Dick Van Dyke was one of Hollywood’s most legendary actors back in the 60s, in big part due to Carl Reiner’s iconic sitcom “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” The show, which ran from 1961 to 1966, featured actress Mary Tyler Moore as Van Dyke’s wife, Laura Petrie. Once the show ended, Moore signed a contract with Universal Pictures and starred in three films that premiered one after the other.
Unfortunately, only one of those films did well in theaters, and Moore’s acting career started to slowly dwindle. So, when she got a call from CBS producers offering her a role on a variety special called “Dick Van Dyke and the Other Woman,” she immediately said yes. The special was a massive commercial and critical success and prompted CBS to offer Moore her own show, starting with 24 half-hour episodes.
Moore’s TV Career Started on a “Dick Van Dyke” Show
Dick Van Dyke was one of Hollywood’s most legendary actors back in the 60s, in big part due to Carl Reiner’s iconic sitcom “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” The show, which ran from 1961 to 1966, featured actress Mary Tyler Moore as Van Dyke’s wife, Laura Petrie. Once the show ended, Moore signed a contract with Universal Pictures and starred in three films that premiered one after the other.
Unfortunately, only one of those films did well in theaters, and Moore’s acting career started to slowly dwindle. So, when she got a call from CBS producers offering her a role on a variety special called “Dick Van Dyke and the Other Woman,” she immediately said yes. The special was a massive commercial and critical success and prompted CBS to offer Moore her own show, starting with 24 half-hour episodes.
The Character of Mary Richards Was Meant to Be a Divorcée
When the creators of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” were coming up with Mary Richard’s character, they imagined her as a recently divorced woman who had left her husband and moved to the city. They wanted Richards to embody a 30-year-old independent woman who moves to a new home and finds a new job to support herself.
However, when the network heard their idea, they were told that mainstream audiences in the U.S. would never accept a divorced woman on the TV screens. Effectively so, after audience testing, show co-creator Allan Burns found that people hated the idea of Mary being a divorcee. So instead, they decided Mary would be a single woman who broke off a long engagement and needed to fend for herself.
Mary Was Supposed to Work for a Gossip Column
When the show aired, it had Mary Richards finding a job working for a news station, but this wasn’t the original concept. When they were writing the show, James L. Brooks and Allan Burns envisioned the character of Richards working as an assistant to a sassy gossip column in Los Angeles, California.
But after some careful thinking, this was exactly what they didn’t want – to perpetuate the stereotype that a “career woman” meant working as an assistant writing gossip. So, they reworked the character to live in Minneapolis and work at a news show instead, and clearly, it worked like a charm.
The MTM Enterprises Kitten Was Adopted From a Shelter
Actress Mary Tyler Moore was married to American TV executive Grant Tinker for nearly 20 years, and he was the man who came up with the emblematic MTM Enterprises. Since the production company was named after her, using her initials, Moore was delighted and immediately agreed. But obviously, the similarity to the famous MGM Studios wasn’t lost to anybody, so they decided to make the best of it.
A member of the staff suggested as a comedic gesture that they find a kitten for MTM’s logo since they were a much smaller company than MGM, which had a roaring lion. Everyone loved the idea, so the very next day, a small kitten was adopted from a Minneapolis shelter; they named it Mimsie.
Gavin MacLeod Wanted to Play Lou Grant
Actor Gavin MacLeod made a name for himself in the '60s by appearing in several shows on TV and some minor films. In 1969, Grant Tinker called and told him about the role of Lou Grant – he wanted MacLeod to audition for the part. MacLeod auditioned and then was immediately asked to read as the character of Murray Slaughter, Moore’s co-worker.
Tinker thought MacLeod was perfect as Murray, since he was more likable and easygoing, as opposed to the stern Lou Grant. The show’s producers agreed with him, and MacLeod was cast as Murray, which proved to be a brilliant decision.
Producers Wanted Jack Cassidy to Play Ted Baxter
When the show’s producers wrote the character of the dimwitted, narcissist, and meager anchorman on “Mary Tyler Moore,” Ted Baxter, they had one actor in mind – Jack Cassidy. However, when Cassidy was called in for an audition, he refused to even go read for the part. Apparently, he was tired of playing an egotistic pretty boy in the 1967 sitcom, “He & She.”
Cassidy said he wasn’t interested in being cast as yet another vain, narcissistic buffoon-type character like Ted Baxter. As we all know, the role was ultimately played by actor Ted Knight, and ironically, after Cassidy saw what a hit “Mary Tyler Moore” had become, he agreed to do a guest appearance as Ted’s self-centered brother.
Ted Knight Was in a Tough Spot When He Got His Role
Before Ted Knight was cast as Ted Baxter, the show’s producers were looking at actor Lyle Waggoner, since Cassidy, their first option, had turned the role down. Luckily for Knight, Waggoner was starring on the other hit TV show of the time “The Carol Burnett Show,” and he was happy with his job.
While they were still looking for the right actor, one of the producers – Dave Davis – saw Ted Knight performing in a Broadway play one night. He was impressed with Knight’s talent and humor, so they called him for an audition the very next day. They immediately gave him the role. No one ever knew that, at the time, Ted Knight was counting his last dollars to even be able to pay rent. Everything he wore to the audition was bought at a thrift store.
Ted Knight Didn’t Like Being Confused With His Character
As happy as Ted Knight was to have landed the role of Ted Baxter in such a massively successful sitcom, he grew tired of playing Baxter. Knight was tired of people assuming he was vain and dimwitted just because he played a character like that. One day, things got so bad, that Knight burst into one of the producers’ office crying in desperation, telling him he couldn’t play Baxter anymore.
Knight was fed up with being treated like a “schmuck” by people that thought he was like that in real life, especially since he was actually very smart and well-read. The producers consoled him and he powered through it. Luckily, his character acquired some depth as the show went on.
The Show Made Hazel Frederick Famous by Accident
You might be wondering who Hazel Frederick is, since she’s not an actress, a producer, a director, or an extra. Frederick was a woman doing her shopping in downtown Minneapolis one fine day in 1969, and she happened to be in the frame for Mary Tyler Moore’s famous hat toss in the middle of the street when they were filming the show’s famous intro.
