Romper Room
Romper Room is an American children's television series that was franchised and syndicated from 1953 to 1994. The program targeted preschoolers, and was created and produced by Bert Claster and his presenter wife, Nancy, of Claster Television. The national version was presented by Nancy Terrell. Romper Room was also franchised internationally at various times in Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Finland, New Zealand and Australia.
Founding
American television franchises and syndications
Romper Room was a rare case of a series being both franchised and syndicated, so local affiliates—Los Angeles and New York being prime examples—could produce their own versions of the show instead of airing the national telecast. For some time, local shows all over the world used the same script but with local children; some affiliates, starting with KWEX-TV in San Antonio, translated the scripts into Spanish for local airings. Kids would be on waiting lists for years to be on the show. It was called "an actual kindergarten". Originally filmed in Baltimore from its inception in 1953, Romper Room eventually moved its broadcast facilities to Chicago and then moved back to Baltimore in 1981.Episode format
Each program opens with a greeting from the hostess and the Pledge of Allegiance in American broadcasts. The hostess and her group of children then embark on 30 or 60 minutes of games, exercises, songs, story-telling and moral lessons, which were regularly accompanied by background music. The hostess would ask, "Mr. Music, please!" or "We're ready, Mr. Music," to prompt the background music. The young cast, which ranged from four to five years old, was rotated every two months. Many of the hostesses had prior experience working with small children and many were former kindergarten teachers.Etiquette was a focus of Romper Room. The hostesses were always addressed as "Miss." The show also had a mascot, Mr. Do-Bee. Mr. Do-Bee was an oversized bumblebee who came to teach the children proper deportment. He was noted for always starting his sentence with "Do Bee," as in the imperative "Do be"; for example, "Do Bee good boys and girls for your parents!" There was also a "Mr. Don't Bee" to show children exactly what they should not do. Do-Bee balloons were made available for purchase to the public. Each balloon featured a painted sketch of Do-Bee. When the balloons were inflated and then released, they would fly around slowly and emit a buzzing sound.
The hostess would also serve milk and cookies to the children. Before eating, they would recite the Romper Room prayer: "God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen."
At the end of each broadcast, the hostess would look through a "magic mirror"—actually an open frame with a handle, the size, and shape of a hand mirror—and recite the rhyme, "Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me, do. Magic Mirror, tell me today, did all my friends have fun at play?" She would then name the children she saw in "television land," saying, for example, "I can see Kathleen and Owen and Julie and Jimmy and Kelly and Tommy and Bobby and Jennifer and Martin" and so forth. Children were encouraged to mail in their names, which would be read on the air.
The show used the then-popular Mattel Jack-in-the-box for its opening and closing titles, with its traditional nursery rhyme "Pop Goes the Weasel" as a theme song. Beginning in 1981, a new original theme song was used.
''Romper Room and Friends''
In 1981, the format of Romper Room was overhauled and re-titled Romper Room and Friends. One hundred syndicated versions were taped in Baltimore with Miss Molly as host. At that point they no longer used teachers. The biggest change to the program was the introduction of a series of new puppet characters, including a full costume character named Kimble, and puppets named Granny Cat and Up-Up. Kimble and Up-Up were performed by Bruce Edward Hall and Granny Cat by Molly McCloskey aka "Miss Molly". The three characters were developed by The Great Jones Studios in NYC. The new characters starred in a series of vignettes, somewhat similar to the "Neighborhood of Make-Believe" segments on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, and were meant to introduce or reinforce simple moral lessons. About 100 of these skits — each running three to five minutes — were produced for insertion into local Romper Room programs; the host would introduce each segment and comment after its conclusion.In addition, a new opening and closing credits sequence, and lyrical theme - "Romper Room and Friends", containing mostly nonsensical lyrics, but also naming the characters Up-Up, Do Bee, Granny Cat, and Kimble in the lyrics as well - were introduced, replacing the "Pop Goes the Weasel" theme that had been used.
