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Raised
near Cape Cod in Massachusetts, Constance "Connie" Bohlin attended
Boston
University where she earned a Bachelor's Degree as a Research
Biologist.
Then, after one year, she returned to the school to earn a Master's
Degree
in Education. |
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starting her broadcasting career, Connie taught junior high school
classes.
She appeared on a similar childrens' TV program at a station in Albany,
NY prior to her move to the Washington area. |
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Miss
Connie was encouraged to audition for the Romper Room position by her
husband
who saw a newspaper ad stating "television teacher wanted". She was
selected
for the job from a pool of more than sixty-five applicants
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In
a 1965 Evening Star interview, Connie Bohlin spoke of her start
on Romper Room. "I was very young and unsophisticated with long hair
that
just hung straight. And I was so nervous during my first Romper Room
show
that I went through the entire program in half the allotted time. The
director
was frantic."
1961
ad courtesy norvapics.com
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Jack
Maier proudly notes; "I am a WTTG 'Romper
Room with Miss Connie' graduate from about 1961. I remember going
to the Raleigh Hotel, but sadly I no longer have any pictures or
memorabilia.
Until I was about 7, I had my 'Be A Do Bee, Don't Be A Don't Bee'
Diploma
on my wall. Wish I had it now." |
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Correspondent
Bill Todd attended Miss Connie's WTTG-TV
Romper
Room School from December 19th to December 30th 1966.
(Bill
is sitting, slightly turned, third from the left in this photo.)
The
above "Don't Bee" warns "Don't Be Toy Selfish". 'Though the
board
is blocked, "Do Bee" likely states "Do Bee Toy Sharing".
Click
Photo For Larger View
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Bill
Todd's older brother Rick (l.) and their dad George
(center)
watch the proceedings from behind the scenes.
Click
Photo For Larger View
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The
kids eat a nutritous snack in Bill Todd's final photo.
A stage
hand reportedly wasn't too pleased when
Bill
spilled milk on the dark-haired girl at his table.
Click
Photo For Larger View
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Sean
Hall contributes: "I was probably on the
WTTG
Romper Room show half a dozen times ...
(Miss
Connie taught me to dial a phone)."
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 Tom
Mechling recalls; "Miss Connie lived on
Sherwood
Hall Ln which runs between Ft. Hunt Rd & US 1, coming out at Gum
Springs,
an orig- inal land grant to George Washington’s African slaves. Stories
of horrible living conditions there were legion and perhaps apocryphal
as it was alleged that slaves still lived there in the early '50s (like
Japanese soldiers who didn't believe WWII was lost many years after
'45).
Connie’s brick rambler was right on the border. The kicker was the
black
mail box on the fence complete with Romper Room 'Jack-in-the-Box' decal
for all to see. As a 15 year-old walking to my job at Top’s Drive-Inn,
I took heart from that familiar icon before rounding the corner that
merged
into the ill-lit & mysterious streets of Gum Springs. ..." |
| . |
 After
WTTG dropped "Romper Room" in January of 1967, Connie Bohlin found
part-time
employment with a nursery school and with the Alexandria Recreation
Department.
She also continued her theatrical interests with the Little Theatre of
Alexandria where she had the lead role in a production of Irving
Berlin's musical "Call Me Madam", based on the life of Washington DC's
"hostess with the mostess", Perle Mesta.
A correspondent
named Lawrence adds: "I
recall my parents taking me to see Connie in a children's play at The
Warner
Theater when I was a child."
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Mrs.
Constance Anne Bohlin, 40, died suddenly on December 28th, 1972.
The
sad details of her passing were carried in these newspaper reports: Washington
Star-News, 12/29/1972 Washington
Post, 12/30/1972
Washington
Star-News, 12/30/1972 Washington
Post, 12/31/1972
The coroner's
findings were reported in the Washington
Post, 1/17/1973.
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Debra
Nickens discovered: "I was sad to see the
post on Miss Connie.... I did check the Social Security Death Index and
found 'Constance Bohlin; born 24 Jan 1932, died Dec 1972'. Such a
loss to the DC Community."
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Taking
delivery of one of the first Video Tape decks in DC, announcer Dick
Vaughn,
Miss
Connie Bohlin, Grandpa
(Lee
Reynolds),
Milt Grant, Santa (Norman Bernhart,
stage
hand) and newsman Matthew Warren stand in front of WTTG's Raleigh Hotel
studios.
A ribbon and bow indicate that the VTR is a special present to the staff
and
Station Manager John MacArdle. From the
Collection
of Lee
Reynolds
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