Hazel is the woman with the handkerchief wrapped around her head looking straight at the camera that you see standing behind Moore in the last freeze frame of the show’s intro. Producers wanted the scene to look natural, so no passersby knew they were filming, and Hazel was one of many who had no idea why a pretty brunette had walked into traffic to toss a hat.
The Landlord of Mary Richards’ Apartment Was Furious
During the show’s first five seasons, Moore’s character Mary Richards lived in an apartment inside an 1892 Queen Anne Victorian home. Producers had come to the homeowner, Paula Giese, and asked if they could use exterior shots of her gorgeous house. According to Paula, they said it was a one-time thing for a TV documentary, not for a sitcom that became a national hit.
After the show became a massive hit, fans came at all hours and even city tour buses stopped by her house to show fans where the famous Mary lived. Giese had enough, and when she was told that MTM would return to film more shots, she hung huge “Impeach Nixon” banners on the outside of her home. The stunt worked, and by the sixth season, Mary Richards moved into another apartment.
Actress Valerie Harper Almost Didn’t Play Rhoda
The beloved Rhoda Morgenstern became a fan favorite on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” as she played Mary Richard’s upstairs neighbor and best friend. The character of Rhoda was written as an overweight, unkempt, self-made woman who had a great sense of humor and low self-esteem. So, in the eyes of the producers, they couldn’t cast an attractive actress.
When Valerie Harper, who was quite beautiful, came in to audition for the part, they loved her but thought she didn’t look right for the part. Even after Harper tried to “frump herself up a bit”, as requested by the producers, she was still too attractive. Ultimately, the producers rewrote the character to suit Harper.
The Male Cast Was Happy When Valerie Harper Left
Valerie Harper’s Rhoda became such a fan favorite on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” that by the fourth season, she got her own spin-off series. So, Harper left the show, and it became clear that the men in the cast weren’t at all sorry to say goodbye to her.
Not because they didn’t love working with her, since Harper was a genuinely nice and kind person, but because with Rhoda’s character gone, the show wouldn’t focus so much on “the girls” (Mary and Rhoda) anymore. This meant that the show’s action would now happen in the newsroom, therefore giving them more time on the screen.
The Actress Who Designed Mary’s Famous Green Dress Had a Tragic Ending
In the first episode of the show’s fifth season, Mary Richards goes to jail and meets a prostitute named Sherry. Sherry was played by actress Barbara Colby, and she did such a good job that producers asked her to reprise her character in another episode.
Sherry reappears in one of the season’s final episodes and asks for Mary’s help in finding a job.
While undecisive about what field of work to go into, Sherry tries fashion and ends up designing an infamous green dress for Mary that is incredibly revealing. Some years later, Colby landed a role on the Moore show spin-off series “Phyllis,” but after just three episodes, she and a male friend were shot in Venice, California as they exited an acting class. The murder remains unresolved to this day.
Moore Almost Burst Out in Laughter During an Episode
During the famous episode of season six, “Chuckles Bites the Dust,” Moore had a very hard time keeping herself from laughing during the filming. Often considered one of the show’s best episodes, it follows the death of Chuckles the Clown, a children’s show host on the news station where Moore works. He had attended a parade dressed as a peanut and was killed by an elephant that tried to eat him – the mere premise is ridiculously hilarious.
Moore’s character was supposed to look sad and mournful about the news while her colleagues made insensitive jokes about Chuckle’s demise. But, throughout several rehearsals, Moore couldn’t keep a straight face. In an autobiography she wrote years later, she recounted how she had to bite her cheeks so hard they became raw, just to keep a serious face.
The First U.S. Sitcom to Feature a Curtain Call
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was groundbreaking in the sense that it had many firsts. One of them was that they were the first U.S. network show to break character and do a curtain call. After seven massively successful seasons, Tinker and Moore decided it was time to end the show on the highest note possible, and the series finale was amazing.
At the end of the episode, the characters hug and say goodbye to each other within the show’s plot, and then, for the first time in the history of American sitcoms, Moore introduced each of her fellow cast members to the audience for a final curtain call right before the end credits came up.
Ed Asner Almost Didn’t Play Lou Grant
Nowadays, we can’t imagine anyone but the late, legendary actor Ed Asner playing Lou Grant. But before he played Mary Richard’s tough, grumpy, and kind-hearted boss, Asner had no experience in comedy roles. One of the producers suggested him for the part, but some CBS executives were doubtful he could handle a starring role.
Asner eventually came in for an audition and totally bombed it. But minutes after he left, and the producers obviously decided not to cast him, Asner came back and burst into the audition room door and said, “You all know that was terrible and you were too polite to say anything. Stop being so damn polite and tell me what you want for the character!”After half an hour of working with him, Asner reread for the part and conquered his audience.
Producers Decided Minneapolis Was the Perfect Setting
Many fans and even the CBS executives themselves often wondered why the show’s producers decided to film it in Minneapolis. There were several reasons, as they would reveal in later years – the bad weather could serve for comical plot twists and visuals, the costume department could get creative with winter fashion, and they were mainly tired of the typical New York or Los Angeles setting.
Minneapolis was a big, overwhelming city for Mary Richards and a small one for Rhoda’s New Yorker character. It was the perfect balance, and Mary’s coats did end up becoming one of the most iconic things about the show.
Betty White’s Character Was Meant to Be Temporary
During season four, Betty White made an appearance on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” as Sue Ann Nivens, an outgoing woman with a sweet demeanor who hosted one of the network’s shows, called “The Happy Homemaker.” But Nivens had a wild, bedroom-oriented quality to her personality that she kept mostly hidden, and White being the comical genius that she was, portrayed that hilariously.
She was only meant to be a guest role for one episode, in which she tries to steal Phyllis’s husband, sparking a fight between her and Phyllis while cooking a souffle on a cooking show. White did such an amazing job that she was asked to come back as a regular. White and Moore were good friends in real life, and the chemistry showed onscreen.
