# Karen Valentine
**Karen Valentine** (born 1947) is an American actress best known for playing student teacher Alice Johnson on the ABC comedy-drama *Room 222* (1969–1974), a role that won her a Primetime Emmy Award in 1970. She began on game and variety television, headlined her own sitcom in the mid-1970s, and worked steadily in made-for-television movies, feature films, and stage productions through 2004.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1947, Sebastopol, California; birth name Karen Lynne Valentine[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/bio/) |
| Breakthrough role | Alice Johnson on *Room 222* (ABC, 1969–1974), 113 episodes[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/fullcredits) |
| Emmy | Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Comedy, 1970; nominated again in 1971[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/karen-valentine) |
| Golden Globe | Nominee, Actress in a Supporting Role – Television Series, 1971, for *Room 222*[4](https://goldenglobes.com/person/karen-valentine/) |
| Own series | *Karen* (1975), created by Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds; canceled at mid-season[5](https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2020/08/karen-valentine-bio.html) |
| Last screen credit | *Wedding Daze* (2004), Hallmark Channel, with John Larroquette[5](https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2020/08/karen-valentine-bio.html) |
| Marriage | Married musician Gary Verna on December 31, 1977; previously married to Mac McLaughlin, 1969–1973[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/bio/) |
## Early career
Valentine grew up in Sebastopol, in northern California's apple-growing country, where her family kept a chicken farm and where she was crowned Apple Blossom Queen as a teenager[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/bio/). Her entry into television came through a pageant: representing nearby Santa Rosa in the Miss Teenage America Contest, she traveled to Dallas for the nationally broadcast competition and won a talent award on air for a pantomime to Eydie Gorme's "Blame It on the Bossa Nova"[6](https://www.aol.com/articles/karen-valentine-78-shares-memories-110005000.html). [Ed Sullivan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ed-sullivan), watching the broadcast, had the host [Bud Collyer](https://www.edgepedia.org/bud-collyer) announce that she would appear on *The Ed Sullivan Show* two weeks later; she made that appearance at age 16[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/bio/) • [6](https://www.aol.com/articles/karen-valentine-78-shares-memories-110005000.html).
Before acting roles followed, she worked in game television. She later worked as a model, waitress, and switchboard operator[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/bio/).
## Room 222
In 1969 [Valentine](https://www.edgepedia.org/valentine) won the role of Alice Johnson, a student teacher who is later promoted to full teacher, on *Room 222*, a half-hour ABC comedy-drama set at an integrated Los Angeles high school[7](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/room-222). The series centered on history teacher Pete Dixon (Lloyd Haynes), with guidance counselor Liz McIntyre ([Denise Nicholas](https://www.edgepedia.org/denise-nicholas)) and the somewhat jaded principal [Seymour Kaufman](https://www.edgepedia.org/seymour-kaufman) (Michael Constantine) rounding out the adult cast[7](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/room-222). Director Gene Reynolds reportedly cast her after seeing her struggle in an audition and recognizing a gift for comedy[8](https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/30129/karen-valentine-room-222-fun-facts-things-didnt-know-where-now/1436077171/).
The show mixed comedy with serious contemporary subjects, including racism, drug use, and teenage pregnancy, and prefigured the "dramedy" form by nearly two decades[7](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/room-222). Valentine has said that in some parts of the country schools made *Room 222* required viewing for teachers and administrators[5](https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2020/08/karen-valentine-bio.html). In its first season she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Comedy, and she was nominated in the same category the following year[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/karen-valentine). She also received a 1971 Golden Globe nomination for the role[4](https://goldenglobes.com/person/karen-valentine/). The series ran 113 episodes over five seasons[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/fullcredits).
## After Room 222
The season after *Room 222* ended, Valentine starred in her own sitcom, *Karen* (1975), playing a single woman working for a citizens' advocacy organization called Open America[5](https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2020/08/karen-valentine-bio.html). The series was co-created by [Larry Gelbart](https://www.edgepedia.org/larry-gelbart) and Gene Reynolds, and its original opening titles parodied the film *Patton*; the network ultimately pushed for a softer, less issue-oriented tone, and the show was canceled at mid-season[5](https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2020/08/karen-valentine-bio.html) • [6](https://www.aol.com/articles/karen-valentine-78-shares-memories-110005000.html).
