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Marlo Thomas Biography (1937-)

Full name, Margaret Julia Thomas; born November 21, 1937, in Detroit, MI; daughter of Danny (an actor and comedian) and Rose Marie (maiden name, Cassanti)Thomas; married Phil Donahue (a television talk-show host and author), May 22, 1980; stepchildren: five. Addresses: Agent: William Morris Agency,151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212; Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211.; Contact: Bayonne Entertainment, 3815 Hughes Ave., Culver City, CA 90232.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Actress, producer, writer

Birth Details

November 21, 1937

Detroit, Michigan, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Stella Barnes, The Joey Bishop Show, NBC, 1961-1962
• Ann Marie (title role), That Girl, ABC, 1966-1971
• Movies
• Voice of Anne Marie, That Girl in Wonderland, 1973
• Mary Bailey Hatch, It Happened One Christmas, ABC, 1977
• Title role, The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck (also known as Act of Passion), CBS, 1984
• Tess Lynd, Consenting Adult, ABC, 1985
• Marie Balter, Nobody's Child, CBS, 1986
• Lucille "Sis" Levin, Held Hostage: The Sis and Jerry Levin Story (also known as Forgotten: The Sis and Jerry Levin Story and Beirut), ABC, 1991
• Sharon Rodgers, Ultimate Betrayal (also known as The Rodgers Sisters Story), CBS, 1994
• Jessie Yates, Reunion, CBS, 1994
• Julie Portman, Two Against Time, CBS, 2001
• Specials
• The girl, Marlo Thomas in Acts of Love--and Other Comedies, ABC, 1973
• Host, Marlo Thomas and Friends in Free to Be ... You and Me (basedon Thomas's book of the same title), ABC, 1974
• A Tribute to "Mr. Television," Milton Berle, NBC, 1978
• Ideal mother, The Human Body: Facts for Girls, CBS, 1980
• Love, Sex ... and Marriage, ABC, 1983
• Host (USA), Free to Be ... A Family, ABC, 1988
• Night of One Hundred Stars III, NBC, 1990
• The Meaning of Life, CBS, 1991
• Host (segment--sitcoms dealing with serious issues), Funny Women of Television: A Museum of Television and Radio Tribute, NBC, 1991
• Host, A Step Apart, syndicated, 1992
• Donahue: The 25th Anniversary, NBC, 1992
• Free to Laugh: A Comedy and Music Special for Amnesty International, Lifetime, 1992
• The Barbara Walters Special, ABC, 1992
• Host, Great Television Moments: What We Watched, ABC, 1993
• TV Guide: 40th Anniversary Special, Fox, 1993
• Voice of Frances Perkins, A Century of Women (also known as A Family of Women), TBS, 1994
• Voiceover, Going, Going, Almost Gone! Animals in Danger, HBO, 1994
• Growing Up Funny, Lifetime, 1994
• Host, Classic Stand-Up Comedy of Television: A Museum of Television and Radio Special, NBC, 1996
• Interviewee, Danny Thomas: Make Room for Danny, Arts and Entertainment, 1996
• Voice, How Do You Spell God?, HBO, 1996
• 50 Years of Television: A Celebration of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Golden Anniversary, HBO, 1997
• Banned in America: The Stars Speak Out, MSNBC, 1997
• Alan Alda: More Than Mr. Nice Guy, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
• Loretta Young, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
• Voice, Kids are Punny (animated; also known as Rosie O'Donnell's Kids Are Punny), HBO, 1998
• Intimate Portrait: Gloria Steinman, Lifetime, 1998
• Behind the Laughs: The Untold Stories of Television's Favorite Comedies, Fox, 1998
• Intimate Portrait: Bella Abzug, Lifetime, 1999
• I Am Beautiful, Lifetime, 1999
• Intimate Portrait: Marlo Thomas, Lifetime, 2000
• Narrator, Intimate Portrait: Kathy Najimy, Lifetime, 2000
• That Girl, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
• Intimate Portrait: Lee Grant, Lifetime, 2001
• Host, Our Heroes, Ourselves, Lifetime, 2002
• Awards Presentations
• The 40th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1986
• The 39th Annual Emmy Awards, Fox, 1987
• The 41st Annual Emmy Awards, Fox, 1989
• Fifth Annual Better World Society Awards Dinner, TBS, 1990
• The 43rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Fox, 1991
• Presenter, The 9th Annual Television Academy Hall of Fame, The Disney Channel, 1993
• Presenter, The Walt Disney Company Presents the American Teacher Awards, The Disney Channel, 1993
• Presenter, 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1994
• Presenter, The 49th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1995
• Presenter, The 1996 Emmy Awards, ABC, 1996
• Episodic
• "The Hunger Strike," The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, CBS, 1960
• "Honor Bright," Zane Grey Theater (also known as Dick Powell'sZane Grey Theater), CBS, 1961