The First Show to Feature the Pill
Mary Richards’ character was of a smart, independent, ambitious woman that, not only had intimate relations without being married but also took birth control pills. Remember this was the 70s, and contraception for women was still very much frowned upon and considered taboo.
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was the first American show to feature birth control pills on TV. This was a big leap from Moore’s previous role in “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” in which she played a married woman who slept in a separate bed from her husband. The fact that in 1972, birth control pills became available to single women across the United States also made the show resonate with its audiences.
Ted Baxter Was Based on a Real-Life News Anchor
Back in the 1970s, there was an iconic news anchor in Los Angeles called Jerry Dunphy, who made a name for himself with his signature white hair and signoff phrase: “From the desert to the sea to all of Southern California.” Dunphy became such a popular TV figure that he was even cast in movies to play small roles.
The producers of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” wrote the character of Ted Baxter based on Jerry Dunphy, despite the fact that Dunphy wasn’t nearly as dimwitted. Dunphy became so popular throughout his years as an anchor that even the character of Kent Brockman in the hit series “The Simpsons” is inspired by him.
The Show Gave Way to Three Spin-Offs
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” became so popular that it spawned three successful spin-off series: “Phyllis,” based on the character of Phyllis Lindstrom, “Rhoda,” based on Mary’s neighbor and best friend Rhoda Morgenstern, and “Lou Grant,” based on Mary’s iconic boss.
“Rhoda” and “Lou Grant” ran for a successful five seasons and became beloved sitcoms in their own right. “Phyllis” lasted two seasons, but Cloris Leachman made every episode count. Thanks to the “Mary Tyler Moore Show,” people like Ed Asner, Valerie Harper, and Cloris Leachman got to star in their own shows and advanced their acting careers to unimaginable heights.
The Show Made a Lasting Cultural Impact
From the moment it premiered, it was clear that “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was different and revolutionary, and it proved to be even more than that. The groundbreaking show pushed boundaries and broke ground on several fronts, and in 2007, it was named by Time Magazine as one of “17 Shows That Changed TV.”
As the magazine reported, “It democratized TV for adults and portrayed smart adult conversations,” which mirrored real-life workplace situations that resonated with a lot of people. It had a huge impact on future shows like “Friends” and “30 Rock” and continues to be referenced to this day in films, songs, plays, and more.
Mary Tyler Moore Started Her Career Selling Appliances
The star and name behind the hit show, Mary Tyler Moore became one of the most famous actresses of the decade. But many don’t know about Moore’s humble beginnings. At a young 17 years old, Moore did a dancing routine dressed as the Happy Hotpoint, the mascot of an appliance company called ‘Hotpoint Appliances.’
Moore shot 39 separate ads in a span of five days, which managed to make quite an impression on the commercial’s producers. Then, she got a job posing for album covers, and finally got her first TV role as a phone receptionist in “Richard Diamond, Private Detective,” in which only her legs and voice were featured.
Moore Fought for Her Right to Wear Pants
Even when she was on the more traditional “Dick Van Dyke Show,” Mary Tyler Moore always fought for women, forwarding feminist causes in any way she could. Before her strong feminist role in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” the actress had already had her share of discussions when she was playing Dick Van Dyke’s wife on his show.
For instance, the typical fashion for women back then was wearing dresses, skirts, and pearls, but Moore said that this wasn’t realistic, since women also liked to wear pants. She went on to fight the show’s producers and studios for her right to wear pants on screen, and she won. Seeing an iconic character like Moore wear pants on TV generated a wave of change when it came to women’s fashion in the U.S.
Moore Suffered Unimaginable Tragedies in Her Personal Life
As happy and joyous as every character she ever played was, Mary Tyler Moore suffered terrible tragedies throughout her life. In 1992, her brother passed away from a fatal disease, and then in 1993, her sister died too. She was very close with both her siblings.
But it was in 1995 when the worst tragedy happened – Moore’s son died from an accidental gunshot wound. Her son, Richie, was only 24 years old, and he was loading and unloading a small shotgun when it went off unexpectedly and killed him that instant. Shortly after, the weapon was taken off the market due to its faulty trigger, which they later determined was what caused the accident.
The Show Was a Pioneer in Portraying Independent Women
Even though it wasn’t the first show of its kind, the popularity of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” made it all the more influential, since it was beloved across the country. It was one of the first American sitcoms to not only portray, but also celebrate an independent, smart, career-driven woman.
This was groundbreaking during an era where women were automatically confined to the household and to the task of raising children. An unmarried woman was unthought of, and a woman who wanted to work and support herself was even worse. Thanks to Moore’s show, this was no longer considered something wrong, but on the contrary, it inspired progressiveness amongst young women everywhere.
Critics Hated It at First
As happens with many successful shows, they’re often the target of very negative reviews when they first premiere. This was also the case with “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” which even the prestigious ‘New York Times’ called “preposterous.” Other major magazines and critics were downright insulting, calling Rhoda a “Man-crazy klutz,” and saying that Mary’s character seemed “a bit desperate about being unmarried.”
The criticism went on, as Time Magazine called the show a disaster with “a drunken clown of a news director and a narcissistic nincompoop of an anchorman.” Moore and the entire cast of the show probably reveled with joy when thinking of these people’s faces when they realized the show had become one of the highest-grossing sitcoms in TV history.
The Live Audience Was Not a Fan of the Pilot Episode
When something as groundbreaking and different as “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” comes out, people are bound to reject it at first. And reject it they did – the live audience that the show’s pilot episode was tested on absolutely hated the show. Some walked out in the middle of it, and the ones that stayed didn’t utter a single word or laugh.
When asked what they thought afterwards, people said they really didn’t like Lou, Phyllis, or Rhoda. They found them unrelatable and downright unpleasant since they’d never seen anything like it. Luckily, that was just the audience’s initial reaction.
It Was the First Show to Have a High Number of Female Writers
The number of female writers on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was unheard of in television. The year was 1973, and up until that moment, the ‘Writer’s Guild’ in Hollywood had over 3,000 members, of which only 411 were women. So, the fact that out of 75 writers for the “Mary Tyler Show,” 25 were women, was a ratio no show had seen before.
