Well-mannered kids who helped Baby Boom kids get ready for classroom learning. By 1962, Miss Sherri Finkbine (actually Mrs. Finkbine, but she was known as Miss) had been the teacher on Romper Room, filmed and syndicated out of Arizona, for nearly four years.
Courtesy photo | A signed portrait of Edna Anderson-Taylor was given to each child who appeared on the live television show, Romper Room. Anderson-Taylor played Miss Julie on the local version of Romper Room in the 1960s and 1970s.
Anderson-Taylor went on to become a community advocate and philanthropist. She has served on the board of the Assistance League of Salt Lake City and is a contributor to Head Start. "Romper Room" ended its 41-year run nationwide in 1994.
Utah's first "Romper Room" host was Miss Nancy, played by Jackie Nokes, followed by Miss Barbara, Barbara Weggeland. But for most of the show's run, it was Anderson-Taylor who appeared inside children's homes, not just in Utah, but also in Wyoming, Arizona, Idaho, even Alaska.
The former Nancy Goldman, who was born and raised in Northwest Baltimore, graduated from Park School in 1933. She earned her bachelor's degree from Goucher College in 1937 and married Mr. Claster two years later.
When asked last year by Oprah Winfrey if he had any regrets, actor Kelsey Grammer, star of the NBC sitcom "Frasier," quickly answered: "Miss Nancy never saw me in her magic mirror.". Brent Gunts, 80, pioneering Baltimore broadcaster and retired WBAL-TV general manager, said, " `Romper Room' was an outstanding success in ...
Miss Nancy remained host of the show until 1964, when she was succeeded by her daughter, Sally Bell, known as Miss Sally until she left the show in 1980. Locally, the show moved from WBAL to WJZ to WMAR, and by 1960, the show was in 91 cities across the nation with an estimated 5 million viewers.