Marlo Thomas is an American actress, producer, author, and social activist best known for starring on the sitcom That Girl from 1966 to 1971.
She has won numerous awards, including four Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Thomas has published several best-selling books, including Free to Be… You and Me,.The Right Words at the Right Time and her 2009 memoir, Growing Up Laughing.
She serves as the National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which was founded by her father, Danny Thomas.
In her personal life, Thomas was in a long relationship with playwright Herb Gardner before marrying talk show host Phil Donahue in 1980.
She is the stepmother to Donahue’s four sons and daughter from his first marriage.
Thomas has continued acting throughout her career, with roles in films like In the Spirit and Ocean’s Eight, as well as TV shows such as Friends, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later.
Siblings
Marlo has two siblings. Tony Thomas is Marlo’s older brother and a television producer.
He has produced shows such as The Golden Girls, Empty Nest and Blossom.
Terre Thomas is Marlo’s younger sister. She is an actress and producer, known for her work on shows like That Girl and The Donna Reed Show.
Their parents were Danny Thomas and Rose Marie Mantell Thomas. Danny Thomas was a popular actor, singer and comedian best known for starring in the sitcom, Make Room for Daddy.
He was also the founder of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Rose Marie was Danny Thomas’ wife and the children’s mother. She was an actress and singer.
The Thomas siblings grew up in Beverly Hills, California.
Both Marlo and Terre followed in their father’s footsteps and pursued careers in entertainment, while Tony worked behind the scenes as a successful television producer.
Career
Thomas has had a long and successful career in the entertainment industry
She first gained fame starring in the hit sitcom That Girl from 1966 to 1971, for which she received four Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe award.
The show was groundbreaking for featuring an independent, career-oriented single woman as the lead character.
Also Read: Blake Griffin Siblings: Get to Know Taylor and Tayanna Griffin
After That Girl, Thomas produced and starred in the acclaimed children’s TV special Free to Be… You and Me in 1974, which celebrated diversity and open expression.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she continued acting, appearing in TV movies like Nobody’s Child for which she won an Emmy in 1986.
Thomas also had guest roles on shows such as Roseanne, Frasier and Law & Order: SVU.
In addition to her acting work, she has authored several best-selling books, including Free to Be… You and Me, The Right Words at the Right Time and her 2010 memoir, Growing Up Laughing.
Thomas has also been involved in philanthropic efforts, serving as the National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, founded by her father.
Throughout her career, she has been recognized with numerous honors, including four Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe, a Grammy, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Thomas has continued acting in films and TV shows into the 2010s, appearing in projects like Ocean’s 8 and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later.
Awards and accolades
Thomas has won 4 Primetime Emmy Awards, including for her performance in the TV movie Nobody’s Child in 1986.
She has been awarded a Golden Globe Award for Best TV Star – Female for her work on the sitcom, That Girl.
Thomas has also won a Grammy Award for her children’s album Marlo Thomas and Friends: Thanks & Giving All Year Long.
She has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.
In 1996, Thomas was awarded the Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of her excellence and innovation in television.
In 2014, President Barack Obama awarded Thomas the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
The Marlo Thomas Center for Global Education and Collaboration was opened as part of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 2014.
She has also received the Peabody Award, the Jefferson Award, and has been honored for her activism with awards like the Helen Caldicott Award for Nuclear Disarmament and the ACLU’s Thomas Paine Award.
Thomas has been recognized throughout her career for her groundbreaking work as an actress, producer, author and social activist, receiving accolades from the entertainment industry, government and nonprofit organizations.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874