Broadcast information
Nancy Cledenin Terrell was the national hostess in the 1960s and early 1970s, when Romper Room was seen on ABC-owned and operated stations throughout the United States in locales that did not have their own hostesses.While the show aired until 1994, it is unclear when production for the show ended. Some believe that production ended in 1981. Others say that the national version was last produced in 1991, but that local versions continued to be produced until 1994.
Localized versions - USA
Atlanta
Romper Room had aired on Atlanta stations since the 1950s but, in December 1976, it found nationwide exposure as part of the WTCG morning lineup when Ted Turner began broadcasting the station's signal nationally via satellite. Unlike the nationally syndicated version, the WTCG/WTBS version of Romper Room was locally produced.Baltimore- The Original Romper Room
It is popular belief that the first Romper Room hostess was Nancy Claster, who helped produce the show with her husband Bert under the Claster Television banner. Though "Miss Nancy" was the long-term host of the show, produced at the studios of WBAL-TV in Baltimore, Maryland, she was not the first. Jean Moseley hosted the show for the first few episodes in 1953. Then Nancy Claster took over until 1963, when she was replaced by her daughter Sally Bell. As "Miss Sally" she hosted the show, in Baltimore and the surrounding area, until 1980 when it was retitled. She remained working with her parents' television production company until 2000, when she retired; as of 2007, she was living in Pacific Palisades and married to TV and newspaper executive Alan J. Bell and has two children.Baton Rouge, Louisiana
's version of Romper Room was hosted by Miss Pat Evans and began on January 7, 1957. Local NBC and ABC affiliate WBRZ-TV aired the program from 10 AM - 11 AM until 1959. From 1959 until 1961, a replacement program airing on Saturdays called Kiddie Kottage took its place but was still hosted by Miss Pat. With the success of WAFB-TV's rival program Storyland, WBRZ reintroduced Romper Room on May 21, 1961 to compete against WAFB-TV's Storyland. Unable to compete, Romper Room was cancelled February 1962.Biloxi, Mississippi
has the unique distinction of having the only male Romper Room teacher in the entire existence of the show. Domenick Gitano was the only host for the run of the show, which only ran from March 1966 to May 1967. Gitano died under mysterious circumstances in December 1967; he was found in his apartment stabbed in the back, and slightly over one half of a pound of high-grade heroin was found in the adjoining bathroom.Boston
Miss Jean hosted the Boston area Romper Room for fourteen years. She was a graduate of Salem State College, in Salem, Massachusetts, where she majored in English and completed an education minor. A Swampscott native, she was a former high school teacher. Her husband at that time was WHDH news reporter Bill Harrington. The show aired with Miss Jean from 1958 to 1972. She was replaced in March 1972 by "Miss Louise".Chicago
Romper Room debuted on WGN in 1954, and ran until 1960. From 1961 to 1962, a nationally syndicated version aired. The local Romper Room returned a year later and ran from 1963 to 1975. Three of the Chicago hostesses were "Miss Rosemary" Rapp, "Miss Beverly" Marston-Braun and "Miss Elizabeth" Trench.Cleveland
hostess "Miss Barbara", born in Norwalk on February 13, 1930 hosted the local version of Romper Room on WEWS Channel 5 from 1958 until 1971. She was also a weather presenter on Channel 5 and appeared on Captain Penny. She was a survivor of breast cancer in 1978, and lung cancer in 1996. She resided in South Euclid and died on March 20, 2010, at the age of 80 from cancer and pneumonia-related complications. She was survived by husband Gordon and two children.Denver
"Miss Genie" hosted the Denver area Romper Room between 1962 and 1972 on KWGN-TV. Denver's Miss Genie deLuise was also the Romper Room hostess in Phoenix from fall of 1957 to March 1959.Detroit
"Miss Ardis" hosted the Detroit Romper Room on WWJ-TV, channel 4, from 1954 until late 1959. At that point, CKLW-TV, across the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario, picked up the rights to Romper Room, and began a version of the show hosted by Miss Flora.Duluth, Minnesota
Hostess "Miss Marge" Westerham hosted the local version of Romper Room on KDAL-TV, channel 10 in Duluth/Superior Minnesota/Wisconsin in the mid-1960s.Grand Rapids
"Miss Jean" hosted the Grand Rapids, Michigan Romper Room on WOOD-TV, channel 8, from 1955 to 1968.Honolulu
The Hawaiian version of Romper Room debuted in 1964 on KTRG with "Miss Robin". After the station canceled the program in 1966, the show and its host moved over to KHON where it ran until 1972, when KHON replaced it with Today. Mann later admitted that despite the success of Romper Room in Honolulu she felt that there wasn't any Hawaiian influence or culture being emphasized in the series during its run. In 1974, KHON bought Mann back for a series called Robin's Room, which incorporated the Hawaiian culture but kept the Romper Room elements and ran until 1976.Johnstown, Pennsylvania