One of the main writers was named Susan Silver, and when a popular magazine came to do a profile on her, they titled the article “The Writer Wears Hot Pants.” Effectively, Silver wore hot pants for the photo that accompanied the piece, and proudly said that she always wore them to work.
Mary’s Costume Designer Opted for Affordable Fashion
“The Mary Tyler Moore” show wasn’t only groundbreaking in terms of its script, but it also had a production team and staff that liked to break the rules. One of these people was the show’s costume designer, Leslie Hall. Before being responsible for dressing Mary Richards, Hall had worked as a costume designer for the 1965 hit sitcom “Get Smart,” and she’d made waves.
When hired to work as Mary’s wardrobe designer, Hall decided to source all her outfits from a single retailer, therefore allowing Mary to combine and reuse clothing items. The best part? These were readily available and affordable clothing items that could be found in most women’s clothing stores, so audiences wanting to copy an outfit from the famous Moore could put it together in no time.
The Writer of the Theme Song Was an Iconic Musician
Anybody who ever saw “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” will immediately think of its catchy theme song, “Love Is All Around.” But not many people know the amazing musician behind the tune – Sonny Curtis. Curtis was a singer-songwriter and guitarist who led The Crickets, the legendary band of 50s rock and roll legend Buddy Holly.
In fact, after Holly passed away, Curtis stepped in to do a lot of the band’s vocals. Curtis also wrote the famous song “I Fought the Law,” which, seventeen years later, got turned into an iconic punk anthem by British punk band The Clash.
The Hit Show “30 Rock” Pays Tribute to Mary Tyler Moore
“30 Rock” is one of the best comedy sitcoms to ever air on TV; from the moment it premiered in 2006 and throughout its successful seven seasons, the show’s writing and cast were nothing short of brilliant. And of course they were, it was created by legendary comedienne Tina Fey.
What many people don’t know or realize, perhaps because some younger audiences never saw “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” is that “30 Rock” is basically a loving tribute to Moore. Fey, who is clearly a fan, was heavily influenced by Mary Richards’ character for her own Liz Lemon. Corporate boss Jack Donaghy was Lou Grant, Ted Baxter was Tracy Jordan, Murray Slaughter was Pete Hornberger, and Jenna Maroney was influenced by the character of Sue Ann Nivens (played by Betty White) on “Mary Tyler Moore.”
John Aniston Auditioned for the Role of Ted Baxter
Before he became an A-list celebrity, John Aniston auditioned for the role of Ted Baxter. Aniston, who’d just become a father to the now world-famous actress Jennifer Aniston, went to the CBS studio to read for the part of anchorman Baxter. Aniston did so well in the audition that he got two callbacks for the show. He was also a very handsome man, which is exactly what they were looking for when it came to Ted Baxter’s character.
However, when Ted Knight went to audition, he made the producers laugh so much and had so much charisma with the role, that they hired him on the spot. John Anniston went on to have a stellar career of over four decades by starring in “Days of Our Lives.”
Mary Tyler Moore Was a Very Versatile Actress
As much as Mary Tyler Moore broke the mold back in the 60s and 70s by playing a strong, financially independent woman, she was also a sweet, classy lady with morals. So, when in her later years, Moore played completely against her typecast, it was quite hilarious to see.
For example, when she hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 1989, she did a monologue that went down in history for being so infamous. Moore said the word “penis!” out loud while referencing a skit that Matthew Broderick had done a week prior. Broderick had said the word over 28 times, and Moore found that hysterically funny. To see someone as poised as Moore scream out the word twice shocked and entertained audiences.
The Series Finale of “Friends” Was Inspired by Mary Tyler Moore
We all remember the tear-jerking, emotional series finale of the iconic show “Friends” – the cast all hug and say goodbye to Monica and Chandler in the backdrop of Monica’s iconic West Village New York apartment, which is now completely empty. If you rewatch the last episode of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” you’ll see a very similar scene where the entire cast is saying goodbye to each other in the newsroom.
The creators of “Friends” openly admitted that, like many other shows on TV at the time, they were influenced by the amazing finale of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Seeing the cast say goodbye to each other somehow made it easier for audiences to say goodbye to the show, commented the producers.
The Producers’ Laugh Is Heard in Some Episodes
If you were a die-hard fan of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” that saw every single episode, you’ll probably remember that during some particularly hilarious episodes, there was a very recognizable and drawn-out, deep laugh. That roar of laughter came from one of the show’s main producers, James L. Brooks.
Logically, Brooks was always sitting in the studio audience during the filming of each episode, and some episodes were so hysterically funny that he couldn’t help but break out in a distinct “haaaahhhhh hahhhh hahhh.” Everyone in the studio knew it was him, and for viewers, it eventually became equally unmistakable.
The Statue of Mary Tyler Moore Has Millions of Visitors
After the show became such a cultural symbol of the 70s, and Mary Tyler Moore became such an iconic woman, the city of Minneapolis erected a statue in her honor. To this day, the bronze statue of the actress stands in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and gets hordes of daily visitors who leave notes, gifts, and flowers at its base.
One summer, the city moved the statue to a storage unit due to some necessary construction work on the sidewalk. However, the citizens of Minneapolis complained so much that the city council had no other choice but to put it back and work around it.
The Show Featured a First Lady
By 1976, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” had become a symbol for women’s rights, so much so that the president’s wife, Betty Ford, who also championed women’s rights, made a cameo in season six. In the episode, called “The Seminar,” Lou Grant takes Mary on a trip to a politics seminar in Washington and tries to impress her with his former contacts.
U.S. First Lady Betty Ford made a cameo that spiked the episode’s ratings. Decades later, Mary Tyler Moore said she’d gotten to know Betty Ford and had immense admiration for her. Moore, who had a problem with alcohol in her later years, actually checked herself into the Betty Ford Clinic in Minnesota.
Moore was the Second Cast Member to Pass
At 80 years old, the beloved Mary Tyler Moore was the second cast member of the show to pass away, on January 25, 2017. Her family and friends paid beautiful tributes to the woman who had dedicated her life to helping others and fighting for women’s rights. The first cast member of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” to pass away was Ted Knight, who died in 1986.