**Television movies and features.** The 1970s and 1980s were her busiest period on screen. Her TV-movie work included the title role in *Gidget Grows Up* (1969), a part previously played by [Sally Field](https://www.edgepedia.org/sally-field); *Coffee, Tea or Me?* (1973); *The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped* (1974); and *Muggable Mary, Street Cop* (1982), in which she played a New York decoy officer, a real-life story she described as a favorite departure from her comic image[5](https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2020/08/karen-valentine-bio.html) • [6](https://www.aol.com/articles/karen-valentine-78-shares-memories-110005000.html). Her feature films include two Disney releases, the western comedy *Hot Lead and Cold Feet* (1978) with [Don Knotts](https://www.edgepedia.org/don-knotts) and [Jim Dale](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-dale), and *The North Avenue Irregulars* (1979), a caper about churchwomen fighting organized crime[8](https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/30129/karen-valentine-room-222-fun-facts-things-didnt-know-where-now/1436077171/).
**Game shows and talk shows.** Valentine was a regular panelist on the daytime *Hollywood Squares*, trading quips with [Paul Lynde](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-lynde), George Gobel, and host [Peter Marshall](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-marshall), and she guest-hosted for [Johnny Carson](https://www.edgepedia.org/johnny-carson) on *The Tonight Show*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/bio/). She was also a regular on Dinah Shore's chat show *Dinah's Place*[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/karen_valentine).
## Stage work and later career
Valentine appeared in stage productions on and off Broadway and toured with national companies, and she took summer stock work in the off-seasons of her television career[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/bio/) • [6](https://www.aol.com/articles/karen-valentine-78-shares-memories-110005000.html). Her stage credits include *Romantic Comedy* on Broadway and on tour, *Breaking Legs* off-Broadway, and the Los Angeles run of *Steel Magnolias*[8](https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/30129/karen-valentine-room-222-fun-facts-things-didnt-know-where-now/1436077171/).
Her screen work tapered through the 1990s, with credits including *The Power Within* (1995) and guest appearances on series such as *[Cybill](https://www.edgepedia.org/cybill)* and *The Twilight Zone* (1985)[10](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/97429/karen-valentine). Her last credited acting role is the 2004 [Hallmark Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/hallmark-channel) movie *Wedding Daze*, with [John Larroquette](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-larroquette)[5](https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2020/08/karen-valentine-bio.html). She has since made occasional public appearances connected to her classic-television work, including a *Room 222* reunion panel at the Paley Center in 2010 and fan conventions[8](https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/30129/karen-valentine-room-222-fun-facts-things-didnt-know-where-now/1436077171/).
## References
1. [Karen Valentine – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/bio/)
2. [Karen Valentine – Full Credits, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884259/fullcredits)
3. [Karen Valentine – Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/karen-valentine)
4. [Karen Valentine – Golden Globes Awards Database](https://goldenglobes.com/person/karen-valentine/)
5. [Seven Things to Know About Karen Valentine, Classic Film and TV Café](https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2020/08/karen-valentine-bio.html)
6. [Karen Valentine, 78, Shares Memories of 'Room 222,' Her Emmy Win and Unexpected Rise to Fame, AOL/Parade](https://www.aol.com/articles/karen-valentine-78-shares-memories-110005000.html)
7. [Room 222, Television Academy Interviews (Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Television)](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/room-222)
8. ['Room 222' Star Karen Valentine is 78: Where Is the Actress Now?, Remind Magazine](https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/30129/karen-valentine-room-222-fun-facts-things-didnt-know-where-now/1436077171/)
9. [Karen Valentine Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/karen_valentine)
10. [Karen Valentine, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/97429/karen-valentine)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames U to We*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license