charles in Charge cast member became the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for ALIGN before being hired as the Communications Director for the office of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon in 2019.
Jonathan Ward As Douglas Pembroke
Jonathan Ward was only a member of Charles in Charge’s cast for season 1, after which he and the other Pembroke family actors departed the hit comedy TV show. The Douglas Pembroke actor later starred in Heart of the City as Kevin Kennedy, 1987’s The New Adventures of Bean Baxter as the title character, the box office failure and critically panned 1988 movie Mac and Me as Michael Cruise and 1989’s Steel Magnolias as Jonathan Eatenton. Ward’s last acting credit was in 1998 for the short film Meanwhile, after which he retired from his on-camera appearances.
April Lerman As Lila Pembroke
Originally becoming notable for her role as the orphan Kate in the 1982 movie musical Annie, April Lerman starred in the Charles in Charge season 1 cast as Lila Pembroke. After leaving the cast with the rest of the Pembroke family, Lerman appeared in episodes of CBS's Kate & Allie, Growing Pains, and Parker Lewis Can’t Lose between 1986 and 1991. Lerman’s last acting credit was in 1992 for Rock and Roll Fantasy, after which she went to Pepperdine Law School and was admitted to the California bar in 1995. Later declining to pursue a career as a lawyer, Lerman received a degree in Counseling Psychology, whereafter she worked in community counseling groups with children and adolescents.
James Widdoes As Stan Pembroke
After leaving Charles in Charge’s cast in 1985, James Widdoes went on to appear in shows like Night Court, The Further Adventures of SuperTed, and Greetings from Tucson. Around this same time, Widdoes’ focus shifted to working behind the camera, where he now stands today as an accomplished TV director. Widdoes has directed numerous episodes from TV shows like Can’t Hurry Love, My Wife and Kids, Two and a Half Men, Mom (2013-2021), and 2022’s Call Me Kat.
Jennifer Runyon As Gwendolyn Pierce
Charles’ classmate Gwendolyn Pierce’s last appearance was in Charles in Charge season 2, after which cast member Jennifer Runyon took on various TV and movie roles. The original Charles in Charge cast member starred in the movies A Very Brady Christmas (1988) as Cindy Brady and Carnosaur (1993) as Ann “Thrush,” as well as guest roles on TV shows like Magnum, P.I., Murder, She Wrote, and Beverly Hills, 90210. In 2014, Runyon revealed that she had semi-retired from acting and chose to work as a teacher instead, with the former Charles in Charge actress also co-hosting a cooking podcast.