As for the rest of the show’s main cast, Valerie Harper passed in 2019, and Ed Asner, Cloris Leachman, and Betty White all passed away of old age in 2021. Each talented actor was honored for their stellar careers and their life-long legacies to their loved ones.
Moore’s Long Name Helped Launch Her Career
Before she landed her famous role as Laura Petrie in “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” Mary Tyler Moore auditioned for a part in the 1953 Danny Thomas hit series “Make Room for Daddy.” Thomas was one of the 50s’ most famous actors and singers, and his show lasted for a wildly successful eleven seasons and spawned several spin-offs that became equally as famous.
Moore didn’t land the role she wanted, but when Dick Van Dyke called his friend Danny Thomas for advice on who to cast for a role, Thomas recommended “the girl with three names.” And the rest, as they say, is history.
The Show’s Script Made History
Another major landmark of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” came up in an interview years later with two of the show’s stars. In a 2013 interview with Cloris Leachman and Valerie Harper, the actresses recounted that “Mary Tyler Moore” was the first show in television history to ever use the word “gay” to refer to homosexuality on screen.
During an episode in the show’s third season, “My Brother’s Keeper,” Phyllis invites her brother Ben to visit her, and she is excited to set him up with Mary. However, much to her chagrin, she notices that Ben is getting along with Rhoda, who ultimately reveals to Phyllis that there’s nothing going on because her brother is gay.
Moore Had an Episode Rewritten
For the 20th episode of the show’s first season, titled “Hi!”, Mary Richards goes to the hospital for a tonsillectomy and has to share a room with an extremely grumpy patient. However, the original script meant for Mary to have a tattoo removed, not her tonsils.
When Moore read the script, she outright refused, saying that even if it was fictitious, she couldn’t have anything to do with tattoos because she was “a good catholic girl.” The producers had no other choice than to come up with something else and rewrite the scene. A tonsillectomy seemed like the simplest choice.
Knight and Asner Were Good Friends
Throughout the entire seven seasons of “The Mary Tyle Moore Show,” the characters of Ed Asner and Ted Knight were sworn enemies. However, in reality, the actors were very close friends, becoming almost like family by the time the last season aired. In an ironic twist of fate, shortly after the show ended, Asner and Knight got into a terrible fight in which Asner reported that Knight had crossed the line and wronged him in an appalling way.
A few years later, when asked in an interview about the infamous argument, Asner said he couldn’t even remember what it had been, but it had kept them from talking to each other for many years. When Knight was diagnosed with cancer in 1985, the two old friends made peace and said goodbye to each other.
Two Cast Members Were at War
There was one rivalry between two of the main characters on the show that extended into real life. Throughout the show’s seven seasons, Mary’s snobby friend and neighbor Phyllis Lindstrom doesn’t get along with Mary’s co-worker and close friend Murray Slaughter. The actual actors, Cloris Leachman and Gavin MacLeod, were not friendly with each other on set, not one bit.
Apparently, MacLeod and Leachman had worked together before “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and had quite a bad experience, so for the first few seasons, Leachman didn’t even want to be close to MacLeod on the set. As years went by, they reconciled and grew to be friendlier.
The Theme Song Was Rewritten After One Season
The first season of the show was all about Mary making it in a big city by herself, so the lyrics of the show’s theme song were written to fit that concept. Throughout the first season, the song focuses more on the challenge of Mary becoming independent, and so a line in the song sings “You might just make it after all.”
As the second season began and we already saw Mary settled in her new apartment, with new friends, and a successful job, the lyrics were rewritten to say, “You’re going to make it after all.” The producers wanted to make sure the famous theme song, which had become as popular as the show, reflected Mary’s achievements.
Cameos in the Show’s Opening Credits
If you look closely at the show’s opening credits, or if you’re one of those fans who’s seen it a million times already, you’ll surely remember the two joggers that pass Mary Tyler Moore in the park. Those joggers are actually the show’s producers, Allan Burns and James L. Brooks.
Also, the man with gray hair we see Mary having lunch with, who then takes her on an evening stroll, was Mary Tyler Moore’s husband at the time, Grant Tinker. Tinker was also one of the founders and president of MTM Enterprises, the studio that made the show.
Only Two Characters Appeared in Every Episode
Any TV show that lasts for seven seasons will undoubtedly have cast members come and go. Some had to leave during the fourth season due to getting their own spin-offs (like Phylis, Rhoda, and Lou Grant), others took more appealing jobs in TV, and some characters just ran their course and left.
Therefore, there aren’t many characters that lasted for the entire duration of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” In fact, the only two characters to appear in every single episode are Mary Richards, played by Mary Tyler Moore, and Murray Slaughter, played by Gavin MacLeod. By the end of the show, the two actors had become close friends in real life.
There’s a Funny Story Behind the Network’s Logo
The idea of having a kitten in the MTM Enterprises logo was absolutely genius – a perfect parody of MGM’s roaring lion. But obviously, they couldn’t get a kitten to roar, so they figured they’d get it to meow, thus making the whole thing even funnier.
However, the kitten, who they named Mimsie, proved to be quite difficult to work with and simply wasn’t meowing for the cameraman. After hours of trying, the cameraman was only able to film the kitten yawning, so they decided to use that footage and dub in a meow in post-production. After “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” ended, Mimsie was taken home by a staff member and lived another 20 years.
A TV Movie Sequel
Despite the many spin-offs that “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” generated, there was never a reunion show where all the main cast was reassembled. There was, however, a TV movie that served as a sequel, the 2000 made-for-TV film “Mary and Rhoda.” But it only featured Moore and Harper, and no other characters from the original show.
Cloris Leachman was quite offended that she wasn’t cast in the movie, and so she decided to “funnily” protest the movie while it was shooting. The only other reunion show was the CBS special in 1991, which aired for “The Mary Tyler Moore 20th Anniversary” and featured all of the original show’s cast, except for Ted Knight.