A version of the program aired on WJAC-TV out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was originally hosted and taught by "Miss Jean," Jean A. Federici of Pittsburgh. A music education graduate of Indiana State Teacher's College in Indiana, Pennsylvania, she hosted the program from 1958 to 1961. "Miss Patti" Patti Hewitt was the hostess from October 1960 through December 1973. She was an elementary major and graduated from Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Miss Patti was replaced with "Miss Mary" Mary Parks until the end of its run about 1976. Mary remained with channel 6 for until 1990 as an anchor, reporter, and public affairs reporter. She left WJAC in 1990 to become Sister Mary of the Sisters of St Joseph.Kansas City
"Miss Virginia" hosted the Kansas City area Romper Room from 1954 to 1964 on KMBC. She died on November 7, 2016.Lafayette, Louisiana
A local version of Romper Room began airing March 1960 on KLFY shortly after WBRZ in Baton Rouge temporarily abandoned their Romper Room program. When WBRZ relaunched the program in 1961, KLFY's version went off the air. Around 1965, another iteration of Romper Room went on the air on KATC-TV airing at 9 AM. This version lasted until 1966.Lansing, Michigan
"Miss Nadine" hosted the Lansing Michigan area Romper Room in the early sixties on WJIM-TV.Lexington, Kentucky
A local version of the program in Lexington, Kentucky, was hosted by "Miss Roni," Roni Martin Scott, from 1974 until 1976 on WTVQ-TV.Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, Romper Room aired on KCOP-TV. There were only two hosts of the Los Angeles version of the series: "Miss Mary Ann" and "Miss Soco". The first host was Mary Ann King who hosted from 1966 to 1976. The second host of the program was Socorro Serrano, aka "Miss Soco", who hosted from 1977 until it ended in 1989 and was the first Latina of Mexican American heritage to host Romper Room. Hostess Mary Ann King, a resident of Hacienda Heights died on June 16, 2016, aged 82.Little Rock, Arkansas
Margaret Jones, who hosted the Little Rock show as "Miss Peggy" between 1963 and 1966, went on to sing and to play tabla and keyboards for a locally popular psychedelic rock band called Campbell's Lavender Circus. The sextet sold 2,000 copies statewide of their single, "I Have No Time for Time"/"Mr. N. Bourbaki's Multicoloured Jam."Madison, Wisconsin
Madison hostess Judy Fraser attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison and graduated with a B.A. in Speech Communications. She received an honorary scholarship and membership in the Phi Beta Honorary Society for outstanding academic work and the University's Outstanding Actress Award for her portrayal of Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. After college, Judy remained in Madison, working at a local television station as weathercaster, movie hostess, and Romper Room hostess "Miss Judy" for WMTV.Memphis, Tennessee
was the Memphis home for Romper Room, which ran from 1956 to 1970.Miami
The Miami, Florida hostess "Miss Iris" Maxwell from WCKT Channel 7 was formerly Miss Miami Beach 1953. She was also the author of the children's book Terri and Mike in Lollipop Land, named after her first two children, Michael and Theresa Martin, who had appeared on the show several times. She later married philanthropist and real estate developer Ben Tobin, with whom she had a daughter, Benita Tobin.Milwaukee
The Milwaukee version of Romper Room aired on WISN-TV, Channel 12.Minneapolis-St. Paul
The show aired on WTCN channel 11 and then on KMSP channel 9 hosted by Mary Betty Douglass among others.New Bedford, Massachusetts
This version aired on WTEV Channel 6 and featured "Miss Diane."New Orleans
Virginia Sherwood Carino, better known as "Miss Ginny", presided over the New Orleans version for almost a decade on WWL until her departure from the station in 1967. She later became one of the first female White House correspondents for ABC News, followed by a stint as a communications coach and consultant. Carino died of complications from Alzheimer's in 2012 at the age of 87. Local actress Linda Barnett Mintz took over the series following Carino's departure and remains an active TV and radio personality to this day.Linda Barnett Mintz, career began as a New Orleans' born child actress of radio and stage. She already possessed local celebrity upon being selected as the next Romper Room teacher for New Olreans. She appeared on the "Miss Muffin Show" with Terry Flettrich and "Let's Tell a Story, which was a collaborative effort between the National Council of Jewish Women, WDSU-TV, and the New Orleans Public Library.
