THAT GIRL & OTHER STUFF
by Billy Ingram

Me-TV brings back That Girl on New Year's Day 2012. That should be fun, That Girl was one of those sitcoms from back in the sixties that I really enjoyed and I still find it pleasing to watch.

Here's the pilot film that partially aired on the 1966 ABC Fall Season preview show, dig those crazy pristine shots of New York in 1966, those camera angles from the pilot were utilized for the final theme.

You'll notice in the pilot that Donald Hollinger was originally Donald Bluesky, Anne's native American talent agent. It was wisely decided before shooting the first episode that an agent trying to date one of his actress clients was way too predatory in nature so Donald became a journalist instead and George Carlin was cast as the agent.

Those cold openings still get me. Did you know they added lyrics to the theme song for the last season? They're a little forced - but then the production had a desperate air about it during that last year.

If That Girl had been renewed for a sixth season Anne Marie and Donald were going to be married. They prolly should have done it a year earlier when the bump in ratings for the marriage on Get Smart caused CBS to pick up the show after it was dropped by NBC. Get Smart limped through one final year on CBS.

The official story on why That Girl ended was that Marlo Thomas didn't want to do a fifth year much less a sixth. She felt the series was played out and, as a teen TV viewer, I had to agree.

Still, those first three seasons especially are terrific and get my vote for best TV theme song ever.