What Mary’s News Station Really Stood For
As we all know, Mary Richards’ character lands a job in the successful WJM-TV News station, which is executive produced by Lou Grant (Ed Asner). But despite Grant being Mary’s boss, the actual owner of the station is an outrageous man named “Wild” Jack Monroe, which is what the “WJM” stands for.
We only see him in one episode at the end of the first season, titled “The 45-Year-Old Man,” in which Mary pays a visit to “Wild” Jack in order to get Lou Grant’s job back. The actor who portrayed Jack Monroe was Slim Pickens, a beloved American actor and rodeo performer who started his career in the late 40s.
The Male Cast Went on to Big Successes
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” helped start many actors’ careers, and catapulted them to national fame. This was especially true when it came to the male cast members, who would all go on to lead very successful careers and star in their shows after MTM shut down.
For instance, Gavin MacLeod starred in the wildly famous show “The Love Boat,” which ran for ten seasons and also became one of TV history’s highest-grossing shows. Ed Asner went on to star in his own spin-off show, titled “Lou Grant,” which also stayed in the top 30 TV shows for many years. Ted Knight also went on to star in a popular show called “Too Close for Comfort.”
The Show Still Holds Legendary Status
Many decades have passed since the series finale of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” and since then, thousands of sitcoms have graced people’s screens. But despite the time and the sheer amount of content that has been made since, some of it absolutely brilliant, “Mary Tyler Moore” holds its place as one of TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
For more reasons than one, the show won audiences over from the very first episodes, and Mary Tyler Moore, as well as everything she represented, became beloved across the nation. Beyond audiences, even producers and TV writers have referenced the show and gotten inspiration from it countless times.
The Lesser-Known Reason Cassidy Said No
When the producers were casting for the character of Ted Baxter, they thought of the handsome actor Jack Cassidy. He had starred in the 1967 hit sitcom “He & She” and skyrocketed to fame with a reputation for his looks and vanity, which is exactly what Ted Baxter’s character was like.
However, when offered the part, Cassidy outright refused, claiming that he was tired of playing the “dimwitted pretty boy,” but there’s another lesser-known reason the actor said no. Once the show had become a national TV hit, Cassidy admitted that when he was offered the part, he didn’t want to be a supporting actor in a female-led show. In the end, it was he who asked the producers for a cameo in one of the episodes as Ted Baxter’s brother.
One of Moore’s Love Interests Was Married to a Cast Member
In the 15th episode of the first season, titled “Howard’s Girl,” Mary Richards starts a romance with Paul Arnell, but the relationship hits a pretty big obstacle early on. It turns out that Paul’s parents are more interested in pairing Mary with their other son, Howard.
The actor who plays both Paul and Howard Arnell is Richard Schaal, an American film and TV actor who was married to Valerie Harper (Rhoda Morgenstern) in real life. Schaal also appeared in the “Phyllis” sitcom spin-off, the hit 1972 series “The Bob Newhart Show,” and the movie based on the famous book by the same title, “Slaughterhouse Five.”
A Rock Legend Sang the Theme Song
While it was iconic singer-songwriter Sonny Curtis who wrote and performed the famous theme song for the show, “Love Is All Around” throughout its seven seasons, there was another legendary musician who sang the song for the 2000 TV movie “Mary and Rhoda.”
For the made-for-TV film, it was none other than rockstar legend Joan Jett who performed “Love Is All Around.” This was a time when Joan Jett had skyrocketed to fame with her rock anthem “I Love Rock and Roll,” and her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. The band, which formed in 1975, is still performing to this day.
A TV Star Was a Writer on the Show
Anyone who watched or is familiar with TV shows from the 70s will definitely remember actress Mary Kay Place. And for the younger generations, you’ll remember her as Pearl Smooter, Reese Witherspoon’s mother in the rom-com “Sweet Home Alabama.” Place made a name for herself in the early 70s when she played the role of Loretta Haggers on the TV show “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” which earned her an Emmy Award.
The talented actress, who also starred in “The Big Chill” and guest-starred in “All in the Family,” was also a very good writer. Place is the one behind “The Mary Tyler Moore” episode “Mary’s Delinquent,” and several others.
The Actors Competed for Mary’s Affection
In interviews years after the show ended, actor Ed Asner (Lou Grant) admitted that he and his fellow male cast members were always competing for Mary’s favoritism. Asner recalls that he, Knight, and MacLeod were always trying to impress Moore on set in order to become her friend. In the end, let’s not forget that this was her show, and whoever was at odds with the actress didn’t have much of a shot at staying on for very long, or would at least have a bad time at work.
There’s actually evidence of this “competition” amongst the actors in an MTM Enterprises’ Gag Reel, in which the three male actors are comically singing to Mary. It is bluntly obvious that each actor is trying to hold Mary’s gaze and sing louder than the others.
The Writers Got Lectured by Gloria Steinem
In an attempt to further learn about their target audience and the importance of feminism in general, the writers at MTM Enterprises were invited to a 70s panel discussion that was moderated by legendary woman’s rights activist Gloria Steinem. The production team thought it would be a good idea for the people behind the show to better understand the powerful feminist movement that was taking the country by storm.
No one could have imagined that Steinem herself would publicly embarrass one of the show’s chief producers, James L. Brooks. Apparently, Steinem criticized him in front of the entire audience for the fact that, whenever male colleagues would address their boss Lou Grant on the show, they called him “Lou,” but whenever Mary called his attention, she had to say “Mr. Grant.”
Moore’s TV Mother was Disappointed
For two episodes, actress Nanette Fabray played the role of Mary Richards’ mother on the show. But we never really saw her again after that. In reality, Fabray told a reporter of Emmy TV Legends during an interview that she was “greatly disappointed” that she only appeared for two episodes. Fabray was deeply offended that she wasn’t called back after her performance.
She further expressed how she genuinely thought she would turn into a regular cast member on the show after those first two episodes. Fabray even called Moore at one point and confronted her about it! Luckily, Fabray had a stellar acting career that lasted for over seven decades.
The Theme Song Was Written Without the Studios’ Knowledge
No one will ever forget “Love Is All Around,” the iconic theme song from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” written by musician Sonny Curtis. But the backstory of how it came to be is actually quite interesting. It turns out that Curtis learned about the new show through a friend of his working at CBS, who sent Curtis a synopsis. The musician was so inspired by the story that he began writing a song based on the plot.
