Here's why Ted Bessell of That Girl wanted to leave the series
There was a lot of pressure being the guy to That Girl on the hit 1966 series. Ted Bessell knew all about that pressure when he played the role of Donald Hollinger, the boyfriend of Marlo Thomas' character, Ann Marie.
Most actor would sell their soul for a co-starring role next to Danny Thomas' daughter, however, Bessell was trying to find any excuse to leave the series during the '60s. He was unhappy, and here's why.
According to a 1970 interview with Wisconsin State Journal, Bessell was well-educated and graduated from Georgetown University where he became involved in acting and directing. He was surrounded by his own creativity and began to find himself through art.
It wasn't until he started on That Girl did he realize that he found television to be inhibiting when it came to his creativity.
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"My trouble is that I don't believe any actor makes a statement of his own in his work," Bessell said. "A performer reading somebody else's words. The director tells you what to do. An actor can only interpret something created by someone else. In the final analysis he is not a creator."
Bessell wanted to create, but his role in That Girl didn't offer him the opportunity for growth, especially being paired with someone like Marlo Thomas. Although he had a large salary, no amount of money could sell him on the series.
"I'm not knocking acting," Bessell said. "I'm questioning if I am an actor or if i'll remain one. Maybe it's an excuse for fulfilling myself."
According to the interview, Bessell was in the process of writing a screenplay and had started experimenting with different parts of production. He was on the hunt for something that'd spark his interest and fulfill his need for creativity. He just knew That Girl was not it.
Despite not being a happy actor, Bessell said he still loved the series. That Girl was groundbreaking because it was one of the first series to feature empowerment of a female character, innovative storytelling, and the series had a supportive fan base.
"If the public didn't want to see our show it wouldn't be on air," Bessell said. "That's true of almost every series."
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