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UPDATED: Mary Tyler Moore 1936 - 2017


HarryCarter
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Heartbreaking. I know Mary's at peace, but still...

 

What an incredible performer and groundbreaker. Next Generation Lucy. She certainly did have spunk. And determination, and talent, and class, and that smile.

 

P.S.: I'm riding in the car right now. As I was typing I looked up right as we were passing a street called Mary. I'll take that sign :)

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I was wondering why we were hearing from her, but I was thinking of her and how hard this death must of felt.

 

 

Losing Grant and Mary so close together must be so hard for her.

 

It was heartening though to see the wall-to-wall Mary coverage on the morning shows this morning. Even BreakfastTV out of Toronto was out at Union Station getting people to do an MTM hat toss.

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I haven't checked all my "usual" sources yet so I may be talking out of my ass (what else is new!! :blink: ) but seems like we haven't heard from Valerie yet either.  If I'm wrong, please someone share a source, or what she said or both.  THANKS!!!

 

I don't think Valerie has made a statement yet. Valerie had been scheduled to do a "Facebook Live" interview on Wednesday night to promote her indie film short My Mom & the Girl. That didn't happen after the news about Mary broke. Hopefully Valerie is handling this well. 

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From Valerie's Facebook:

 

To ... The World

From...Valerie Harper or "Rhoda"

 

Last week, to prepare me, I was kindly warned by Mary Tyler Moore's dear husband, Dr. Robert Levine, that she was in the very last stages of life.

 

But still I cannot stop the emotions I'm experiencing, since she was my acting colleague, my sister/soulmate, and above all, ONE HELL OF A GIRLFRIEND!

 

Working together we knew each other so well we could anticipate each other's moods, ever ready to engage and KNOW there would be an appropriate response from Mary.

 

I will always feel privileged and honored with the amount of quality time I was able to spend with Mary.

 

I'll miss you "Mair."

 

I will always be your co-pilot.

 

I will always love you, darling Mary Tyler Moore.

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From Valerie's Facebook:To ... The World

From...Valerie Harper or "Rhoda"

Last week, to prepare me, I was kindly warned by Mary Tyler Moore's dear husband, Dr. Robert Levine, that she was in the very last stages of life.

But still I cannot stop the emotions I'm experiencing, since she was my acting colleague, my sister/soulmate, and above all, ONE HELL OF A GIRLFRIEND!

Working together we knew each other so well we could anticipate each other's moods, ever ready to engage and KNOW there would be an appropriate response from Mary.

I will always feel privileged and honored with the amount of quality time I was able to spend with Mary.

I'll miss you "Mair."

I will always be your co-pilot.

I will always love you, darling Mary Tyler Moore.

Stunning.

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After several dry years, the 70s saw a resurgence in quality television sitcoms.  The Emmy-worthy shows were essentially a 3-way race between All in the Family, MASH and Mary Tyler Moore.  Not taking anything away from the other two, but my favorite hands-down was Mary.   I didn't write many fan letters but after viewing the season 3 opening show, I wrote a fan letter to the producers and writing team and they sent me a VIP pass to watch the filming of that week's episode.  (Though they did not include airfare and hotel accommodations).  That episode was about making the news more fun in which Ted keeps interrupting Mary's on-camera opt-ed until she tells him to shut up!  Hilarious.   I did eventually get to California and see an episode: not one of their best.  But like I Love Lucy a "fair" Mary Tyler Moore was better than just about anything else on TV.

I can only think of two other comedies nominated as Emmy's best every year it was on:  The Dick Van Dyke Show and Sgt. Bilko ("The Phil Silvers Show").  As was "All in the Family" if you exclude "Archie Bunker's Place" a virtual contuation.  Were there others?

It may be harder to see now how fresh and funny "All in the Family" was, but believe me it was the most talked about show of its time.  "Family" and "Mary Tyler Moore" debuted the same season (though "Family" had a mid-season premiere).   

It wasn't until its FIFTH season that Mary Tyler Moore was voted best comedy, an award it won for three years straight.   All in the Family won the first 3 years , then Mash.   Though Mary's supporting players won, Mary was bested by Jean Stapleton in three seasons and Valerie Harper in one for her own show, And Bea Arthur for Maude.  Mary was nominated every year and won twice. 

Though the "Mary Tyler Moore Hour" was a misfire, I don't think her subsequent comedies were given a fair shake.  "Mary" in 1985-6 and "Annie McGuire" in 1988.  Neither lasted an entire season.  Had it not been for "MTM", "Mary" might have been better received.  It was after all very similar. But nothing could compare with the original MTM.  

"Mary Tyler Moore" started on surprisingly shaky ground.  Dumped into an unenviable time slot, Saturday at 9:30 preceded by two lackluster sitcoms "My 3 Sons" and "Arnie", it didn't seem like CBS had a whole lot of hope for it.  Mary's audience kept growing and the show eked out the #22 slot by first season's end.  Time Magazine in its reviews of new shows scorned MTM but praised another sitcom returnee Andy Griffith in "Headmaster".   That first season of MTM is the only one I don't own. She was a bit more ditsy like "That Girl" and the episodes a bit more traditionally sitcom-y,  but Mary morphed into everywoman, or what everywoman aspired to, the show became sophisticated.  Compare any first season episode with any episode of the last 4 seasons and you can see the shift.  It's the classic case of a show slowly finding its focus.

Surprisingly, MTM did NOT go out on top.  Its ratings ranking for its 7 season:  22, 10 (tied with Here's Lucy!) , 7, 9, 11, 19 and down to #35 for its last and perhaps best season.  (Here's Lucy as you know had dipped to #29 its last year).  Between the 76 and 77 seasons, hit sitcoms went back to banal.  The MTM produced shows were replaced by Happy Days, 3's Company and Laverne & Shirley none of which I could stomach. 

Mary holds a special place in my heart. 

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