Bonnie Beecher

Bonnie Beecher
Born
Bonnie Jean Boettcher

(1941-04-25) April 25, 1941 (age 83)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Other namesJahanara Romney
Occupation(s)Activist, singer, actress
SpouseWavy Gravy
Children1
Romney with husband Wavy Gravy in 2013

Bonnie Jean Beecher[1] (née Boettcher),[2] later known as Jahanara Romney,[1] (born April 25, 1941)[2] is an American activist and retired actress.

About

Bonnie Jean Boettcher was born April 25, 1941, in Minneapolis, Minnesota,[1][2] to Art and Jean Boettcher.

She knew Bob Dylan during his early career, they dated briefly in college, and she may have been the inspiration for his song "Girl from the North Country". However, it may have been about his high school girlfriend, Echo Helstrom or another later girlfriend Suze Rotolo,[1][3] or no one person in particular. Beecher's singing is heard on Dylan's 1960 bootleg recording known as the "Minneapolis Party Tape", which was recorded while they were dating.[4] Some of Dylan's earliest recordings in 1961 were recorded at her Minneapolis home.[5]

She made her television debut in the 1964 episode, "Come Wander with Me", of The Twilight Zone.[6] She sang the song referenced in the title, which has since appeared in works such as The Brown Bunny and Baby Reindeer. Her short television career ended in 1968, finishing as Chekov's love interest in "Spectre of the Gun",[6] an October, 1968 episode of Star Trek, and closing out in a November episode of The Outsider.

Personal life

Beecher married Wavy Gravy (born Hugh Romney) on May 22, 1967.[7] She adopted the name Jahanara Romney shortly after marriage.[8] The couple have a son together, born in 1971 as Howdy Do-Good Gravy Tomahawk Truckstop Romney, who has since become known as Jordan Romney.[8]

She has worked as administrative director of Camp Winnarainbow since 1983. Her husband serves as director of the camp, which is located near Laytonville, Mendocino County in Northern California.[9]

Filmography

Filmography
Year Title Role Type Notes
1964 The Twilight Zone Mary Rachel Television Episode: "Come Wander With Me"[6]
1964 The Farmer's Daughter Television
1965 Mr. Novak Television
1965 Burke's Law Television
1965 Peyton Place Television
1966 The Donna Reed Show Television
1966 The Fugitive Television Episode: "Ill Wind"
1967 The Invaders Television
1967 Gunsmoke Anne Gilchrist Television Episode: "Nitro!" parts 1 & 2
1968 Cowboy in Africa Television
1968 Star Trek Sylvia Television Episode: "Spectre of the Gun"[6]
1968 The Outsider Episode: "The Twenty Thousand Dollar Carrot"

References

  1. ^ a b c d "'Love them or lose them' — Wavy Gravy's Sartell mother-in-law chose first". St. Cloud Times. Saint Cloud, Minnesota. August 13, 1989. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Rubin, Steven (2017). Twilight Zone Encyclopedia. Chicago Review Press. p. 85. ISBN 9781613738917. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
  3. ^ "The original 'Girl From the North Country,' Bob Dylan's high school sweetheart has died". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  4. ^ "My father recorded young Bob Dylan: How the historic "Minneapolis Party Tape" was made". Salon. 2019-05-08. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  5. ^ "Set Lists: May 1, 1961: The Home of Bonnie Beecher". BobDylan.com. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d Rubin, Steve (2018-04-25). "April 25 in Twilight Zone History: Happy Birthday to actress Bonnie Beecher and actor/director Paul Mazursky". SYFY WIRE. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  7. ^ "Hugh M Romney & Bonnie Beecher, California Marriage Index, 1960-1985". Family Search (Transcription of public record.). California Department of Health Services, Sacramento. 27 November 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  8. ^ a b Holden, Stephen (2010-12-07). "'Saint Misbehavin' - The Wavy Gravy Movie' - Review". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-01-02. In 1965, Mr. Romney married Bonnie Jean Beecher, who later became Jahanara Romney and has been his wife for 45 years. We meet his cheerful son, Howdy Do-Good Gravy Tomahawk Truckstop Romney, later changed to Jordan, who was born on the seat of a Greyhound bus.
  9. ^ "The Hippie Serving Peace and Breakfast". The New York Times. December 8, 2010. Retrieved July 22, 2015.


Stub icon

This article about an American actor is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.