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That Book about That Girl: The Unofficial Companion
Before there was Ally McBeal there was That Girl. Before there was Murphy Brown there was That Girl. Before there was The Mary Tyler Moore Show there was That Girl. Starring Marlo Thomas, That Girl (1966-71) was the first TV sitcom to focus on a young, single, assured female. That heroine--an aspiring New York actress--valued self-worth and career more than getting married, which was quite heady for pre-women's lib America. Featuring firsthand interviews with Thomas, the show's creators, other series regulars, and behind-the-scenes players, The Book about That Girl takes a revealing look at the seminal 1960s series that revolutionized female roles on television. That information in That Book about That pre-That Girl TV roles for women the important men in Thomas's life--her father, the legendary comedian Danny Thomas, her husband, talk-show maven Phil Donahue and her costar, Ted Bessell the character who said "that girl" in every episode a season-by-season episode guide, plus tons of intriguing That Girl trivia
- GenresTvNonfictionHistory
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 9, 2022
This is insane! There are collectively more mentions of executives and production members in this book than of...That Girl?!
(cue the theme song to That Girl)
I am a huge fan of That Girl and had just finished watching every episode of the show before wanting to get my next fix of That Girl media. In the literary realm, there are not many options from which to choose. The first book I read on That Girl was the eponymous novel that felt more like a gothic mystery with Ann Marie shoehorned in at the last minute to make it more marketable than anything remotely having to do with our favorite spunky city girl. Nonetheless, it was an interesting read, if extremely light on authentic That Girl material. Then I read That Book About That Girl, the only other That Girl book I could find barring any of Marlo Thomas' memoirs which may or may not talk about her time as the lead on the show. With so few options of books to choose from, I was hoping that this book would knock it out of the park and act as the be-all end-all of That Girl literature. Unfortunately, the experience was a bit lacking.
As an unofficial and unlicensed compendium to the fabled '60s TV series, I did not expect it to have much in the way of unique interviews or exclusive information that an official release would have had the luxury of containing, but what I got in its place was barely up to par even for what it was. Having read this in the age of the internet, I felt as though much, if not all of the information in this book could have been found with ease online (and for free). Things like the production team, actors' and actress' filmography, inner-workings of the television industry, and other such insider knowledge could have been learned with a simple Google search or Wikipedia session. Judging it more fairly, however, I suppose the book did a nice job of compiling all this information in one neat package for its time, as it was written in 1999, well before the internet was something to which everybody had instant access. For anyone interested in learning more about the show in 2019 or beyond, there are much better avenues to explore other than this book for your needs.
One of That Girl's main draws in the 1960s and 1970s was its revolutionary classic feminist take on the American woman, for all other shows at the time depicted women as housewives or mothers rather than independent individuals such as Ann Marie. That Book About That Girl does a nice job discussing That Girl in such a context, recreating the bygone era for modern-day readers to experience. Although I commend author Stephen Cole's amount of research in this regard, I felt that far too much of the book focused on comparing That Girl to other shows of its time, making it seem as though one of my favorite shows of all-time existed merely to be judged by its success relative to other popular shows as opposed to any of its own merits. You will constantly be reminded of shows like I Love Lucy, I Dream of Jeanie, Bewitched, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (great show, by the way), and other such related female-led shows, always in the vein of comparing them to That Girl or Marlo Thomas' character. I think one or two mentions of the competition would have sufficed for this kind of book to get the message across that That Girl was a pioneer for feminist media; more than a few passages makes the book feel like a study in TV history more so than a compendium for a singular show. After all, the book is titled That Book About That Girl, not That Book About That Time-Period In Television History As It Relates To The Advancement Of Female Characters...but what a title that would be. In short, I wish the book took a more focused approach to covering That Girl rather than so many other extraneous topics.
