Marlo Thomas Movies
Anyone who watched the old TV sitcom Make Room for Daddy will remember that it was produced by a company called Marterto. This corporate name was an amalgam of the names of Danny Thomas' children: Margaret, Terry, and Tony. By 1959, Margaret Thomas had undergone a little cosmetic surgery, changed her name to Marlo Thomas, and launched an acting career on stage and TV. After guest starring in dozens of programs, she starred in her own series, That Girl, in which she played an aspiring actress with a benevolent despot of a father (where did that concept come from?). That Girl ran from 1966 through 1970, after which Thomas concentrated on Broadway appearances and occasional films like Thieves (1971). Extremely active in social and political causes during the next two decades, Thomas nonetheless found time to star in several made-for-TV movies and also co-produce the Emmy-winning children's TV special Free to Be...You and Me. She won additional Emmys for producing the 1988 follow-up Free to Be...a Family; for hosting the 1980 special The Body Human: Facts for Girls; and for her outstanding dramatic performance as an institutionalized mental patient in the TV film Nobody's Child (1986). Long a marital holdout, Marlo Thomas closed out the 1970s by walking down the aisle with talk-show host Phil Donahue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
The life of wealthy Ellen McCarthy (Marlo Thomas) is thrown into disarray when her husband Grove (William Devane) disappears at sea during a voyage on the family yacht. Evidence indicates that Grove has drowned, and the police have reason to suspect that Ellen was responsible. As the investigation proceeds, it appears as though Ellen and her husband having been living lie (unbeknownst to Ellen, of course), and that everyone around the couple have been covering up their own horrible secrets, possibly tied in with corporate intrigue. And what exactly is the story concerning Ellen's son Josh (Louis Corbett). First telecast by the Lifetime channel on March 15, 2004, the made-for-cable Deceit was based on a novel by Clare Francis, which had previously been adapted for British television in 2000 with Francesca Annis in the lead. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Organized by New York's Museum of Television and Radio, this impressively assembled tribute to the funny women boasts a stellar all-female cast, drawn from half a century's worth of video entertainment. Hosted by Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), the special uses rare film clips and interviews to pay homage to such iconic figures as Mary Tyler Moore, Carol Burnett, Bea Arthur, and especially the woman who started it all, Lucille Ball. A number of veteran comediennes are in attendance, along with the newer crop of "girls." Amidst the hilarity, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss (Seinfeld) offers a poignant paean to the late Gilda Radner. Great Women of Television and Comedy was originally broadcast by NBC -- which may explain the preponderance of guest stars from that network's then-current sitcom manifest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Divesting herself of her useless husband, Julie Portman (Marlo Thomas) is determined to raise her two children by herself, despite the emotional roadblocks set up by her resentful and rebellious teenage daughter Emma (Ellen Muth). Things reach the crisis stage when both mother and daughter are diagnosed with cancer. Ignoring her own weakened condition after extensive chemotherapy treatment, Julie insists upon helping Emma "tough it out" on the road to (hopeful) survival. Occasional moral support is provided by Julie's new sweetheart, philosophical lobster fisherman George (Joe Penny). Based on actual events, the made-for-TV Mother and Daughter originally aired April 21, 2002, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Frasier's dad Martin (John Mahoney) is an eligible widower. Roz's mom Joanna (Eva Marie Saint) is likewise unattached. Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Roz (Peri Gilpin) are thus convinced that the union between Martin and Joanna would be the proverbial "match made in Heaven." The results: Joanna is exultant -- and Martin is annoyed. And speaking of matchups, listen for the Very Famous Couple providing "guest voices" during Frasier's radio call-in show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Important issues that may affect a child's life are portrayed in a lighthearted but sincere manner in this HBO special based on Rosie O'Donnell's book by the same name. O'Donnell shows how laughter and a sense of humor are a vital part of dealing with things that might be beyond one's immediate control. The 30-minute program mixes short animated tales that contain a particular lesson or theme with short clips of children talking candidly about what things they think are funny. Issues that are addressed in this innovative format are slavery, heaven, and the death of a classmate. A good show for families to watch and discuss together. Net proceeds are donated to the For All Kids Foundation, a group that awards grants to programs helping disadvantaged children throughout the United States.
