That Girl

1 9 6 6 – 1 9 7 1 (USA)
136 x 30 minute episodes

Marlo Thomas (the very beautiful wife of Phil Donahue and daughter of well-known comedian Danny Thomas), starred as Ann Marie (“Marie” is her surname), an aspiring actress who moves from her parents’ comfortable suburban home in the small town of Brewster, NY to the big smoke of New York City to try and make it.

High-spirited Ann – a “new independent woman” – moves into Apartment 4D at 344 West 78th Street and finds a boyfriend in Don Hollinger, an agent in George Lester and a drama coach in Jules Benedict.

While she waits impatiently for the world to discover her talent, she takes odd jobs (selling shoes & perfume and working at Macys and as a waitress), copes with parents who don’t understand her and rushes from one audition to the next while having the time of her life.

Most of the acting assignments she receives are truly ridiculous (eg: dressing up as a chicken to sell ‘Chicken Big’) and include a scenario where she opens her eyes while playing a corpse on a live TV show.

The character of Ann Marie was arguably the first true feminist on TV, single and independent. But while she is an adamant supporter and defender of women’s rights, she still expects men to behave like gentlemen in her presence.

Her boyfriend (later her fiancé) Don – a reporter for Newsview magazine – is constantly exasperated by the chaos and confusion which seems to follow Ann around.

Other characters who appeared in the show regularly were Ann’s mother and father, Lou and Helen Marie, Ann’s neighbours, Judy and Dr Leon Bessemer, Marcy, Donald’s parents Bert and Mildred Hollinger, Ann’s friends Marcy and Ruth and Jerry Bauman, and Seymour and Margie Schwimmer.

In recent times, Marlo Thomas featured as Rachel’s mother, Sandra Greene, in Friends

Ann Marie 
Marlo Thomas
Don Hollinger 
Ted Bessell
George Lester 
George Carlin
Jules Benedict 
Billy De Wolfe
Judy Bessimer 
Bonnie Scott
Dr Leon Bessimer 
Dabney Coleman
Lou Marie 
Lew Parker
Helen Marie 
Rosemary De Camp
Bert Hollinger 
Frank Faylen
Mildred Hollinger 
Mabel Albertson
Jerry Bauman 
Bernie Kopell
Ruth Bauman
Carolyn Daniels (1)
Alice Borden (2)
Marcy 
Reva Rose
Margie Peterson/Schwimmer
Ruth Buzzi
Seymour Schwimmer
Don Penny
Mr Brentano 
Frank Puglia
Mrs Brentano 
Renata Vanni
Sandy Stone
Morty Gunty
Harvey Peck
Ronnie Schell
Nino 
Gino Conforti

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