Speaking of extraneous, I know this book is supposed to be an all-encompassing account of That Girl, but was it truly necessary to focus so much on the production team members and television executives at every turn? At times, I forgot I was reading a book about That Girl and instead began to believe that the book was really just a love letter to Hollywood insiders. I think some of the ABC executives were mentioned more times than some of the smaller characters on the show! I understand that establishing the main players behind the show's inception is an important component for this kind of book, but it should not have comprised such a large section of the text. Whenever I wanted to learn more about a character or actor on the show, I was instead greeted with more esoteric information about some Hollywood bigwig who had some roundabout role in contributing to the show. Again, I think it is absolutely fair and appropriate to include the names and background for all the people who helped make That Girl possible, but moderation was clearly overlooked in favor of sheer volume.
Time after time, my criticisms revolve around this book's focus and its lack thereof in certain respects. What prevents That Book About That Girl from being a great read is the fact that so much of the book wastes time covering topics that do not or only barely pertain to the stars of the show or the characters and motivations therein. I wanted to learn more about how Ted Bessel developed his character of Donald Hollinger to make him such a memorable "straight-man" opposite to Marlo Thomas' eccentric Ann Marie; I would have liked to learn more about some of the less prominent characters on the show since they were not showcased much on-screen, such as Ann's season one neighbor who disappears from season two onwards; I was eager to get some fun behind-the-scenes trivia about the main cast, perhaps even learn of some drama brewing when the cameras were off, something juicy that perhaps hindered the show's full potential? All of these points of interest were neglected outright or only briefly touched upon in the book, and what I got instead was a lot of aggrandizing for those in Hollywood and the TV industry. If only one thing about this book could be changed, I would alter its priorities and point the author in the direction of writing about the show and main cast and not much else.
Thus far I have had nothing but negative things to say about That Book About That Girl, but it is not all bad. One way in which this book shines is how it acts as a tribute to not only the real people behind the show's creation, but to the characters and legacy of the show itself. As much as the author liked to stroke the egos of the fat cats at the top, he also devoted some much needed time to praising the likes of Ann Marie, Donald Hollinger, Lew Marie, Helen Marie, Jerry Bauman, Ruth Bauman, and other important characters in the show as well as their real-world counterparts who brought them to life every week. Interspersed between chapters throughout the book are breaks where Cole gives some background, facts, statistics, or other such information on the characters of the show, thus further developing them in ways that the show did not. This book was just a few steps away from being wholly about the inner-workings of Hollywood with That Girl merely acting as a means by which the author discussed such topics, which would have made it irredeemable in my eyes. Thankfully, however, enough attention was eventually diverted away from those more mundane aspects and rightfully placed on the discussion of the characters who made That Girl so loved and revered as a timeless classic. If only the majority of the book could have been like this...
If this book offers one unique thing throughout its 300 pages, it is its inclusion of an episode guide along with some complementary information. Though the order, titles, and dates of these episodes can be found online with ease, things like the author's favorite highlights and lesser known facts on each episode are best found here. Cole even goes the extra mile and includes the name of the actor or actress and their respective character who gets to say “that girl” at the beginning of every episode, a recurring gag and beloved mainstay of the series. Being able to read about a fellow fan's personal favorite moments for each episode gives the book a touch of community, as though my love for the show is both understood and shared with someone else. This more personal aspect of the book is easily one of the best things about it and definitely saved it from being below average. Once again, I wish the book had more of this kind of content and less of the industry-speak which unfortunately comprises most of the book.
All in all, as a huge fan of That Girl, I would say that That Book About That Girl is something only for the most devout fans out there, otherwise I suspect not much enjoyment will be derived from it. What it does right, it truly does right, and what it does wrong, it truly does wrong. Due to the strength of the better aspects of the book (episode guide with highlights, tributes to the characters and cast), I believe that this book had the potential to be fantastic had only the focus been kept in the right places. You can tell that Stephen Cole really cares for the show and everyone involved, and that care translates well from time to time, but also hinders things when too many names and references needlessly sneak their way in. With some much needed editing and a lot more attention dedicated to the right things, I think That Book About That Girl could have shone brightly as the definitive book on That Girl, albeit an unofficial one. As it stands, however, the best I can say about this publication is that it will most likely only appeal to big fans, which means those who wish to develop a greater interest in the show should look elsewhere, particularly at a TV screen broadcasting That Girl. With only two real books about That Girl being out there, I would hesitantly recommend this one for at least having much more to do with the show than that other book, the novel by Paul W. Fairman that's more of a murder mystery than anything That Girl related. In the end, sticking to the show is still the best option by light-years.
