In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams explores a pivotal episode of That Girl (1966-1967), starring Marlo Thomas, which addressed sexual harassment long before the term was widely recognized.

The story line features guest star Carroll O'Connor as an opera singer who leverages his influence over Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) in exchange for an interview, highlighting the concept of quid pro quo harassment. Through a critical lens, Cynthia examines how mid-century male writers framed workplace harassment as a plot conflict rather than a societal issue. Cynthia references historical resources, including Time Magazine's A Brief History of Sexual Harassment in America, to contextualize the portrayal of gender power dynamics on television.

Resources:

Time Magazine's A Brief History of Sexual Harassment in America (2016) – Sascha Cohen https://time.com/4286575/sexual-harassment-before-anita-hill/

Marlo Thomas: Growing Up Laughing (2010) published by Hyperion Books.

Stephen Cole's That Girl: The Unofficial Companion (1999)

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