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ABOUT
A beloved and landmark television series — and the first to spotlight a young female character taking charge of her life — “That Girl” premiered in 1966 to both critical acclaim for the show, and instant stardom for actress Marlo Thomas. Also serving as the show’s producer, Thomas set out to create a new and revolutionary role for prime time women, proving that they could be strong and independent -- and happily single. The gamble paid off: Over the course of five funny, adventurous and fashionably fabulous seasons, effervescent wannabe actress Ann Marie (Thomas) progressed from a naïve young girl who dreamt of becoming a star to a smart, confident woman who could stand up to her parents and become engaged to her boyfriend on her own terms, and never — ever — lost her sense of identity.
On September 8, 1966, when TV producer David Wolper hosted a party for the ABC brass to screen the first episode of “That Girl,” no one in the room — not co-creators Persky and Sam Denoff, nor producer-star Thomas herself — realized they were witnessing a seminal event, one that would forever change the way women on television were perceived. Before Mary Tyler Moore and Murphy Brown stormed the newsroom, and Carrie Bradshaw stormed the trenches of 21st century womanhood (in her Manolo Blahniks), Ann Marie stormed the streets of New York City as an aspiring actress with a mind and a dream of her own. Ann’s never-say-die resilience—and her hilarious adventures with her ever-smitten boyfriend Donald Hollinger (Ted Bessell) and her doting parents (Lew Parker and Rosemary DeCamp)—became wildly popular, earning Thomas a Golden Globe Award for her debut season, and four Emmy® nominations in subsequent years. With her hair in her trademark flip, and always dressed in trend-setting fashions from leading designers (clothes by Cardinalli, Halston, Courreges, Oscar de la Renta and others could legitimately be called the show’s co-stars), Thomas influenced millions of young girls, who not only wanted to look like Ann Marie — they wanted to be her.
“That Girl” was not just an American favorite throughout its five-season run, but its enduring popularity and social impact would leave a lasting impression on the way women would be depicted on TV for decades to come. As co-creator Persky once said, “Ann Marie opened the door and Mary Richards walked through.”
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