(cue the theme song to That Girl)
I am a huge fan of That Girl and had just finished watching every episode of the show before wanting to get my next fix of That Girl media. In the literary realm, there are not many options from which to choose. The first book I read on That Girl was the eponymous novel that felt more like a gothic mystery with Ann Marie shoehorned in at the last minute to make it more marketable than anything remotely having to do with our favorite spunky city girl. Nonetheless, it was an interesting read, if extremely light on authentic That Girl material. Then I read That Book About That Girl, the only other That Girl book I could find barring any of Marlo Thomas' memoirs which may or may not talk about her time as the lead on the show. With so few options of books to choose from, I was hoping that this book would knock it out of the park and act as the be-all end-all of That Girl literature. Unfortunately, the experience was a bit lacking.
As an unofficial and unlicensed compendium to the fabled '60s TV series, I did not expect it to have much in the way of unique interviews or exclusive information that an official release would have had the luxury of containing, but what I got in its place was barely up to par even for what it was. Having read this in the age of the internet, I felt as though much, if not all of the information in this book could have been found with ease online (and for free). Things like the production team, actors' and actress' filmography, inner-workings of the television industry, and other such insider knowledge could have been learned with a simple Google search or Wikipedia session. Judging it more fairly, however, I suppose the book did a nice job of compiling all this information in one neat package for its time, as it was written in 1999, well before the internet was something to which everybody had instant access. For anyone interested in learning more about the show in 2019 or beyond, there are much better avenues to explore other than this book for your needs.
One of That Girl's main draws in the 1960s and 1970s was its revolutionary classic feminist take on the American woman, for all other shows at the time depicted women as housewives or mothers rather than independent individuals such as Ann Marie. That Book About That Girl does a nice job discussing That Girl in such a context, recreating the bygone era for modern-day readers to experience. Although I commend author Stephen Cole's amount of research in this regard, I felt that far too much of the book focused on comparing That Girl to other shows of its time, making it seem as though one of my favorite shows of all-time existed merely to be judged by its success relative to other popular shows as opposed to any of its own merits. You will constantly be reminded of shows like I Love Lucy, I Dream of Jeanie, Bewitched, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (great show, by the way), and other such related female-led shows, always in the vein of comparing them to That Girl or Marlo Thomas' character. I think one or two mentions of the competition would have sufficed for this kind of book to get the message across that That Girl was a pioneer for feminist media; more than a few passages makes the book feel like a study in TV history more so than a compendium for a singular show. After all, the book is titled That Book About That Girl, not That Book About That Time-Period In Television History As It Relates To The Advancement Of Female Characters...but what a title that would be. In short, I wish the book took a more focused approach to covering That Girl rather than so many other extraneous topics.
Speaking of extraneous, I know this book is supposed to be an all-encompassing account of That Girl, but was it truly necessary to focus so much on the production team members and television executives at every turn? At times, I forgot I was reading a book about That Girl and instead began to believe that the book was really just a love letter to Hollywood insiders. I think some of the ABC executives were mentioned more times than some of the smaller characters on the show! I understand that establishing the main players behind the show's inception is an important component for this kind of book, but it should not have comprised such a large section of the text. Whenever I wanted to learn more about a character or actor on the show, I was instead greeted with more esoteric information about some Hollywood bigwig who had some roundabout role in contributing to the show. Again, I think it is absolutely fair and appropriate to include the names and background for all the people who helped make That Girl possible, but moderation was clearly overlooked in favor of sheer volume.
