April Lerman is an former actress who is best known for her role as Lila Pembroke on the sitcom “Charles in Charge” in the 1980s.
Background Info
April Lerman was born on February 6, 1969, in Chicago, Illinois. She was discovered by a talent agent while participating in a school play and was recruited to become an actress, appearing in various commercials and TV shows.
Lerman started her acting career at a young age, being cast as Tessie in the 1st National Tour of “Annie” on her ninth birthday. She also played a different character named Kate in the movie version of the musical in 1982.
Charles in Charge
In 1984, Lerman landed the role of Lila Pembroke in the original “Charles in Charge” series. The show is centered around a college student named Charles, who works as a live-in babysitter in exchange for room and board.
April Lerman played the character Lila, who is the eldest Pembroke child and a typical teenager. Her character is smart, sarcastic, and often the voice of reason among her siblings. Lerman appeared in the first 22 episodes of the show. She would star in the show alongside , Julie Cobb, Michael Pearlman, Jennifer Runyon and Jonathan Ward.
CBS originally broadcasted the show for its inaugural season, but due to underwhelming ratings, the network decided to cancel it. Consequently, the cast members were released from their contractual obligations. When the show was later revived for first-run syndication, several members of the Pembroke family had already committed to other projects and were unable to rejoin the show. Among the Pembrokes, only the actor portraying Jason (Michael Pearlman) showed any inclination to return to the series. As a result, the entire Pembroke family was phased out of the show and replaced by the Powell family, who were renting the house from the Pembrokes, who had relocated to Seattle in the meantime.
Jason did make an appearance in the opening episode of the second season, accompanied by a new actress playing his mother, Jill. Their purpose was to bid farewell to Charles and to inform him (as well as the viewers) that the incoming family wished to retain him.
What did April Lerman do after Charles in Charge?
After her role in “Charles in Charge,” April Lerman continued to work as a guest star in other television shows, such as “Kate and Allie,” “Growing Pains,” and “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose.” She also appeared in a film titled “Rock and Roll Fantasy” in 1992.
However, she became disenchanted with her acting career and left show business. She attended Pepperdine University School of Law and received her Juris Doctorate Degree. She was admitted to the California Bar in 1995, but chose not to pursue the legal profession. Instead, she became a stay-at-home mother and later earned her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Santa Monica and graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCLA with a Bachelor’s degree in English. She worked as a school counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
What is April Lerman doing now?
April Haney, formerly known as April Lerman, is a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern at Community Counseling Group. She has extensive experience working with adults, adolescents, and children on a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, addictions, low self-esteem, and relationship problems.
Haney has also assisted individuals dealing with the impacts of divorce, family discord, physical and sexual abuse, death, illness, job loss, and other challenging life situations. She believes in a collaborative psychotherapy process that aims to uncover the root causes of problems and symptoms, enabling her clients to experience lasting change and increased satisfaction in various areas of their lives.
Before joining Community Counseling Group, Haney worked as a school counselor, helping her understand the unique challenges children face, such as the emotional consequences of school bullying, peer pressure, and social isolation. She also worked at the California Graduate Institute Counseling Center in Los Angeles, providing individual psychotherapy to adult clients with diverse backgrounds and needs.