Before the words "women's liberation" became a cultural catchphrase, Marlo Thomas embodied the term, creating, executive producing, and starring in the landmark television comedy series That Girl (1966-1971). Her creation-single working girl Ann Marie, who lived on her own and was avoiding marriage, much to her father's dismay-became a role model for a new generation of women searching for independence and their own careers. Tonight, October 7, 2014, at 7:00 p.m., Museum of the Moving Image and the Comedy Hall of Fame will present a conversation with Marlo Thomas, moderated by Gloria Steinem, in the program "The Visionary: Ann Marie, TV's First Independent Woman," about the creation and legacy of That Girl.
"Marlo Thomas's achievement with That Girl is even more remarkable given the climate of the time, when she created and sold her concept to network television," said Jeff Pancer of the Comedy Hall of Fame. "She paved the way for Mary Richards, Murphy Brown, and other iconic women's roles to come. Her Ann Marie helped to ignite a seismic cultural change, challenging female stereotypes and reshaping the way women's roles were perceived on television and in society."
A best-selling author, tireless activist and 20th century icon,
Gloria Steinem has for five decades triumphantly led
THE MARCH toward gender equality, carrying her mission to women around the globe.
Tickets for "The Visionary: Ann Marie, TV's First Independent Woman" are $25 public / $15 Museum members at the Film Lover and Dual levels (free for Silver Screen members and above). Advance tickets will be available online at
movingimage.us beginning Thursday, September 25 (Member tickets go on sale September 23). For more information about Museum membership and to join, visit
http://movingimage.us/support/membership.
This program is part of the series Iconic Characters of Comedy, a collaboration between Museum of the Moving Image and the Comedy Hall of Fame, featuring high-profile personal appearances and focused on the impact of comedy delivered through the medium of television on the consciousness of the American public. The series launched in 2013, with a conversation between
Alan Alda and Jeff Greenfield.
The Comedy Hall of Fame (CHF) is comedy's first and only institution established exclusively to promote, preserve and celebrate comedy. CHF created and maintains the most comprehensive archive of oral histories featuring interviews with comedy's most defining artists, thought leaders and professionals in the field. The Comedy Hall of Fame Foundation curates educational programs for museum events, and created Laugh It Out Improv, an educational program that uses the power of comedy to teach communication skills in NYC Public schools. For more information, visit
http://comedyhalloffame.com/.
Museum of the Moving Image (
movingimage.us) advances the understanding, enjoyment, and appreciation of the art, history, technique, and technology of film, television, and digital media. In its expanded and renovated facilities-acclaimed for both its accessibility and bold design-the Museum presents exhibitions; screenings of significant works; discussion programs featuring actors, directors, craftspeople, and business leaders; and education programs which serve more than 50,000 students each year. The Museum also houses a significant collection of moving-image artifacts.
