Marlo Thomas

Background

The oldest child of Rose Marie Cassaniti and comedian Danny Thomas, Margaret Marlo Thomas was born on November 21, 1937, in Detroit, Michigan, in the U.S. Her father had Lebanese ancestry, while her mother was of Italian descent. Tony Thomas, a producer, is her brother, and Terre Thomas is her sister. Thomas graduated with a teaching degree from the University of Southern California after attending Marymount High School. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio.

Thomas started her acting career early, appearing in several roles in different television series. Her first appearances were in parts on shows like Bonanza, My Favorite Martian, and Ben Casey. She made her big break in 1965 in the well-liked play “Barefoot in the Park. She performed the play in London and was chosen for more Broadway productions. She was hired for an A.B.C. pilot called Dramatic Actress. Additionally, she has contributed to off-Broadway productions such as The Vagina Monologues, The Guys, The Exonerated, and more. Thomas continued to be a regular on T.V., appearing in everything from dramas like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) to comedies like Friends (1994) and shows like Roseanne, Ally McBeal, Ugly Betty, and The New Normal, as well as recurring roles on Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later (2017).

Marlo met her husband when she appeared as a guest on Donahue, a daytime talk show, in 1977. According to reports, Marlo and host Phil Donahue hit it off immediately. They tied the knot in May 1980 and have been together since then. She took on the role of stepmother to Phil’s five children from a prior union.