Did Marlo Thomas never quite live up to her potential in Hollywood

[TMC]

I mean, despite having a hit television series in late 1960s and powerful industry connections, she arguably could never seal the deal. And after a few sputtering attempts to reignite her career, she married a popular talk show host (Phil Donahue) and virtually disappeared beyond a lawsuit by a former employee, and commercials for her father's favorite charity.

[MichaelKeith]

I think she did pretty well for herself. In addition to her show she was a model and was probably independently wealthy because of her father and her own earnings so she may have voluntarily decided to carry a lower profile.

[Willbo]

I agree with TMC. She is heavily involved with St. Jude now and has been for quite sometime. I have always really liked and admired Marlo Thomas.

[Hazel Anyday]

She was a marvelous comedic actress but she chose to ignore her abilities in that area after That Girl and decided she was a serious actress not to mention an advocate for far out lib causes. Too bad, I liked her on That Girl, she was very funny, she should have stuck to her specialty.

[GentlemanJim]

Originally Posted by Hazel Anyday

She was a marvelous comedic actress but she chose to ignore her abilities in that area after That Girl and decided she was a serious actress not to mention an advocate for far out lib causes. Too bad, I liked her on That Girl, she was very funny, she should have stuck to her specialty.

I think you hit the nail on the head. I read somewhere that the producers wanted Ann and Donald to marry in the series finale, but Thomas refused because she was hesitant to send the message that a woman needed to be married to find happiness.

She obviously had an axe to grind with conventionalism.

Bra burning would not enter mainstream humor until years later when Amanda Bearse nailed the role of Marcy Rhodes, so Marlo IMO did the next best thing by marrying Phil Donahue.

[D-Dey]

A lot of sitcom starlets of the 1960's were getting into serious "made for TV movie of the week" roles, not just Marlo. But even she took the occasionally comedic role from time to time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hKKdpCkxjA

[Schmo]

Who remembers “It Happened One Christmas” - Marlo’s 1970s remake of “It’s A Wonderful Life”?

[RetroTVNitekatt]

People forget her only Acting Emmy award was for a DRAMATIC Role! (Nobody's Child in 1986) She was nominated 4 out of the 5 years (1969 being the only year) for THAT GIRL and didn't win. (Her other two major Emmy awards were for Best Children's program for both "Free to Be..." Specials)

Besides acting, she did partner in one or two production companies BESIDES "Daisy" which produced TV Movies and Pilots (and one short lived series) that SHE didn't appear in, so I think she did ok for herself. Plus she did a bit of stage work both before and after THAT GIRL.

However, she did say in her 2003 Television Academy Archive interview (It's up on YouTube) is she regretted not being in the film version of BAREFOOT IN THE PARK (She had just started work on THAT GIRL when the film was in pre-production), which she had played the part of Corrie (The role played by Jane Fonda in the film) in the London West End Stage production for several months the year prior to THAT GIRL (and she actually auditioned and was offered the role in the first U.S. national touring company a year before that, but turned it down because she was still dealing with being in her father's shadow. However, she was offered the part of the London production without an audition!)