Curtis then met with the show producer James L. Brooks and told him he had written something for the show. Brooks informed him that they weren’t looking for a theme song yet, to which Curtis simply got his guitar out and started singing his lyrics. Brooks was so impressed that he hired him.
Mary’s Apartment Became a Minneapolis Tourist Attraction
The exterior shots of Mary Richards’ lovely apartment in Minneapolis were actually from a beautiful Victorian home in the city. No one, especially the house owners, could have ever imagined how wildly popular “The Mary Tyler Show” would become.
At the peak of the show’s success, one of the owners said “The house turned out to be Minnesota’s version of Graceland,” and explained how people from all over the nation would park on their front lawn just to catch a glimpse of Mary. Also, people could come and throw hats in the air in front of the house, in reference to Mary’s iconic hat toss in the show’s opening credits.
Moore Wasn’t Convinced on Ed Asner
Actor Ed Asner landed the coveted role of executive producer Lou Grant on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” but it wasn’t without its hurdles. Firstly, Asner didn’t do well in the first audition but had the motivation to go back and audition a second time, which landed him the role. However, Asner found out years later that despite that successful second try, Mary Tyler Moore was not convinced.
She had asked the show’s producers if they were sure about what they were doing when they hired Asner. It wasn’t anything personal, as Moore would explain years later, it was simply because she didn’t see the actor as the Lou Grant she had pictured in her head. Luckily, it all worked out wonderfully.
How Valerie Harper Got the Role of Rhoda
The casting director for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” Ethel Winant, was having a hard time finding the perfect actress to play Mary’s best friend Rhoda. So, she decided to go see some theater plays and scout some unknown talent. At the time, actress Valerie Harper was starring in a small-scale play titled “An American Nightmare,” which Winant had luckily gone to see.
As soon as she saw Harper’s performance, she knew she had found the “impossible Rhoda” and getting in touch with the actress ended up being almost impossible in itself. At the time, Harper wasn’t a member of the SAG and had no agent, so there wasn’t any contact information anywhere. Eventually, Winant’s assistant managed to find Harper and call her for an audition.
The Story Behind the Famous Hat Throw
In an interview with Diane Sawyer about the show, Moore told her the famous hat that she throws in the opening sequence was actually a gift from her beloved aunt. The actress explained how the hat had been stolen years later, and she considered it a significant loss – “the hat had a lot of sentimental value,” recounted Moore.
She also told the story of the day the opening sequence was shot, and how it was the coldest morning that winter in Minneapolis, and she was absolutely freezing. All of a sudden, the director got an idea in his head and told Moore to go out into the middle of the street and “take that tam off and throw it in the air!”
MacLeod Grew into His Role
The role of Murray Slaughter, played by Gavin MacLeod, was of the funny, lighthearted co-worker who eventually becomes Mary’s close friend. But according to fellow actor Ed Asner, MacLeod had a tough time getting into the role at first.
“He wasn’t funny at all,” said Asner in an interview years later, explaining how the studio often had to reshoot a scene several times because MacLeod didn’t say a line with the right intonation, or hadn’t made the live audience laugh as they intended him to. Eventually, though, Asner said that MacLeod grew into his role and became a comedic expert.
Penny Marshall Appeared on the Show
Actress Penny Marshall skyrocketed to fame by playing Laverne DeFazio on the hit 70s sitcom “Laverne & Shirley.” Then, much like her brother Gary Marshall, Penny became an outstanding director, being responsible for classic films like “A League of Their Own,” ‘Big,” “Awakenings,” and more.
Aside from all this, Marshall also appeared on the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” on three separate occasions – once playing Toni, a woman who meets Mary Richards at a singles bar on the episode titled “I Was a Single for WJM,” then playing Paula Kovacs, a neighbor, on two separate episodes. This was during the time that Marshall was starring in “Laverne & Shirley,” so she was quite the guest celebrity to have on the show.
The Show Had Animated Spin-Offs
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was such a TV phenomenon that it not only generated three successful spin-off series but also an animated show. One of the original spin-offs, “Rhoda,” which won an Emmy Award for Best Show, generated its own spin-off, titled “Carlton Your Doorman.”
“Carlton Your Doorman” was an animated special that aired on CBS in 1980, and it followed the life of Rhoda’s mysterious doorman, Lorenzo Music. Music was the faceless doorman in Rhoda’s building, and even though the special won an Emmy in its own right for its animation skills, it was never turned into a whole series.
Moore Had a Crush on Robert Redford
Mary Tyler Moore was a woman of many facets, and she wasn’t afraid to show them. One of those facets was her unwavering, long-life crush on Hollywood legend Robert Redford. In fact, it was such a thing that the producers included it in the script of the show.
There are several references throughout the seven seasons to the fact that Mary Richards is a huge Robert Redford fan, always blushing when his name is mentioned in the office. In real life, Moore was also a devoted fan of Redford, so she must have been over the moon when she got cast to star in the 1980’s film “Ordinary People”, directed by Redford.
The Writers Used Some Ideas for Other Shows
In the show’s sixth season, the episode titled “Sue Ann Falls in Love” features Lou Grant taking Mary on a trip to the Teddies. Originally, the writers had developed this episode as the beginning of a long love story between Mary and Lou, starting a whirlwind romance.
However, when Moore was presented with the script, she nipped the idea in the bud, claiming that would take focus off the main goal of the show – a comedy sitcom about an independent woman making it on her own.
The producers behind the idea, James Burrows, James L. Brooks, and a few others, held on to the story in order to use it for future shows. Eventually, they used it for the hit CBS series from years later, “Cheers.”
Real-life Was the Other Way Around
In the show, Mary Richards’ character is a naïve Westerner from Roseburg, Minnesota, and her best friend Rhoda Morgenstern is an eccentric New Yorker from the Bronx. Ironically, it was completely the opposite in real life. Mary Tyler Moore was the quintessential New York girl who grew up in Brooklyn, and Valerie Harper grew up in Oregon in California, living mostly in rural towns.