~ Sarah Block, All Movie Guide
~ Sarah Block, All Movie Guide
A struggling filmmaker trying to climb the show business ladder befriends an actor who's heading down the same ladder at a furious pace in this dark comedy. George (Jamie Kennedy), an aspiring writer who does temp work to make ends meet, longs to break into show business where he can get to know his favorite stars. One night, George is invited to a party and he meets Kyle Carey (Loren Dean), one of his favorite actors. Kyle's star has fallen quite a bit in recent months, but George doesn't seem to be aware of this, and he's thrilled to be spending time with a genuine celebrity, even if Kyle only seems to call when he needs help with something. As George spends his evenings with Kyle and his girlfriend Iona (Carmen Electra), a model, he's convinced he's found the fast track to a career in Hollywood, until Kyle calls him one night asking a rather unexpected favor -- he's been fired from his latest picture and doesn't have a place to stay, so can he move in for a while? Starstruck, which was produced under the title Starf*cker, also stars Bridgette Wilson, Spencer Garrett, Clarence Williams III, and Marlo Thomas. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Kennedy, Loren Dean, (more)
- 1996
In this Halloween episode, Roseanne and Jackie go to a fancy Upper West Side party with Patsy (Joanna Lumley) and Edina (Jennifer Saunders, who co-wrote the episode with Roseanne) from Absolutely Fabulous. Strange things start to happen to the pregnant Darlene in a take on Rosemary's Baby. This episode was directed by Roseanne. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roseanne
- 1996
Chandler (Matthew Perry) invokes memories of Three's Company ("Okay, think! What would Jack and Chrissy do?") when Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) divorcing parents, Sandra (Marlo Thomas) and Leonard (Ron Leibman), show up unexpectedly at her surprise party. To avoid further embarrassment, the party, like an evolving cell, splits in two: one for Sandra, one for Leonard. As if that makes anything better. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Marlo Thomas guest stars as Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) mother, Sandra Green, who shows up at the apartment with startling news. This comes just as Ross' (David Schwimmer) ex-wife, Carol (Jane Sibbett), is about to marry her girlfriend, Susan (Jessica Hecht), in an event catered by Monica (Courteney Cox). And Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) elderly massage client Mrs. Adelman dies -- but her spirit isn't about to leave until she sees how the of rest of the episode comes out. Candice Gingrich, sister of Senator Newt Gingrich, has a significant supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
A family is torn apart when two adult sisters decide to take their father to court for sexually abusing them as children. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marlo Thomas, Mel Harris, (more)
- 1991
Marlo Thomas stars as Lucille "Sis" Levin, whose husband Jerry (David Dukes) is an American TV journalist assigned to Beirut in 1984. Jerry is kidnapped by Muslim fundamentalists, a fact kept off the front pages by the State Department, ostensibly because the publicity could cost Jerry his life. Sis doesn't accept this (she suspects that our government doesn't want to offend the Lebanese government), and arranges on her own to communicate with her husband's captors. Israel stands in for Lebanon for the on-location scenes in Held Hostage: The Sis and Jerry Levin Story. This fact-based TV movie is wholly credible in every aspect save Marlo Thomas' uncertain Southern accent. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
A young woman learns that she has a lethal, rare kind of cancer. This fact-based, heart-wrenching made-for-TV drama chronicles her struggle to cope with her own personal feelings and those of her family. She then begins looking for alternative ways to treat her disease while her husband deals with his denial. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Archer, Sam Neill, (more)
Marlo Thomas fully justifies her star status in the made-for-television Nobody's Child. Ms. Thomas portrays the real-life Marie Balter, a Massachusetts woman consigned to a mental hospital after a suicide attempt at age 16. For the next 20 years, Marie is and out of the institution, mostly under the care of a sensitive doctor (Caroline Cava) who treats her for panic disorder and depression. Finally able to curb her inner demons without the use of drugs and therapy, Marie leaves the hospital for good, hoping to pursue a normal life. She falls in love with another ex-mental patient (Ray Baker), and strives successfully to earn a college diploma (she later became a health administrator). Aside from Marlo Thomas' Emmy-winning performance, Nobody's Child boasts the stunning camerawork of longtime Ingmar Bergman associate Sven Nykvist. One scene, in which Marie Balter imagines she sees serpents emerging from a typewriter, is as frightening a piece of celluloid as has ever been presented on television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Martin Sheen, who in 1972 co-starred in That Certain Summer, the precedent-setting TV movie concerning homosexuality, is cast as the father of an "out of closet" gay son in Consenting Adult. Sheen and his wife Marlo Thomas are devastated when their college-age son Barry Tubb comes forth with details of his sexual preference. Thomas is convinced that Tubb can be "cured" through psychiatry; Sheen, a prideful man suffering from several illnesses, is unable to accept his son for what he is--as much as he wants to. Only Tubb's married sister Talia Balsam can approach the situation with understanding. Consenting Adults is based on a novel by Laura Z. Hobson (of Gentleman's Agreement fame). It was first telecast on February 4, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
