Bridge between traditional sitcoms and the independent-woman wave of the 1970s.
Why it matters
Episode guide
136 episodes across 5 seasons — titles, air dates, and synopses.
At a glance
Ann Marie moves to New York to make it as an actress, keeps Donald as the almost-fiancé, and makes independence look like a weekly fashion editorial. Marlo Thomas headlined ABC's That Girl (1966–1971; 136 episodes), a single-woman sitcom that treated career dreams as plot, not punchline setup alone. Bill Persky and Sam Denoff's series made the city a character and Ann's apartment a manifesto. It wasn't radical politics; it was visible autonomy in a dress and a determination not to go home to daddy's script. Every later single-lady sitcom still shops in her closet.
Network & studio
- ABC — broadcast network
Why watch now
The stylish bridge between housewife sitcoms and Mary Tyler Moore independence — Thomas's charm with genuine career stakes. Essential 1960s gender-history television that also happens to sparkle.
Cultural impact
That Girl mainstreamed the single working woman as sitcom lead and made Marlo Thomas a symbol of aspirational independence. It softened the ground for 1970s workplace feminism on TV. The Ann Marie silhouette remains a pop-culture shorthand for swinging-sixties ambition.
Creators
Bill Persky · Sam Denoff
Key cast
- Marlo Thomas as Ann Marie
- Ted Bessell as Donald Hollinger
- Lew Parker as Lew Marie
Flash facts
- ABC sitcom aired 1966–1971 (5 seasons, 136 episodes).
- Starred Marlo Thomas as aspiring actress Ann Marie.
- Created by Bill Persky and Sam Denoff.
- Ted Bessell co-starred as boyfriend Donald Hollinger.
- Often cited as a key precursor to The Mary Tyler Moore Show's independent-woman wave.
FAQ
Who starred in That Girl?
Marlo Thomas as Ann Marie.
When did it air?
On ABC from 1966 to 1971.
What is the show about?
A young woman building an acting career and independent life in New York.
Why is it historically important?
It helped center a single career woman as a prime-time sitcom lead before the 1970s wave.
Official & further reading
External sites for further reading — TV Flash is not affiliated with these networks or studios.
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