Here was Danny Thomas' advice to his daughter during her time on That Girl
While Marlo Thomas was considered a new face in Hollywood during the premiere of her 1966 series That Girl, she was raised by an old pro who had been acting for years before she got her start.
Many people loved her dad, Danny Thomas, who was known for his humor and for his series The Danny Thomas Show, which became a hit seemingly overnight.
However, when his daughter came onto the scene with her That Girl character, Ann Marie, her dad's die-hard fans weren't sure how to take it.
According to a 1966 interview with The Advocate-Messenger, Thomas said she was often asked about her dad. One of those big questions that every fan wanted the answer to: "What did my dad say when I told him I wanted to be an actress?"
"Just two things: One—work like hell; Two—careerwise, put your blinders on," Thomas said. "Don't worry about who is going ahead or who isn't. Travel at your own pace and run your own race."
Originally, Thomas' career path looked much different from her dad's. She wanted to be a teacher before she realized she couldn't live without the limelight of acting. After all, it was in her genes.
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She defied not only her original career path but also her father's wishes, who wanted her to forge a new path instead of following in his footsteps.
"When I began the pilot episode last August, he sent me a big gift box," Thomas said. "I thought it contained furs and opened it hurriedly. Inside were big horse blinders!"
According to the interview, That Girl was originally fittingly titled Miss Independence. Ann Marie was known for being driven, independent, confident and resourceful—all qualities that paralleled Thomas' life, especially growing up under Danny Thomas.
"Does the format parallel my life? Yes—and the lives of a lot of other young girls, period," Thomas said. "Girls today want to do things on their own. They are searching for themselves as many young men did years ago when they left home and came to the big city in search of happiness and careers."
Sometimes, Thomas said she resented being the daughter of Danny Thomas. As the daughter of a celebrity, many people believed she didn't deserve her role in That Girl. She was just "lucky" to have a dad in the industry.
However, she was willing to work hard to prove them all wrong. She even had dreams of starring alongside her dad in movies or TV.
"I would have adored dad doing the show," Thomas said. "But I couldn't afford him."
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