Time after time, my criticisms revolve around this book's focus and its lack thereof in certain respects. What prevents That Book About That Girl from being a great read is the fact that so much of the book wastes time covering topics that do not or only barely pertain to the stars of the show or the characters and motivations therein. I wanted to learn more about how Ted Bessel developed his character of Donald Hollinger to make him such a memorable "straight-man" opposite to Marlo Thomas' eccentric Ann Marie; I would have liked to learn more about some of the less prominent characters on the show since they were not showcased much on-screen, such as Ann's season one neighbor who disappears from season two onwards; I was eager to get some fun behind-the-scenes trivia about the main cast, perhaps even learn of some drama brewing when the cameras were off, something juicy that perhaps hindered the show's full potential? All of these points of interest were neglected outright or only briefly touched upon in the book, and what I got instead was a lot of aggrandizing for those in Hollywood and the TV industry. If only one thing about this book could be changed, I would alter its priorities and point the author in the direction of writing about the show and main cast and not much else.
Thus far I have had nothing but negative things to say about That Book About That Girl, but it is not all bad. One way in which this book shines is how it acts as a tribute to not only the real people behind the show's creation, but to the characters and legacy of the show itself. As much as the author liked to stroke the egos of the fat cats at the top, he also devoted some much needed time to praising the likes of Ann Marie, Donald Hollinger, Lew Marie, Helen Marie, Jerry Bauman, Ruth Bauman, and other important characters in the show as well as their real-world counterparts who brought them to life every week. Interspersed between chapters throughout the book are breaks where Cole gives some background, facts, statistics, or other such information on the characters of the show, thus further developing them in ways that the show did not. This book was just a few steps away from being wholly about the inner-workings of Hollywood with That Girl merely acting as a means by which the author discussed such topics, which would have made it irredeemable in my eyes. Thankfully, however, enough attention was eventually diverted away from those more mundane aspects and rightfully placed on the discussion of the characters who made That Girl so loved and revered as a timeless classic. If only the majority of the book could have been like this...
If this book offers one unique thing throughout its 300 pages, it is its inclusion of an episode guide along with some complementary information. Though the order, titles, and dates of these episodes can be found online with ease, things like the author's favorite highlights and lesser known facts on each episode are best found here. Cole even goes the extra mile and includes the name of the actor or actress and their respective character who gets to say “that girl” at the beginning of every episode, a recurring gag and beloved mainstay of the series. Being able to read about a fellow fan's personal favorite moments for each episode gives the book a touch of community, as though my love for the show is both understood and shared with someone else. This more personal aspect of the book is easily one of the best things about it and definitely saved it from being below average. Once again, I wish the book had more of this kind of content and less of the industry-speak which unfortunately comprises most of the book.
All in all, as a huge fan of That Girl, I would say that That Book About That Girl is something only for the most devout fans out there, otherwise I suspect not much enjoyment will be derived from it. What it does right, it truly does right, and what it does wrong, it truly does wrong. Due to the strength of the better aspects of the book (episode guide with highlights, tributes to the characters and cast), I believe that this book had the potential to be fantastic had only the focus been kept in the right places. You can tell that Stephen Cole really cares for the show and everyone involved, and that care translates well from time to time, but also hinders things when too many names and references needlessly sneak their way in. With some much needed editing and a lot more attention dedicated to the right things, I think That Book About That Girl could have shone brightly as the definitive book on That Girl, albeit an unofficial one. As it stands, however, the best I can say about this publication is that it will most likely only appeal to big fans, which means those who wish to develop a greater interest in the show should look elsewhere, particularly at a TV screen broadcasting That Girl. With only two real books about That Girl being out there, I would hesitantly recommend this one for at least having much more to do with the show than that other book, the novel by Paul W. Fairman that's more of a murder mystery than anything That Girl related. In the end, sticking to the show is still the best option by light-years.
January 20, 2021
OK this may not be for everyone, but this is the kind of book I love. A book all about an old tv show, complete with fun facts and episode descriptions!I felt 12 again!
September 10, 2023
🖋️ Although the 1960s television program That Girl was not the first show that featured a single career girl living away from her parents (!), it is entertaining enough for seeing the fashions and language for the time. I really had an eye-opener when I read that
Marlo Thomas played herself on the show. She was not acting; the main character of Ann Marie was her. When an actor or actress plays himself, that is not talent. Therefore, as I said, this program is only worth a look for the fashions, language, and societal mores – including Thomas’ personal agenda of pushing radical feminism. This book comes across as thrown together; the author tries to be cute with all the “That” words tossed in ad nauseum, and it does not work.