Harper only came into contact with the magic of big cities when she and her family moved to New Jersey when the actress was in her late teens. Eventually, wanting to pursue a career in acting, Harper made the move to New York City.
A Star Trek Cameo
A famous cameo on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was one of the stars of the legendary sci-fi show “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Actor Michael Dorn, who played Worf, appeared as an extra on the Moore show, appearing in the background of many scenes using a typewriter.
Dorn also often filled in for actor John Amos’ character, Gordy Howard. In future interviews, Dorn said it was a great experience to work on the set of such a “forward-thinking” show. The fact that it truly was a female-led show, both on and offscreen, truly made an impact on the actor.
Moore Wasn’t Ready for It to End
Even though it was Mary Tyler Moore and her husband, MTM co-founder Grant Tinker, who suggested ending the show in the seventh season, while it was at its peak success, Moore wasn’t quite ready to let it go. She agreed with her husband that it was better to end things on a high note than drag it out and start getting less-than-perfect reviews.
However, Moore admitted in future interviews that she floated the idea of doing two more seasons because she loved the character so much. Despite her asking, producer James L. Brooks, the show’s writers, and Tinker himself were convinced that the show had to end when it did.
What Started It All
Whenever Mary Tyler Moore was asked about the inspiration behind her iconic show, she would always credit the groundbreaking 1966 sitcom “That Girl.” Led by actress Marlo Thomas, “That Girl” follows the story of Ann Marie, an aspiring actress who moves to New York and takes up a series of jobs waiting for her big break.
This concept of a single woman moving to a big city to work hard and make it on her own was the same idea behind “Mary Tyler Moore.” The 1966 feminist girl power series was often referred to by Moore as what started it all, further saying that “Ann Marie opened the door and Mary Richards walked right through it.”
Moore Was a Ballet Dancer in Real Life
Mary Tyler Moore would always say in interviews that she was “a failed dancer but a successful actress,” as she had tried to have a career as a ballet dancer but never really made it. In an episode from season seven, titled “Hail the Conquering Gordy,” Mary is trying to make Ted Baxter feel better about the fact he isn’t as famous as Walter Cronkite, and admits she also has a failed dream of being a ballerina.
Once Baxter leaves the scene, Mary reminisces about her dancing days and tries to do a ‘Releve’, a ballet move where you stand on the tip of your toes and walk. She immediately screams in pain and goes back to standing regularly. The show’s producers wanted to include a scene that touched on Moore’s personal life, so they wrote the ballerina bit.
A TV Ad Legend
Throughout the 70s, you couldn’t turn on a television without seeing at least one commercial with Nancy Walker. The American film and TV actress and stage comedian was the star of the Bounty Paper Towels commercial campaign for years, in which she played a woman named Rosie.
In 1970, Walker made a hilarious cameo in “Support Your Local Mother,” an episode of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in which she plays Rhoda’s mother, Ida Morgenstern. Walker went on to have a more recurring role in the spin-off show “Rhoda,” starred in her own show, guest appeared in “The Golden Girls,” and acted in several movies and shows of the 70s and 80s.
Two acting Icons Auditioned for the Role of Rhoda
Before the role of Rhoda Morgenstern went to actress Valerie Harper, there were several women who auditioned for the part. Among them were famous actresses Anne Meara and Reva Rosa. Anne Meara was a famous actress and comedian who rose to fame by being one-half of the famous 1960s comedy duo “Stiller and Meara.” The duo was made up of her and her real-life husband, Jerry Stiller, with whom she had a son, Ben Stiller.
Reva Rose was a stage and screen actress who rose to fame after playing the role of Lucy van Pelt in the hit production “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Rose went on to star in hit movies and shows of the decade, including “Bunny O’Hare,” “House Calls,” and “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.”
The Show Is Referenced in Another Iconic Sitcom
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” became such a cultural symbol of the 70s, that even while it was running it was referenced to in other hit sitcoms. For instance, the 1970 hit ABC series “The Odd Couple,” starring Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, gives a nod to the “Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
It happens in an episode when the character of Oscar calls his friends Rhoda and Phyllis in an attempt to get dates for the theater. “The Odd Couple” was a massive success in its own right, running for five seasons and featuring other Hollywood greats such as Gary and Penny Marshall, Albert Brooks, Betty White, Rob Reiner, and dozens more.
How Betty White Was Cast as Sue Ann Nivens
For the role of Sue Ann Nivens, the show’s producers needed a special actress, since the character itself was a bit complex. Nivens was meant to be the host of the WJM station’s “The Happy Homemaker Show,” a sweet, cheerful, seemingly naïve woman who is actually very strong-willed and man-hungry. The producers knew they wanted to introduce her character in the show’s fourth season, and they were at a loss as to who to cast.
During a staff meeting one day, a producer said he’d like someone like Betty White to play Sue Ann Nivens. After an hour of pitching ideas back and forth, someone finally suggested casting Betty White herself. The producers immediately called her agent, and she was happy to come in for an audition some days later.
Record-Breaking Nominations for the Golden Globes
As the groundbreaking and cultural symbol it became, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” received many awards and accolades, and broke the record for the number of Golden Globe nominations by any TV show at the time. With a staggering 22 nominations, the series won three Golden Globes – one for “Best Actress in a TV Series,” won by Mary Tyler Moore in 1971, and two for “Best Supporting Actor on TV,” won by Ed Asner in 1972 and 1976.
Additionally, the show has received countless honors, such as a Peabody Award, top ranking as one of the best TV shows ever written by TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, the Writers Guild of America, and Rolling Stone Magazine.
The Show Held the Record for Most Emmy Award Wins
On top of being nominated for countless awards, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” won an incredible 29 Emmy Awards. No other show in the history of television had ever won this many Emmys, and the show kept the record for decades.
It wasn’t until 2002, when the hit series “Frasier” won its 30th Emmy, that the record was broken by a single award. This is why, to this day, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” remains so beloved amongst fans, so revered amongst TV writers and producers, and so often referenced in modern sitcoms. It truly changed the history of television for the better.