Marlo Thomas never intended to marry until she met talk show host Phil Donahue, who was divorced with five children. The star spent the day enjoying it with her long-term husband, Phil Donahue, with whom she celebrated decades of marriage. On November 21, 2022, Marlo Thomas celebrated her birthday by turning 85! The show had a 29-year run on national television that began in Dayton, Ohio, in 1967 and ended in New York City in 1996. I went on his show, and that was the end of story, as they say, Thomas toldABC 7in June 2021. If one of you stays cool and calm while the other one has their fit, its bound to fizz out. They both have a round door. Thomas and Donahue married in 1980, three years after he interviewed her for his eponymous day-time talk show. As Thomas grew as an activist, she pledged to be her mothers wildest dreams and live a life devoted only to her needs and wants both in her career and personal life. This article was published more than2 years ago, For the first time ever, Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue, Americas favorite feminist couple, have embarked on a project together: a book called What Makes a Marriage Last: 40 Celebrated Couples Share With Us the Secrets to a Happy Life., The idea came about when actress and activist Thomas, 82, and talk show pioneer Donahue, 84, were mulling over how to celebrate their 40th anniversary. According to reports, the actress spent the special day with her husband. Through it all, Thomas has still found time for a loving and successful relationship with her long-time husband, Phil Donahue. A: Thomas: Its about constancy. That Girl was developed by writers Bill Persky and Sam Denoff, who had served as head writers on The Dick Van Dyke Show (with which Thomass father, Danny Thomas, was closely associated) earlier in the 1960s. The Sunday Morning thought being independent and single had become the stars brand. For his personal life, it is known that Donahue married actress Marlo Thomas in 1980, best known for being the star of the sitcom entitled "That Girl". Thomas even brought her reality to a sitcom she was starring in and producing, That Girl, where she played a single aspiring actress living in New York. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. in 1965. She explained how she felt a union of two whole people could work compared to one of one and a half. Marlo Thomas never intended to marry until she met talk show host Phil Donahue, who was divorced with five children. I fell in love." See Celebrity Couples Who Fell Madly in Love at First Sight The couple dated for two years and got married in May. In their book, the couple tells a funny story about how Marlos friends at her bridal shower hung up quotes from the soon-to-be bride that showed how she used to feel about marriage. When the house was full during school holidays, the place felt crowded for her because she had been accustomed to living alone for over four decades. They say that these problems taught them something and helped them become closer. Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue have been married since 1980. But real problems come when we complicate the simplest of things. That Girl helped pave the way for future TV Shows like, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Murphy Brown, and Ally McBeal, and New Girl. Phil Donahue became well-known because of his show, The Phil Donahue Show, which later became known as Donahue. It ran for 29 years and was the first show of its kind to let people in the audience take part. So she got a lot of towels but made it clear that the white ones were hers only. Write by: . Family (2) Trade Mark (3) His deep, smooth, authoritative voice. Thomas further added, "We often forget we're at our best when we're holding the hand and having the back of someone we care about." Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue have been married for 41 years and live in New York City. Don't doubt simple, don't underestimate simple. Margaret JuliaMarloThomas(born November 21, 1937) is an American actress, producer, author, and social activist best known for starring on the sitcomThat Girl(19661971) and her award-winningchildrens franchiseFree to Be You and Me. Their differences were significant, too. The long-term couple caught up with The Drew Barrymore Show on Thursday and dished on why they are so secretive of their relationship. Q: Jamie Lee Curtis said that something she learned from recovery is that if you stay on the bus, the scenery will change. Since the television host had already been married, he did not want to do it again, but one thing that also connected them was their Catholic upbringing. The actress continued explaining her reasoning: It seems like its only a place for one-and-a-half persons, you know, the person that has the dream and the other person who supports the dream. The Sunday Morning interviewer wanted to know where Marlo got the idea. Its about not running away at the sign of trouble. He supports her in every way possible. Thomas and Donahue first met in 1977 when Thomas was a guest on Donahue's show. The actress said, It was a very big thing for me to