The Mary Tyler Moore was a Syndication network sitcom created by James L. Brooks & Allan Burns, starring actress Mary Tyler Moore in the title role.
The show aired from September 19, 1970 to March 19, 1977, lasting for seven seasons & 168 episodes. It spawned three spin-off series: "Rhoda", "Phyllis" and "Lou Grant".
Plot[]
The series centered on Mary Richards, an unmarried, independent woman focused on her career working as the associate producer at the fictional WJM news program in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Cast[]
- Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Richards
- Gavin MacLeod as Murray Slaughter
- Ted Knight as Ted Baxter
- Valerie Harper as Rhoda Morgenstern
- Cloris Leachman as Phyllis Lindstrom
- Lisa Gerritsen as Bess Lindstromm
- Georgia Engel as Georgette Franklin Baxter
- Betty White as Sue Ann Nivens
Production[]
When Mary Tyler Moore was first approached about the show, she "was unsure and unwilling to commit, fearing any new role might suffer in comparison with her Laura Petrie character in "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (which also aired on CBS) and was already cemented as one of the most popular parts in TV history.
Moore's character was initially intended to be a divorcée, but divorce was still controversial at the time and Syndication was afraid that viewers might think that Mary had divorced Rob Petrie, Laura's husband on The Dick Van Dyke Show, so the premise was changed to that of a single woman with a recently broken engagement.
Notably, Van Dyke never guest starred in any episode, although his brother Jerry Van Dyke guest-starred in a couple of episodes during the third and fourth seasons. (Jerry had also regularly appeared on "The Dick Van Dyke Show".)
According to co-creator Allan Burns, Minnesota was selected for the show's location after "one of the writers began talking about the strengths and weaknesses of the Vikings."
A television newsroom was chosen for the show's workplace because of the supporting characters often found there, stated co-creator James Brooks.
Accolades[]
"The Mary Tyler Moore Show" has received high praise from critics, including Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Comedy Series" three years in a row (from 1975 to 1977).