- Marlo Thomas was quite content to live as a single woman and was against marriage when she met and fell in love with Phil Donahue.
- The duo previously shared how they managed to make their over 45-year-long marriage work.
- They had been together for almost five decades, facing difficult trials that enhanced their relationship, before Donahue passed away at 88.
In Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue’s book, “What Makes a Marriage Last: 40 Celebrated Couples Share with Us the Secrets,” the couple opened up about their marriage. Thomas revealed in the memoir that as a young girl, she wanted nothing to do with the institution of marriage.
The reason was that she didn’t see marriage as having enough room to accommodate her. She was so against it that she always had a cheeky response when the discussion came up.
Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas at a St. Jude Hospital charity dinner in Los Angeles, California, circa 1981 | Source: Getty Images
Thomas would say things like marriage was the same as living with your jailer and having to please them. The other retort she made against the institution was equally harsh, with her stating, “Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner: you stick it to your ear, and it sucks out all your energy and ambition.”
Marlo Thomas during an episode of “Captain Kangaroo,” in which she appeared as a guest star in New York on December 13, 1974 | Source: Getty Images
Nevertheless, Thomas eventually wound up marrying the love of her life, Donahue. The couple stayed together for almost half a century before he took his last breath. On Sunday evening, August 18, Donahue passed away at 88 years old after enduring a long illness.
The sad news was confirmed via a statement made by his loving family. They disclosed, “Groundbreaking TV talk show journalist Phil Donahue died Sunday night at home surrounded by his wife of 44 years Marlo Thomas, his sister, his children, grandchildren and his beloved golden retriever Charlie.”
Amid the news they shared, Donahue’s family opted out of divulging details about the exact cause of his death. Instead of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to either the Phil Donahue/Notre Dame Scholarship Fund or the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In loving memory of Donahue, let’s take a look back at his and Thomas’ love story.
Yielding to Marriage and Facing Obstacles
According to their book, Donahue met Thomas once before, and the second time they met was in 1977 in Chicago. While on tour for a movie, she had an appearance on his talk show where she admitted they “clicked,” adding, “It was very obvious that we were very attracted to each other. I just loved his confidence. He knew what he was doing.”
Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue at the Iris Awards Banquet on March 4, 1978. | Source: Getty Images
Thomas said it was love at first sight for her. She was physically attracted to the late legendary talk show host, whom she said had white hair and blue eyes. After being in Chicago for the tour, she had to move to the next city.
Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue at an event in New York City circa 1980. | Source: Getty Images
However, that did not stop Donahue from learning about her whereabouts. Upon reaching out to her, he asked her whether Denver was too far away from Chicago, and she said no.
