The Life of Sitcom Star Marlo Thomas

In 1971, That Girl ended without Ann Marie marrying Donald. Instead, the final episode kept Ann’s independence intact and placed the story within a women’s liberation context, matching the values the series had been building toward.

The ending made a clear point about Ann’s future. Romance remained part of her life, but it did not replace her ambitions or define her success. For Marlo, closing the series this way protected the character’s meaning and set up her next public role.