Karen Valentine, the star of Room 222, recalls an ‘awful’ experience she had on The Dating Game

In her award-winning portrayal as a student turned teacher in the popular TV series Room 222, Karen Valentine recalls the difficult journey that brought her to this position.

She still clings to the show that launched her into popularity and ended nearly 50 years ago, despite her admission that the experience of appearing on The Dating Game was a “awful” one in which she lost all affection.

Celebrities including Suzanne Somers, Tom Selleck, Leif Garret, and Farrah Fawcett participated in The Dating Game before they were well-known. It was the first dating reality show and helped establish hundreds of similar ideas later on while also serving as a platform for up-and-coming performers.

One of those celebrities was Karen Valentine, who was requested to appear on Chuck Barris’ dating show after making an appearance on his TV series Dream Girl of 1967.

Karen Valentine, 1971. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)

Valentine, a former adolescent beauty queen, was granted the chance to speak with three suitable bachelors who were concealed behind a wall.

She acknowledged that she had expected the appearance to be “harmless fun,” but she said that her “choice” had made it a horrible experience.

That was terrible, because you know the guy assumed this would actually be a date? Valentine, now 76, told Closer Weekly that “the Dating Game got more serious later on, where people would be sent on trips.” “You know this is a first date, right? The guy thought we were going to make out in the limo, but all I got to do was go to the Ambassador Hotel to see a show.” It was really sultry. The prize I won was that you would go to dinner and then to a show, but the guy took this seriously. I desired to end the date. You know, “Who needs to go on a date? Save the money.” Permit me to perform in another show. Please give me a chance to act or something.

Leaving that sorrow behind, Valentine went on to star in the popular TV series Room 222 (1969–1974) before being cast in the film Gidget Grows Up (1969). The award-winning Lloyd Haynes (1934–1987) played a black high school teacher in the avant-garde TV series who attempted to instill tolerance in his students.

Wikipedia Commons / ABC Television

The show was created by James L Brooks–the brainchild behind The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Taxi, and films like As Good as it Gets and Terms of Endearment–and produced by Gene Reynolds, one of the developers and producers of M*A*S*H.

In 1970, Room 222 cleaned up at the Primetime Emmy Awards, earning titles for Outstanding New Series, while Valentine and Michael Constantine, also known for My Big Fat Greek Wedding in 2002, both won supporting roles.

“It was kind of mind-blowing to have that happen so soon, so quickly,” said Valentine of her first nomination and win. “And to meet Carol Burnett and her saying, ‘Well, congratulations for this.’ It was like, ‘Thank you.’ But that Carol Burnett would know me? Just incredible.”

The young starlet recalls being starstruck when she met another legendary actor.

“I remember I was taking singing lessons at the time, and I went to my singing class,” Valentine started. “Also taking lessons was Gregory Peck… When he walked by, I was at the teacher’s piano and he saw me through the window and kind of mimed, ‘You did it!’ I was like, ‘Oh my God. It’s Gregory Peck!’ How was it that I had the fortune to meet these stars and talented people from the get-go?”

According to Closer Weekly, critics were praising Room 222 but in the fourth season, ratings took a dive, and the show was canceled mid-season.

Wikipedia Commons / John Mathew Smith

“Why things changed, I have no idea,” Valentine said, recalling when the network told the cast the show was cut. “But they did have the wherewithal to give us the word that it was happening, and it was sad … well, it’s always sad, but especially when you feel you have a good product and a good show, for it to be taken away. But in the end, the network made the decision to go in a different direction. That’s what they always say, ‘We’ve decided to go in a different direction.’”

When Room 222 was cancelled, she starred in her own show Karen (1975), which was created by Reynolds, but due to low ratings, it was canceled after four months.

Describing the show’s premise as “controversial political stories that were a savvy, humoristic reflection of then-current headlines,” Valentine said, “The original opening titles were a take-off of the opening of the film ‘Patton.’ Instead of George C. Scott, you had me marching up to an American flag background. Really clever, but never aired.” She continued, “It was changed to me riding a bicycle around D.C. The network envisioned something softer, more romantic and personal, and not too complicated, as opposed to an issue-oriented drama/comedy in the political arena. I’d say it was ahead of its time.”

Valentine, a stage actor who’s also appeared in Broadway productions, kept her career alive as a semi- regular on The Hollywood Squares (1971 to 1977), and in episodes of TV shows like Murder She Wrote and The Love Boat.

Her last film was Wedding Daze (2004), where she co-starred with John Laroquette, that was broadcast on the Hallmark Channel.

Looking back on Room 222, that sprang success for her very early on, Valentine says she only has fond memories: “Working with all of those people, and to have that kind of experience first time out–the show just brings back the fondest and best memories in the world to me.” She adds, “…It also kind of spoiled me, because it set the bar really high. So when other things come to you, you think, ‘What is this?’ It was different, you know. But I was fortunate that I did get material that was pretty fun and well done.”

Karen Valentine attends the Chiller Theatre Expo at Sheraton Parsippany Hotel on October 26, 2013 in Parsippany, New Jersey. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)

If you’re a fan of Karen Valentine, what’s your favorite show or movie that she starred?

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