Linda Mintz is well recognized for her voice-over work on many radio and television commercials. She is skillful, as a character actress in local theaters and national television movies. She has performed on every stage in New Orleans, as a mistress of ceremonies, songstress, lead in musical theatre and drama. She is best known for her portrayal as Amanda Wingfield, in Tennessee Williams' "Glass Menagerie," and Desiree in Stephen Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler's "A Little NIght Music.”
Her loyal work with PBS has been a constant. She wrote and produced "Dark Secrets" about Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, as well as, a nationally distributed poetry series called “The Passionate Poet.” Mrs. Mintz released a grammy nominated CD for spoken word, a romantic poetry collection called "Soft Words, Warm Nights." Mrs. Mintz is well regarded for her many theatrical performances of "Love Letters" with the late Hollywood actor, Ed Nelson. She always enjoyed her overbooked and colorful cabaret concerts at Chat Noir. She graduated with a BA and MA in theatre from Tulane University. She is a loyal board member of Tulane's Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University.
Linda Mintz was married to Albert Mintz, a prominent New Orleans corporate attorney for 60 years. She has two adult children and two adult grandchildren. She has been honored with numerous civic awards and has been a board member for several charitable and artistic nonprofit organizations.
Miss Linda is still an active participant in the New Orleans' community and continues to appear on television and radio. Although a studied actress, singer, and poet—with heart, depth and range—she remains the beloved last Miss Linda of New Orleans.
New York City
In New York City, the first hostess was "Miss Gloria" Flood on WABC-TV for the years 1955–57. "Miss Joan" Thayer became the new hostess when it moved to WNEW-TV in 1957. Thayer made personal appearances throughout New York City. Her appearance at Freedomland U.S.A. in The Bronx is documented in the book, Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History. "Miss Louise" Redfield took over hosting duties at the same time the program moved over to WOR-TV in 1966. "Miss Louise" was followed by "Miss Mary Ann" Pedersen, who began filling in for Louise in the early 1970s. After Louise Redfield left in 1975, Mary Ann Pederson took over the show until 1981.In 1981, the station took the Baltimore-based Romper Room and Friends offered in syndication by Claster Television with new host "Miss Molly" McCloskey, which gave the program nationwide carriage even in markets where it was not available on a broadcast station, as a result of WOR's superstation feed. Miss Molly gained a great deal of popularity with viewers and is still fondly remembered today. Children who were on the show for a week were on a waiting list for three to four years.
From 1966 to 1971, WOR aired Romper Room during the 11 AM hour, then moved it back to 10 AM, where it would remain for most of the next 14 years. The station briefly moved it back to 9 AM in the fall of 1981, but returned it to 10 AM a month later, due to complaints that it was interfering with the airing of PBS's Sesame Street. The show was aired "live" until 1985, at which time it was also pushed back to 8:30 AM. In the fall of 1987, after WOR-TV was sold and renamed WWOR, Romper Room was reduced to 30 minutes and moved to 6 AM, and production in the New York area was discontinued a year later. While many local versions ended in the late 1980s and early 1990s, nationally syndicated episodes of Romper Room and Friends with "Miss Molly" stopped airing in 1994.