• "The Ordeal of Dr. Cordell," Thriller, NBC, 1961
• "Tigers Are for Jungles," Arrest and Trial, 1964
• Tai Lee, "A Pink Cloud Comes from Old Cathy," Bonanza, NBC, 1964
• Paula Clayfield, "Miss Jekyll and Hyde," My Favorite Martian, 1964
• Cynthia Prentice, "The Missing Link," McHale's Navy, ABC, 1964
• Carol, "Wendy's Anniversary for --?," Wendy and Me, 1964
• Louise Bissell, David's goddaughter, "Guests, Guests, Who Needs Guests?,"The Donna Reed Show, ABC, 1965
• "Three Li'l Lambs," Ben Casey, ABC, 1965
• Guest panelist, What's My Line?, 1965
• Guest host, The Hollywood Palace, 1967
• Tina Beige, "Satan, Darling," Roseanne, ABC, 1996
• Sandra Greene, Rachel's mother, "The One with the Lesbian Wedding," Friends, NBC, 1996
• Sandra Greene, Rachel's mother, "The One with the Two Parties," Friends, NBC, 1996
• Voice of Sophie, "Our Parents, Ourselves," Frasier, NBC, 1999
• Kimmy's mother, "Tis the Season," Ally McBeal, Fox, 2000
• Kimmy's mother, "Love on Holiday," Ally McBeal, Fox, 2000
• Herself, "That Girl," Tvography, 2001
• Herself, The View, ABC, 2002
• Sandra Greene, Rachel's mother, "The One with the Baby Shower," Friends, NBC, 2002
• Also appeared as herself in an episode of What's It All About, World?
• Television Executive Producer
• Series
• Wish You Were Here, CBS, 1990
• Also worked as executive producer, That Girl.
• Television Producer
• Movies
• (With Carole Hart) It Happened One Christmas, ABC, 1977
• Television Executive Producer
• Movies
• The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck, CBS, 1984
• Leap of Faith (also known as Question of Faith), CBS, 1988
• Taken Away (also known as Torn Apart and Give Me My Child), CBS, 1989
• Reunion, CBS, 1994
• Two against Time, CBS, 2001
• Specials
• Love, Sex ... and Marriage, ABC, 1983
• Free to Be ... a Family (based on Thomas's book of the same title), ABC, 1988
• Our Heroes, Ourselves, Lifetime, 2002
• Television Producer
• Specials
• (With Carole Hart) Marlo Thomas and Friends in Free to Be ... You andMe, ABC, 1974
• Television Executive Producer
• Pilots
• "Baby on Board," CBS Summer Playhouse, CBS, 1988
• Film Appearances
• (Uncredited) Female teacher, The Knack ... And How To Get It (alsoknown as The Knack), Lopert, 1965
• The Cricket of the Hearth, 1968
• Title role, Jenny (also known as And Jenny Makes Three), Cinerama, 1969
• Herself, The Dream Factory, 1975
• Sally Cramer, Thieves, Paramount, 1977
• Reva Prosky, In the Spirit, Castle Hill, 1991
• Blair, The Real Blonde, Paramount, 1997
• Linda Phaeffle, Starstruck (also known as Starf*cker), Showcase Entertainment, 1998
• (Uncredited) Margaret, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, Buena Vista, 1999
• Sheila Goldstein, Playing Mona Lisa, Buena Vista, 2000
• Stage Appearances
• (Broadway debut) Sally Cramer, Thieves, Broadhurst Theatre, 1974
• Herself, V.I.P. Night on Broadway, Shubert Theatre, New York City,1979
• Barbara Kahn, Social Security, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1986
• Ouisa, Six Degrees of Separation, Center Theatre Group, UCLA JamesA. Doolittle Theatre, Los Angeles, 1992-1993
• The Shadow Box, New York City, 1994
• The Vagina Monologues, Westside Theatre, New York City, 1999
• Jacqueline Susann, Paper Doll, Pittsburgh, PA, 2001, then Broadwayproduction, 2002
• The Guys, Flea Theatre, New York City, 2002-
• Also appeared in a London production of Barefoot in the Park; in Woman in Mind, Berkshire Theatre Festival; Who's Afraid of VirginiaWoolf?, Hartford Stage; Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, Cleveland Playhouse; toured U.S. cities in Six Degrees of Separation.
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• Free to Be ... You and Me, Arista, 1973
• Free to Be ... a Family, A&M, 1988
• WRITINGS
• Stage Plays
• Free to Be ... You and Me, produced at Greenwich Theatre, New YorkCity, 2002
• Books
• Co-author, author of introduction, and (with Carole Hart, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, and Mary Rodgers) editor, Free to Be ... You and Me, McGraw-Hill, 1974
• Editor, Free to Be ... a Family: A Book about All Kinds of Belonging, Bantam, 1987
• Author of foreword, Fathers' Wisdom: Thought on Life and Heritage,Triumph Books, 2000
• The Right Words at the Right Time, Atria Books, 2002

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

• Harper's Bazaar, October, 1980, p. 171
• Ladies Home Journal, November, 1980, p. 80; May, 1981, p. 138
• McCall's, March, 1986, p. 10
• New York Times, March 11, 1973
• People Weekly, April 15, 1996, p. 148; May 6, 1995, p. 242
• Publishers Weekly, April 1, 2002, p. 19; May 20, 2002, p. 20
• Time, March 9, 1998, p. 52