CLASS OF 1988
Martha Bohlsen whose cooking and homemakers shows aired over no fewer than four Omaha radio stations became a television fixture almost immediately after channel 6 signed on. Her kitchen set was adjacent to the set used by Johnny Carson.
By 1948 and her tenth anniversary of being on the air, the busy Bohlsen was not only on KOWH Wednesdays and Fridays, but also on KOIL Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, KBON Monday mornings, and WOW Saturday mornings.
Martha Bohlsen Bohlsen earned a degree in nutrition from the University of Chicago. She first brought her expertise in Home Economics to the public as “Prudence Penny”, a regular column in the Omaha Bee News, which the Omaha World-Herald purchased in 1937.
She joined the Nebraska Power Company (forerunner to the Omaha Public Power District) in 1938 as a home economist. The power company immediately placed her on radio beginning with “Martha Bohlsen’s Cupboard” on WOW.
She left OPPD for WOW radio and WOW-TV in 1949 pioneering home economics programming on television.
Her charm and wit were perfect for the medium. After her association with WOW-TV for many years, she began a long association with the Tidy House Corporation. Her show was soon put into syndication on radio and television, eventually running on 90 stations.
Martha Bohlsen won many awards over the years, including two McCall Awards, and was named the Advertising woman of the Year by the Omaha Advertising Club in 1959.
Martha Bohlsen passed away on March 9, 1984.