see that marriage could be a roomy enough place for my dream and his dream.. The host met Thomas in 1977 and asked her for dinner the first day they met. He was previously married to Marge Cooney. In an interview with AARP in 2012, Thomas talked about what it was like to help raise Phils kids. Well, there you have it, as simple it sounds, which is, in fact, is simple too unless we make it complicated. Donahue: Yeah. Instead, she became a friend of the four boys, and when she got to know them and vice versa, they trusted her and accepted her in their lives. Donahue is one of the most influential talk show hosts and has been called the king of daytime talk.Oprah Winfreyhas stated, If it werent for Phil Donahue, there would never have been an Oprah Show.In 1996, Donahue was ranked #42 onTV Guides 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time. He met his second wife, actress Marlo Thomas, when she was a. 2019 Creative Expansions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. RELATED: Drew Barrymore Says She And Her Mom Are Good Now, My dancing partner, he replied. In the book, Thomas is honest and says that this interaction planted a seed of doubt in her. His hugely popular show aired from 1967 to 1996 and won nine Daytime Emmys. Donahue: Your energy, your purpose, your commitment you keep on keeping on. Although Thomas initially went to school to become a teacher, she found a great passion for the arts, and it was clear that she had the talents to make her dreams come true. Q: What are you learning about each other during lockdown? He is an actor and producer, known for Body of War (2007), Donahue (1967) and The Bold and the Beautiful (1987). Afterward, Thomas became a stepmother to Donahue's five children from his first marriage. The couple was asked how they keep their romance alive, and Thomas said their main prerogative is to make time for one another. Donahue was nervous about his four teenage sons not getting along with his wife, and on the other side, Thomas had to adjust to living with five men after being alone all her life. What shes been through trying to keep that family up. Since both of them did not want to get married, the singer believed their relationship worked well because there was no pressure of chasing time. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Donahue: I have to admit that [usually] we have a lovely housekeeper thats been with us for 30 years, and we do not do the laundry ourselves. While she was given the name Margaret Julia at birth, her family typically called her Margo. When asked how she and Donahue they knew they were meant to be together, Thomas revealed they had broken up three months before they got married. Get inside his remarkable love story. -YouTube, THAT GIRL Starring Marlo Thomas (Season 2 | Episode 1) 1967, SCHAUMBURG | 5 Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg IL 60173 | 224.520.8489Hours: Mon-Thurs 10am-8pm Fri-Sat 10am-9pm Sun 12pm-6pm, VERNON HILLS | Hawthorn Mall 102 Hawthorn Center, Vernon Hills IL 60061 | 847.549.7550 Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-8pm Sun 11am-6pm. This wasnt the only time the happy couple teamed up. One night, Thomas got a call from Donahue, and he said, "I never thought anyone could be irreplaceable." They were married 12 weeks later. Her parents usually spent time apart because of her fathers busy schedule, but Thomas and her siblings also spent much time out of school to be with their family. Prior to their marriage, he was married to Margaret Cooney which lasted from 1958 to 1975, ending in divorce after they had five children. They tied the knot on 21 May 1980 and residing in Manhattan, USA. ACTRESS Marlo Thomas has been married to former daytime talk show host Phil Donahue for 40 years. Ive never had so many pictures taken of me as when I was dancing with Princess Diana.. See Her Beautiful Bikini Photos, Emma Hemming Shares Sweet Video of Bruce Willis Prior to FTD Diagnosis, Chris ODowd Reflects on Career, New Comedy and Filming Bridesmaids. They marry someone who puts them down or is abusive in some way or isnt really invested in making their dreams come true, she explains. Q: One of the conclusions you made in your book is that there is no one secret to a lasting marriage that there are a million secrets, and you must keep looking for them. As you can see clearly, he is one of the best we have, and we love him for all the things he did as the media personality. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, The couple eventually walked down the aisle in 1981, and Thomas had to live with five men after having lived with only two dogs. Eavesdrop as they visit the homes of famous long-marrieds for intimate conversations about enduring love and all its challenges: family, career, conflict, addiction, illness, jealousy everything that binds couples together or can break them . You cant just wait until somebody comes over. Advertisement American media personality Phil Donahue is famous for pioneering and hosting "The Phil Donahue Show," later known as "Donahue." We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first, When Marlo Thomas met her husband, Phil Donahue, in 1977, she didnt think anything of it. Made with Newspaper Theme. Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas talk about being married for 41 years, when they first met on Phil's talk show and love at first sight. Friends and family of Marlo were shocked by the actresss change of heart. A: Donahue: Well, this has been a fascinating experience for me because I get to watch Marlo all the time. The "That Girl" actress, 82, and talk show host,. The actress who never wanted to be married has now been married to Phil Donahue for over 42 years. She keeps saying that her relationship with them is better now than it was when they got married. Jancee Dunnis the author of How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids, among other books. Today's Anniversary Tomorrow's Anniversary Today's Birthdays Tomorrow's Birthday The That Girl star and her husband raised five children after the actress refused to be an evil fairy-tale-like stepmother. Donahue also reflected on his famous dance with Princess Diana. 24 episodes. "I went on Phil's television show, and that is how we met. ACTRESS Marlo Thomas has been married to former daytime talk show host Phil Donahue for 40 years. Donahue has five children with first wife Margaret Cooney: four sons, Michael, Kevin, Daniel and Jim, and daughter Mary Rose. Thomass aunt told him that the couples marriage wasnt really a marriage because they didnt live together full-time. The television host said he learned to listen because he knew his wife would always have something to say, which has taught him much about the societal issues he was unaware of. The union produced five of Phil Donahue's children. Luckily, Thomas appreciates spending time with her husband even if it means doing things only he loves. Donahue was also a devoted Catholic in his teens; he was even a choir boy, but the television host distanced himself from the church after he divorced Cooney. In their book, What Makes a Marriage Last: 40 Celebrated Couples Share with Us the Secrets to a Happy Life.. Thomas shared a beautiful memory of the early stages of her dating days with Donahue. And thats when we decided to break an ironclad rule of our marriage for the first time, ever and decided to work on a project together. Everything was a mess. Thomas had never been married or had kids, but their connection was instant, although the singer described their first date as awkward and their second one, fine., Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue in New York in 2020 | Source: Getty Images. Fortunately, with Donahue's constant reassurance, the couple married in 1980. Significantly, Marlo had kids when she married her spouse. Also Read: Nicole Curtis Wed write a book one that pulled together the personal stories of many devoted couples and uncover some of the mystery of marriage in a way that could be a source of information and inspiration for other couples, from newlyweds to long-married couples like us.. She confessed she was scared of marriage and thought it would change who she was. The couple tied the knots in 1980 and was the instant power couple. The pair hung in there despite the date setting them back to the starting stages of their relationship. Phil, was that fun? Barrymore asked. Although she is focused on her career, Ann also finds time to fall for magazine executive Donald Hollinger, to whom she eventually becomes engaged. You Might Like: Matt Keough Wife - Find Out About Late All-Star Picther's Married Life. Marlo Thomas married on May 21, 1980. I hope they make it. Many of us, who are more leaned towards political affairs, know Phil better as his shows often concentrated on issues with differences between liberals and conservatives in the United States. He said, Its not that we wanted a referee; we wanted an interpreter. We think we know what our mate is thinking all the time, but we really dont. On November 21, 2022, Marlo Thomas celebrated her birthday by turning 85! She even uses her platform for the betterment of others and has become increasingly popular for her work as a social activist. In 1980, at age 42, she wed talk show host Phil Donahue. They got married in 1980 and Thomas became stepmother to Donhue's five children from his previous relationship, according to PEOPLE. Photo Source: Daily Mail. It has since inspired countless daytime TV talk shows of a similar format. The two first met in 1977 when Thomas was a guest on Donahue's show. Our washer and dryer are stacked, and I didnt know which was which! All Rights Reserved. Are you inspired by Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahues long-lasting marriage? All interviews were published in Marlo and Phil's book, What Makes a Marriage Last: 40 Celebrated Couples Share With Us the Secrets to a Happy Life. Even though they talk about the usual ups and downs in their book about their long marriage, Donahue and Thomas are still together. It just sort of happened. The "That Girl" star and her husband raised five children after the actress refused to be an evil fairy-tale-like stepmother. While in attendance, they posed for a photo on a sandy wooden walkway.