She played schoolteacher Miss Emily Mahoney and was billed third on
The Facts of Life (1979) when it first premiered in 1979. After only four episodes, she became the first cast member to leave the show because she found her character to be limited. By the end of the first season and after thirteen episodes, the producers would cut five more cast members, including future teen star
Molly Ringwald. Jenny remains the only regular cast member who spent the shortest time on the show.