Actress Marlo Thomas has paid tribute to her late husband, talk show legend Phil Donahue. Donahue died Sunday night at age 88 following a long illness, his family confirmed to “Today” on Monday morning. The Emmy-winning former host of “The Phil Donahue Show” passed away at home surrounded by his loved ones, including his wife of 44 years, his sister, his children, grandchildren and his golden retriever, Charlie.
On Monday, Thomas, 86, who is best known for starring in the ‘60s and ‘70s sitcom “That Girl,” posted a lengthy tribute on Instagram with a photo of the couple riding a motorcycle when they were younger. “I’m sure by now you’ve heard the very sad news that I lost my sweetheart last night,” she began. Thomas, who famously played Jennifer Aniston’s mom, Sandra Green, in “Friends ,” continued, “I know you understand that I’ll be stepping away from this page for a while to take care of myself and the many people who took care of Phil, and held him close to their hearts.
” Donahue’s talk show aired for 28 years, from 1968-1996. While broadcasting from 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Donahue welcomed major guests on his show, such as Muhammad Ali, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin and Jamie Lee Curtis. Donahue was the first person to interview Nelson Mandela following the South African president’s release from prison in 1990.
He was also the first American talk show host to tape from the Soviet Union. Thomas appeared as a guest on his.