🏮 Kindle Unlimited.
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“[t]he character of Ann Marie was based on Marlo Thomas’ thoughts, feelings, and emotions as a young struggling actress who yearned for independence. When ABC was looking for a program to showcase her talents, they sent her lots of unacceptable scripts. “They were old fashioned,” remembers Thomas. “And I said, this should be so easy. I mean, what about just doing a girl like me? A girl who wanted to be an actress who had graduated as a teacher from college, which I had. Who wanted to be an actress, as I did. Whose parents didn’t want her to move out, as my parents didn’t want me to move out. Whose father was terrified she was going to lose her virginity and who was always concerned whether or not there were men in her apartment, which was what my father was like. And so I said, ‘how about that for a premise for a show?’”
Marlo Thomas played herself on the show. She was not acting; the main character of Ann Marie was her. When an actor or actress plays himself, that is not talent. Therefore, as I said, this program is only worth a look for the fashions, language, and societal mores – including Thomas’ personal agenda of pushing radical feminism. This book comes across as thrown together; the author tries to be cute with all the “That” words tossed in ad nauseum, and it does not work.
🏮 Kindle Unlimited.
🔷●▬●🔶●🔶●▬●🔷
March 23, 2020
Very poorly written, incredibly repetitive, filled with mistakes. This fan book about That Girl is frustrating to read. The structure and organization of the book is a mess, with the trite overuse of "That" in title and subtitles. The author repeats the same basic information over and over, often stating the same facts 6 or 8 times assuming we don't remember from chapter to chapter. Mistakes are sprinkled throughout the book and there are just plain misleading details about the show's ratings. It never made the top 30 of the Nielsen end-of-season rankings, though the book claims it was a hit and a "top five" show.
Another problem is the lack of objective perspective on the quotes from Marlo Thomas. While she certainly had the right to make choices as the producer of the series, many of those choices were ill conceived. The whole final season of That Girl was a disaster, and of course the choice to never have the main couple get married stands as one of the biggest unresolved plot lines in TV history. And while Thomas was a feminist, her insistence on pushing her views during the final season made the show unwatchable.
It's nice to have a book about the groundbreaking series that was the first with a single woman living on her own, but this writer was the wrong one to put it together.
Another problem is the lack of objective perspective on the quotes from Marlo Thomas. While she certainly had the right to make choices as the producer of the series, many of those choices were ill conceived. The whole final season of That Girl was a disaster, and of course the choice to never have the main couple get married stands as one of the biggest unresolved plot lines in TV history. And while Thomas was a feminist, her insistence on pushing her views during the final season made the show unwatchable.
It's nice to have a book about the groundbreaking series that was the first with a single woman living on her own, but this writer was the wrong one to put it together.
January 5, 2023
This was a very interesting take by Ms. Thomas. She interviewed many comics and got their take on their profession and how they do what they do. It was laced with humor and made for a fascinating read. It helped to explain how and why she got into the business. I would recommend this one if you are looking for a fast paced read that keeps you interested AND you can jump around the chapters as you see fit.
May 19, 2025
I saw someone in a chat group mention this book. It was published in 1999 and I just had to have it being a huge That Girl fan. So I found a used copy through Amazon and was not disappointed. This was a fun and quick read for me as I could not put the book down. I am sure this will be one of my favorite books for the year.
November 8, 2018
Good but....
This kindle edition is so full of spelling mistakes it is sometimes difficult to read. It gives some great insights that Ms Thomas doesn’t usually like to talk about.
This kindle edition is so full of spelling mistakes it is sometimes difficult to read. It gives some great insights that Ms Thomas doesn’t usually like to talk about.
October 8, 2022
Lots of interesting details but quite repetitive.
September 11, 2025
great memories of watching this show
Enjoyed the bit about who says “That Girl “ in every show and the summaries. Noted by naming of every writer, director, etc .
Enjoyed the bit about who says “That Girl “ in every show and the summaries. Noted by naming of every writer, director, etc .
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews