It all started innocently enough.
The year was 1989 and I was just 12 years old. I had started really enjoying magical sitcoms – things like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie, which were my morning mainstays before school. Then along came a show called Free Spirit with a similar plot device. In this case, a young boy wished for some help or something and blammo! A good witch appeared – Winnie Goodwinn. (Is she good?)
The show didn’t last very long.
A number of years later, I noticed someone in a commercial and thought, “Huh – she looks familiar.” But I couldn’t place her! I remember banging my head against the wall to try to remember who she was. Who was she? I never found out.
Then I got into the show Inside Herman’s Head (later Herman’s Head) and… there she was! But who was she? I had forgotten, again.
Years and years and years passed and that same actress appeared in even more commercials. And each time I started thinking, “Huh – she looks famili… WAIT WHERE IS SHE FROM?!” It started to really bother me that I couldn’t remember. But there she was, selling Massengill or Swiffer or what-have-you. I started to hate her.
At my company Christmas party just last month one of my coworkers shared with me her story of a mystery actress, one from a Swiffer commercial. I couldn’t place her either but I did tell her about my mystery actress. Better still, my brain started jogging and I could remember that she was in some sitcom that probably had something to do with magic. I liked that stuff, still do (Charmed) and remembering that brought a whole new spin to this mystery actress. So now I knew she was in something… but what?!?
Thankfully while watching TV the other night I saw her yet again, this time in a commercial for Totino’s Pizza Rolls. (Also in my freezer!) For grins yesterday I Googled “totino’s pizza rolls actress.” And there it is. The first result held my answer, the person whose name I had forgotten for nearly 19 years: Corrine Bohrer.
Odds are good now that you see her, you recognize her too. She’s done a ton of commercials (here are some..) Her IMDb entry is rather long: Police Academy 4, Vice Versa, “St. Elsewhere”, “Friends”, and even “Will & Grace.”
My quest was over. Thanks to the Internet and Yahoo! Answers in particular, one of the long-standing mysteries in my life was solved. Amazing.
So, Ms. Bohrer, I just wanted to say after all these years: “You were great in Free Spirit!“
Posted in Television, Movies, and Music
jk January 17, 2008, 3:45 am
You will never believe this, but please DO! She is the step-daughter of my dad’s life-long co-worker. Yup.
I can’t believe she has her own Ping!!! My world is very small.
I notice her about once a year in a McDonald’s commercial or a failed sitcom with James Garner. Do you remember that?
jk April 6, 2008, 9:14 pm
Hey, she’s in a new commercial for Bounty!
Paul April 7, 2008, 1:15 am
I’ll definitely be on the lookout for that. And since you kinda know her, boy, an autographed picture (or at least pointing her to this Ping!) would be pretty great.
jk April 7, 2008, 1:18 am
Do you really want an autographed photo? I can arrange that.
You won’t even have to give me free pens.
Let me work on this, I will see my dad tomorrow and get things rolling.
Steve A April 7, 2008, 11:38 pm
Born in Camp Lejeune, NC, eh? Lemme guess. One of her parents was either in the Marines or, less likely but still plausible, Navy.
If so… salutes to *them* as well.
Ciao,
jk April 9, 2008, 12:22 am
I am not sure; I only met her mother once. Her mother is re-married to a man my dad worked with for 40+ years.
I am working on getting the autograph though! Dad says “Give me a little time.”
Paul, you’ll need to let me know where you want it to be sent.
jk April 16, 2008, 2:10 am
Just saw her in a Mac commercial!
2008 = year of Corinne’s comeback.
Paul April 16, 2008, 2:45 pm
That’s clearly due to the influence of the Ping.
Elisabeth April 30, 2008, 7:35 pm
Thanks for the info. I’ve liked her for years and finally decided to Google her!
jk July 31, 2008, 3:03 am
Ooooooh! Corinne alert: New Totino’s commercial.
I have not forgotten about your autograph request. Obviously however, my dad has forgotten. Let me remind him.
jk August 2, 2008, 2:29 am
The comeback continues, I just saw her in a commercial for Bounty! 2008 is clearly her year.
Jules August 5, 2008, 2:17 am
She’s my mystery actress as well. Thanks for being my google search result.
Nik August 22, 2008, 11:45 pm
Okay! I also just saw her in a Bounty commercial and couldn’t stand the mystery any longer. I have had a crush on her since the notorious witch sitcom (they were fools to cancel it) and, other than my beloved wife, she is the only other female that makes me do a double take. Then I typed a search on “actress, bounty, sitcom, witch” and ended up here (along with getting a Wikipedia lesson). So, now the question is… does Corinne Bohrer have a fan site?
Tina Johnston January 5, 2009, 11:53 pm
Dear Corinne,
This is a little odd for me, I have never contacted a movie star before, so I hope my “letter” makes it to you. I have been intending to write you for years, but time just got away.
Many years ago, when your family lived in Arlington, Texas, our families went to church together at First Presbyterian Church. I knew your younger brothers, Rick and Joe, very well. We were all in youth choir together. I actually accompanied Rick on the piano when he was in a band contest, probably in middle school. I knew who you were, having visited your house several times, but I was a few years younger, so didn’t hang in the same “crowd”. Let me just say, oh my gosh, you look exactly the same! And that was….. well, let’s don’t talk about that. You look amazing, exactly as I remember when you were in high school. I’d love to know your secret.
It was very exciting to see you on the big screen the first time back in the 80s, and I still get a thrill when I see your commercials. I especially liked the one you did a few months ago with Apple Computer. That seems like that would have been fun working with those crazy guys.
I would love to know how your family is doing. You all had a big impact on my life as an adolescent, and I was very blessed to know your family. Please say hello to Rick and Joe. I would love to hear from them too. I hope everyone is doing well.
Very best wishes,
Tina Moore Johnston
13933 Chaparral Lane
Roanoke, TX 76262
tjohnston.ncc@gmail.com
tjohnston@ems-isd.net
jk January 29, 2009, 4:06 am
Hey! She is in a new commercial for AT&T phones. I don’t think she speaks in it though.