5 Things You Never Knew About ‘Room 222’ Star Karen Valentine

Lauren Novak May 25, 7:00 am

Karen Valentine from Room 222 — Hamilton Millard/TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection

Karen Valentine turns 78 on May 25, 2025, and for many of us, she’ll always be the sweet, spunky teacher named Alice Johnson from Room 222. That role made her a household name, but there’s so much more to her story. From a beauty pageant crown to Disney comedies and a long list of made-for-TV movies, Valentine carved out a career full of humor and heart. In honor of her big day, here are five fun facts you might not know about the Emmy-winning actress:

1 Karen got her start as a “Dream Girl” on a Chuck Barris game show

THE GIRL WHO CAME GIFT-WRAPPED, Karen Valentine, 1974.

Everett Collection

Before landing any major acting roles, Valentine caught viewers’ attention as “The Resident Dream Girl” on The Dream Girl of 1967, a short-lived game show created by Chuck Barris. She replaced Beverly Adams and appeared alongside hosts Dick Stewart and Wink Martindale. Around the same time, she also showed up on Barris’s more famous series The Dating Game according to Newsner. These early appearances gave her national exposure and helped launch her acting career just a couple of years later.

2 Valentine won an Emmy for her breakout role on Room 222

ABC/Everett Collection

Valentine’s big break came when she was cast as the sweet, idealistic teacher Alice Johnson on the ABC series Room 222. Director Gene Reynolds was reportedly drawn to her natural charm when he saw her struggling during an audition and realized she had a gift for comedy. The show tackled serious issues through the lens of a progressive high school, and Valentine’s warm, down-to-earth performance stood out. She earned an Emmy Award in 1970 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe nomination in 1971.

3 She led her own sitcom and became a staple of made-for-TV movies

Tim Thimmes/TV Guide/Everett Collection

In 1975, Valentine was given the title role in her own sitcom, simply called Karen. The series didn’t last long, but it helped establish her as a leading lady. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she starred in numerous made-for-television films that showcased her versatility. Some highlights include The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped, Go West, Young Girl, Muggable Mary, Street Cop and Money on the Side.

4 Starred with Don Knotts and had some Disney fun in the late 1970s

HOT LEAD AND COLD FEET, from left: Jim Dale, Karen Valentine, 1978

Buena Vista/Everett Collection

Valentine charmed audiences in two family-friendly Disney films that showed off her lighter side. In Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978), she played opposite Don Knotts and Jim Dale in a comedic western full of slapstick antics. The following year, she appeared in The North Avenue Irregulars, a fun caper about church ladies battling organized crime.

5 She’s still performing and has a love for the stage

Actress Karen Valentine attends the PaleyFest: Rewind 2010 Presents "Room 222: A Look Back at Walt Whitman High" at The Paley Center for Media on June 16, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Although she gradually stepped back from screen roles, Valentine never stopped acting altogether. In 2004, she appeared with John Larroquette in the Hallmark Channel movie Wedding Daze, but most of her later work has been on stage. She has starred in productions like Romantic Comedy on Broadway and on tour, Breaking Legs Off-Broadway, and the Los Angeles run of Steel Magnolias. ReMIND recently chatted with her at Chiller Theater in October 2024 where she was delighted to talk with her fans and catch up with her old castmates.