Oakland/San Francisco
Miss Nancy Besst hosted the San Francisco version on KTVU from 1958 to 1969. "Miss Mary Ann" Parks hosted from 1969 to 1979; "Miss Teresa" followed until 1981.From 1981 to 1987, the San Francisco Bay Area featured another version of Romper Room, which was televised live from Oakland on local station KTVU. This version featured "Ms. Nancy", whose real name was Ruby Unger, a Mill Valley resident. There were several other local producer / teachers during the life of the show, which began in Baltimore, MD, in 1954.
"Miss Sharon" Jeffery was the last Romper Room Teacher in Northern California. A fourth grade teacher at the time, she was hired and trained by Sally Claster Bell in Pacific Palisades, California. Miss Sharon was the only African-American hostess and was featured on Romper Room from 1987 to 1992, which was filmed at KTVU in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was the final teacher on the last Romper Room in the US.
Philadelphia
An early Romper Room hostess was Claire Coleman, who was the original "Miss Claire" on WFIL from 1954 until 1956. During this time, she shared an office with Dick Clark from American Bandstand. Claire Coleman was married to former U.S. Senator Richard Schweiker.Another Philadelphia-based "Romper Room" hostess was Connie Roussin Spann.
Pittsburgh
Jan Ballard Bohna was the first "teacher" in 1958 on WIIC-TV until the program moved to WTAE in 1960, where she was replaced by "Miss Janey" Vance Braham for 10 years until her sudden death in 1969. Bohna, who had filled in as a substitute host for Braham during the 1960s run on WTAE, took over as host until the local version ended in 1976. WTAE also carried the national version on Saturday mornings in its later years.Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, the show was hosted by Bertita Novoa and later, by Sandra Zaiter.Quad Cities, Iowa/Illinois
hostess "Miss Peggy" Wittke and "Miss Jean" Engman hosted the local version of Romper Room on WQAD-TV from the Mid 60s and into the '80s.Rochester
In Rochester, New York, where the show was carried on the newly founded WOKR, now WHAM-TV, it was hosted from 1962 to 1967 by Rita Barton who was known as "Miss Rita," later founded an innovative child-care facility and continued her work for over 50 years after her debut on the program. Barton died in August 2016 at the age of 81. The role was later taken on by "Miss Karen" for a later portion of the program's run in the 1960s and early 1970s.Salt Lake City, Utah
"Miss Julie" of KSL-TV's Romper Room was played by Edna Anderson-Taylor from 1964 through 1981. Some 6,100 children appeared on the program, and Anderson-Taylor was quoted saying that the program gives "a big boost to a child's self-esteem".Savannah, Georgia
In the early years, Miss Margaret was the host followed by Miss Nancy. Miss Kay Lisicia hosted the Savannah version on WTOC during the early 1970s.Seattle/Tacoma, Washington
The initial host in the late 1950s and mid-1960s was Miss Elaine Schafer, a native of Decatur, Illinois who moved to the Pacific Northwest in the fall of 1958. Starting on Monday, June 28, 1965, Shafer retired and was replaced by was Miss Margaret, who was played by Margaret L. Lloyd, a former kindergarten teacher. The show aired on KSTW Channel 11, from Tacoma. She hosted the show from mid-1965 into the 1970s.St. Louis, Missouri
Miss Joan hosted the St. Louis version on KTVI from 1957–1962. She was replaced by Miss Lois, who hosted during the 1960s and early 1970s.Washington, D.C.
Constance Anne Bohlin, born January 24, 1932, Massachusetts hosted the D.C. version on WTTG Channel 5 from 1957 to 1967, as "Miss Connie", she died on December 28, 1972, at her home in Gum Springs, Fairfax County, Virginia, aged 40, the coroner concluded she died from alcohol poisoning.Wichita, Kansas
Miss Barbara Balay was one of the first hosts of Romper Room on KAKE. She later married one of the first producers on the morning show, David Carl Dunn. He later wrote a book about their relationship, both on and off the air, called ".""Miss Marti" Watson Garlett was the final host of Romper Room on KAKE from 1977 to 1986, when KAKE canceled the show a few years after the FCC ceased requiring educational programs for children on commercial television. Garlett holds a Ph.D., and as a former classroom teacher was one of the few nationwide hosts who came from a child development background. She went on to create online teacher-preparation programs at Western Governors University, Walden University, and Kendall College, the latter in early childhood education. While she was hosting Romper Room, she was also a full-time professor of elementary teacher education at Friends University in Wichita. She lovingly called Romper Room her "moonlight job," and thought aloud that she should have paid for the privilege of being Miss Marti.
Controversy
Two controversial events were connected with Romper Room:Miss Sherri
In 1962, the hostess of the Phoenix franchise of Romper Room linked her own name with that of the ongoing controversies over abortion. Sherri Chessen, known to television viewers as "Miss Sherri," sought hospital approval for abortion on the ground that she had been taking thalidomide and believed her child would be born deformed. Chessen made a public announcement about the dangers of thalidomide, and the hospital refused to allow an abortion, apparently because of her announcement and its own fear of publicity. Chessen traveled to Sweden for the abortion. Upon completion, it was confirmed that the fetus had no legs and only one arm. The incident became a made-for-TV movie in 1992, A Private Matter, with Sissy Spacek as Chessen.Action For Children's Television
After the children's television watchdog group Action for Children's Television was organized in 1968, the group's first target was Boston's version of Romper Room at WHDH-TV, which at the time focused on the promotion of its branded line of toys to its viewers. Threatened with referral to the Federal Communications Commission, WHDH scaled back the host's role in pitching the program's products.Through the 1980s, Hasbro sold branded Romper Room toys and products, but since ACT's intervention, ads and promotions for the items were not seen in the Romper Room program.
International
The Romper Room format was expanded into other countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, and the United Kingdom.'''Argentina'''
Jardilín, a local version was produced and aired by Canal 13-Buenos Aires in 1966 and 1967, monday through friday 11:00 am. Señorita Cristina was the hostesses.Australia
Several stations in Australia aired their own versions of Romper Room, most notably the Seven Network and regional station NBN-3 Newcastle.The hostesses of the national edition were Miss Susan, Miss Patricia, Miss Colleen, Miss Helena, Miss Nancy, and Miss Megan. This version of Romper Room was axed in 1988 as the children's show Fat Cat and Friends replaced it.
The NBN edition continued after the station became an affiliate of the Nine Network, with a new title, Big Dog and Friends, in 1997 the title referring to the station's mascot Big Dog, who appeared in the show as the sidekick of the hostess, Miss Kim. This was renamed due to NBN's rights with Claster Television for using the "Romper Room" name, songs and characters expiring in the end of 1996. This, the last version of Romper Room to survive on Australian television, was eventually cancelled in 1999 after Kim Anthony decided to retire from hosting the show.
Other stations known to have produced their own versions of Romper Room are SAS-10 Adelaide, which ran from 1965 to 1974, and ATV-0 Melbourne.
MTN9 Griffith, NSW, also ran a live version with Anna Pistillo between 1967 - 1968.
Anna was trained in Sydney by Miss Pat, produced and presented the programme locally with the support of station Manager, Norm Murphy.
Unfortunately, all archival footage has since been destroyed but 8mm behind the scenes footage does exist.
It is rumored Miss Anne was the progeny for the naming of Humphrey the Bear.
