Marlo Thomas was determined to prove critics wrong about her series, That Girl
Marlo Thomas, the daughter of Danny Thomas, was literally that girl when she played the role of Ann Marie in the 1965 series That Girl.
She spent most of her early career fending off comparisons to her father while trying to set herself apart as the rising star she was.
Danny Thomas was a mega-star between the 1950s and 1960s. He was known as a comedian and for The Danny Thomas Show which aired from 1953 to 1965.
According to a 1966 interview with Sunday News, Thomas said she had been constantly stuck in the shadows of her father's career.
The news that she landed the lead role in That Girl was met with many snickers, sneers, and a lot of skepticism. Most people believed she wouldn't have a chance at a starring role in any series without the help of her dad.
However, Thomas saw it differently. She knew she was capable and didn't need anyone's help to become a star for herself.
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"It's been terribly, terribly hard to prove that I want the job because I have some talent, not that I should have it because I'm Danny Thomas' daughter," Thomas said. "I don't want any special favors. I just want the same chance anybody else has."
Despite trying to distance herself from her dad's career, she shared a few key qualities with him that gave it away. For example, she used her humor to help propel herself forward in the entertainment industry.
"Like father, like daughter" couldn't have been more true for this daddy-daughter duo.
That Girl was praised for its fresh approach to portraying independent women on TV. It was one of the first series to feature a single, working woman as the main character, and no one seemed more qualified for the role than Thomas.
"I'm determined to prove I'm not trading on name or influence," Thomas said. "It's pushed me to work much, much harder. I know all about success in show business, how hard it is to get and to keep. I was never deceived by the facade of it. That's why I hesitated to get into it. I know what it involves and I want to commit myself."
Originally, Thomas went to the University of Southern California, where she majored in education and psychology. Her goal was to become a teacher because it was the furthest profession away from her dad's.
However, she realized she couldn't live without acting. After all, it was in the family.
"When I was out of college, I faced the fact that I didn't want to teach," Thomas said. "I wanted to be an actress. I think I knew it all the time, but I didn't want to accept it. My mother and father were opposed. My father always said he didn't raise me to be an actress. He raised me to be the Governer's wife."
Thomas said that even if she didn't become a big star, she knew That Girl would be a big hit. She was right.
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