This made-for-TV film is an Americanized remake of the 1975 German film The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (based on the novel by Heinrich Böll). Shorn of most of her movie-star glamour, Marlo Thomas plays Kathryn Beck, whose one-night stand with handsome Ben Cole (Kris Kristofferson) all but ruins her life. Cole is suspected of being a political terrorist; as a result, Kathryn is seized by the authorities and relentlessly questioned. Her ordeal intensifies when she becomes the target of a ruthless investigative reporter. When she seeks legal aid, Kathryn finds that her basic civil rights aren't even as well protected as those of the fugitive Cole. Act of Passion: Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck premiered on January 24, 1984, minus the Act of Passion portion of the title, which was added later to pump up rerun ratings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Marlo Thomas' first mistake was optioning the classic It's a Wonderful Life for this TV remake; her second was starring in it herself in the Jimmy Stewart part! This gender switch aside, It Happened One Christmas follows the original virtually to the letter. Thomas is a young woman who dreams of leaving her small town to see the world, but circumstances force her to remain in town as head of the local bank--and in so doing she enriches the lives of everyone around her. In a moment of financial crisis, Thomas contemplates suicide, but is rescued by her guardian angel (Cloris Leachman, overacting her way--complete with British accent--through the old Henry Travers part). The angel shows Thomas what life in her town would have been like if Thomas had never been born. You know the rest. It was already hard to believe in the original film that Donna Reed would have become a spinster had she never met Jimmy Stewart; it was impossible to believe in the remake that Wayne Rogers (in the equivalent to the Reed part) would not only have remained unmarried, but also would have become an embittered failure without Thomas' presence. Only Orson Welles, in the Lionel Barrymore role as the villainous Potter, comes across with any credibility. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Marlo Thomas served as both producer and star for this landmark 1974 television special, which, through songs, stories, and comedy sketches, encourages children to accept and celebrate diversity in others, and embrace their own individuality. Guests stars include Mel Brooks, Alan Alda, Harry Belafonte, and Cicely Tyson; Michael Jackson, Roberta Flack, and Kris Kristofferson help provide the music. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marlo Thomas
The Cricket on the Hearth is based on one of Charles Dickens' lesser-known Christmas stories. Bertha, the toymaker's daughter, is the central character. She searches for love and understanding from her father Caleb, who just wants his family to be happy. With the appearance of a good luck cricket, fortunes seem to change. This release features the voices of real-life father and daughter Danny and Marlo Thomas and Roddy McDowell as the Cricket. As all ends well, The Cricket on the Hearth closes with a catchy tune, "The First Christmas." The animated seasonal program was a predecessor to better known fare. It now serves as godfather to Christmas tales told since. ~ Sarah Ing, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Thomas, Marlo Thomas, (more)
- 1965
- Add The Knack ... And How to Get It to QueueAdd The Knack ... And How to Get It to top of Queue
Colin (Michael Crawford, who much later won a Tony Award for his role in Broadway's Phantom of the Opera) is an uptight schoolteacher whose housemate, Tolen (Ray Brooks) is a consummate womanizer. Colin imagines a long line of young women in tight white sweaters on his stairwell, waiting to get into Tolen's room. Jealous of Tolen's incredible success with the ladies, Colin asks Tolen for advice on how to get a girl. When Tolen's advice doesn't seem very practical, Colin decides that his first order of business is to get a bigger bed. Colin is also trying to find a third roommate to take a spare room. Tom (Donal Donnelly), who seems compelled to paint everything in sight, happens by the house, and inserts himself in the spare room without so much as saying "hello." Nancy (Rita Tushingham of A Taste of Honey) is new in town, and wanders the streets of London in a fruitless search for the YWCA. She runs into Colin and Tom at the dump, where they are procuring a gigantic bed. They offer her a ride, and proceed to race through London on the bed. Colin seems too shy to speak much to Nancy, despite Tom's encouragement. Eventually, the trio reach Colin's house, where Tolen works his gruff magic on Nancy, and havoc ensues. Capturing late 1960s London in black-and-white, Richard Lester's The Knack. . .and How to Get It was released between the director's two successes with the Beatles, A Hard Day's Night and Help. The script, by Charles Wood (An Awfully Big Adventure) is based on a play by Ann Jellicoe. Future stars Jacqueline Bisset, Charlotte Rampling, and Jane Birkin appear briefly amid all the attractive young women in the film. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rita Tushingham, Ray Brooks, (more)