Canada
In Canada, the first station to start airing the locally produced version of Romper Room was CKLW-TV in Windsor, Ontario, which at the time was serving the Detroit, Michigan television market, in 1960, with Miss Flora, Flora Asselstine. Besides Windsor, CJCH-TV in Halifax, Nova Scotia also produced a local version during the 1960s, which was hosted by "Miss Jo-Anne". This version later moved to CHSJ-TV in Saint John, New Brunswick during the 1970s. Other local versions were produced at CFPL-TV in London, Ontario CHCH-TV in Hamilton, Ontario, CHBC-TV in Kelowna, BC, hosted by "Miss Betty", CJAY-TV in Winnipeg, CKVR-TV in Barrie, Ontario hosted by "Miss Lois", CKSO-TV in Sudbury, Ontario hosted by "Miss Pat", CHEX-TV in Peterborough, Ontario hosted by "Miss Kelly" and CFCF-TV in Montreal. In Newfoundland and Labrador, a local version was produced on CJON-TV in St. John's, and there was another local version produced in Grand Falls-Windsor. The version in Toronto aired on CFTO-TV.CKCO-TV in Kitchener, Ontario also had a local version, starting in 1963. In 1972 this version became nationwide running until 1992 on CTV and was hosted by "Miss Fran", "Miss Jean", "Miss Cathie" and "Miss Betty". The Canadian version of the program used the same opening credits and "Pop Goes the Weasel" theme as the US version, the Jack-in-the-box logo, and other elements such as the Do-Bee character and the Magic Mirror. When the US franchise changed the title to Romper Room and Friends, the Canadian series followed suit. When the Canadian version ended production in 1992, it was the last version in production anywhere.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, there was a local version called Siusiu Lokyuen, which aired from the late 1960s to the early 1970s on Asia Television's Chinese channel. It was hosted by Miss Chiu Suk-ching but she would be known as "Sister Chiu". Elements such as "Pop Goes the Weasel" theme, the Jack-in-the-box logo, the Do-Bee character and the Magic Mirror are the same as other versions.Japan
In Japan, there was a localised version called Ronpārūmu, which aired from 1963 to 1979 on NTV. Just before this show debuted, the first Japanese hostess, Midori Namiki, visited New York for training with other hostesses from several countries.Hostesses of the Japanese version were always named Miss Midori, with the common Japanese given name, "", meaning "green".
The Japanese version had a controversial episode, when hostess Midori Utsumi asked the kids, "Who can tell me a word that begins with ki?". A boy answered: "I know: Kintama!"—a slang term for "testicles" that is roughly equivalent to "balls" or "nuts" in English. Hoping to give the boy a gentle little hint, Miss Midori suggested: "Maybe you could think of something that sounds a bit more kireina?", which means "nice" or "pretty". The boy immediately responded, "Kireina kintama!"—i.e., "Nice nuts!". After a commercial break, the boy was replaced with a teddy bear. Midori Utsumi, who has since become a major media personality, sometimes tells this story during television appearances.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, a local version of Romper Room aired on South Pacific Television from 1975 until 1980, when the channel became part of Television New Zealand. Among the presenters were Miss Yvonne, the wife of Mike Moore who served briefly as prime minister in 1990.Paraguay
Only one attempt was made to export the program to a South American market, in 1988. The first host was Alicia Gomez-Trauchtenberg, who was fired after nine days when it was found out that she had been a member of a secret Ascuncion chapter of a pro-Nazi group. After a tenth day featuring an accordion player who played thirty minutes of spirituals on an accordion, a replacement was found - Juana Corazon. She was fired after seven days after it was discovered that she had acted in at least two pornographic films. Romper Room was promptly canceled, and no other attempts were made to further the series in Ascuncion or any other South American market.United Kingdom
The United Kingdom had several versions of Romper Room.Anglia Television produced a version for broadcast in the East Anglia region of England from 1964 to 1976, hosted by "Miss Rosalyn".
In Northern Ireland, local ITV company UTV created a local production in the late 1960s and early 1970s, hosted by "Miss Adrienne", and then "Miss Helen", and Rose Neill as "Miss Rose".
Around the same time, Grampian Television in northern Scotland produced a version hosted by "Miss Lesley" and "Miss Rose Neill".