Karen Valentine was born Karen Lynne Valentine on May 25, 1947, in Sebastopol, California. She grew up on a chicken farm and was crowned Miss Sonoma County in 1964. Her interest in acting began early, and she made her professional debut on The Ed Sullivan Show at the age of 16.

She later participated in the Miss Teenage America pageant, where her talent caught the eye of Ed Sullivan, who invited her to perform on his show. Her breakthrough came in 1969 when she landed the role of Alice Johnson, a young idealistic schoolteacher, in the ABC comedy drama series Room 222.

Her performance earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1970 and a Golden Globe Award nomination in 1971. The show ran until 1974 and became a significant part of her career.

In 1975, she starred in her own short-lived sitcom, Karen, but she continued to work in television and film throughout the 1970s and 1980s. She appeared in Disney films such as Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978) and The North Avenue Irregulars (1979).

Karen Valentine also made guest appearances on popular TV shows like Starsky & Hutch, Baretta, Cybill, and Murder, She Wrote. Her personal life includes two marriages. She was first married to Mac McLaughlin from 1969 to 1973, and later married Gary Lewis Verna in 19771.

She has always been dedicated to fitness and healthy living, often sharing her love for working out with her fans on social media. Throughout her career, Karen Valentine appeared in over 50 movies and TV series.

Some of her best-known works include Room 222, Gidget Grows Up (1969), The Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1972), Coffee, Tea or Me? (1973), and The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped (1974).

She retired from acting in 2004 and has since lived a peaceful life with her second husband in California.