Back in the ’80s, the talk show scene was all about Phil Donahue, the big shot of daytime talk.
Then, Oprah Winfrey, the news anchor from Chicago, stepped in, and Phil got knocked off his throne. Phil’s show was a trailblazer, running for 29 years, and it was the first to bring audience participation to talk shows.
Oprah even credited Phil, saying, “No Phil Donahue, no Oprah show.”
Phil covered a wide range of topics on his show, from civil rights and LGBTQ+ rights to abortion and women’s rights.
His show was such a trailblazer that it snagged loads of Emmy awards. On the personal front, Phil tied the knot twice. His second marriage lasted a good 44 years, all the way until his passing on Aug. 18, 2024. Let’s dive into the details of Phil’s marriage.
Phil Donahue was married twice.
Phil married his college sweetheart, Margaret Cooney, in February 1958. Over the next six years, they became parents to five children: Michael, Kevin, Daniel, Mary Rose, and James, with two born in the same year.
However, after 17 years, Margaret decided to end the marriage. Their 1975 divorce settlement granted her custody of their daughter, while Phil got custody of their four sons. Margaret headed back to her hometown in New Mexico and remarried.
In 1980, Phil found love again, this time with actress Marlo Thomas. Their connection sparked during Marlo’s second appearance on his show in 1977. Phil even sweetly took her hand at the end of the episode, saying, “I’m sorry that we are out of time; you are really fascinating.”
“No, but you are wonderful,” Marlo responded. “I said it when we are off the air, and I wanna say you are loving and generous and you like women and it’s a pleasure, and whoever is the woman in your life is very lucky.”
“From the very first day, I decided that I was not going to try to be a ‘mother’ to Phil’s children in the traditional sense — they already had a mom — but, instead, to be their friend,” she told AARP in 2011. “I’m proud to say that the friendships I established with them are as strong today as they were 30 years ago — even stronger.”
Phil and Marlo dropped a book in 2020 titled “What Makes a Marriage Last: 40 Celebrated Couples Share with Us the Secrets to a Happy Life.”
When asked about their own secret to a successful marriage, the duo shared with Fox News that there isn’t just one secret but a multitude of them.
Marlo expressed to CBS in 2020 that she sees marriage as a support system in life, helping partners navigate challenges together and strengthening their bond with each hurdle they overcome.
Olekanma Favour is a resourceful, self-motivated, and result-driven writer with a passion for crafting compelling narratives and insightful content. She loves tackling complex topics and weaving engaging stories.
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