She Could Turn the World on with Her Smile

Television pioneer and icon Mary Tyler Moore died at age 80 on Wednesday after being hospitalized in Connecticut. She leaves behind a loving husband of 33 years, a legacy of two visionary TV programs and legions of fans.

Moore was a Brooklyn girl before it was hip to be from there, but grew up in Los Angeles after age 7. She rose to international fame starring on the 1960s sitcom “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” She later starred on the beloved 1970s sitcom “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” which is one of the first shows to feature a never-married, working woman as its central character. Moore played single, 30-year-old TV news producer Mary Richards.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show was so influential, there’s a statue in Minneapolis of her as Mary Richards famously tossing up her hat, which was celebrated on the Ellen DeGeneres show.

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres does her best Mary Tyler Moore during her visit to Minneapolis, MN, in 2011.

Our favorite Mary Tyler Moore episode is from season 5 when she wore “the dress.” It was a super 70s number which revealed her amazing physique. Even though in the late 50s and early 60s she was a pinup model, by the 70s she was such a pioneering figure for women, most didn’t see her as an outright sex symbol. The outfit came as a bit of a shock to audiences, but the episode was so funny and well-written that Moore was not faulted for wearing it as a sort of publicity stunt to vault ratings after so many successful seasons.

“I wish every free woman in the WORLD would wear that dress!” quipped actor Ted Knight as news anchor, Ted Baxter, on the Mary Tyler Moore show.

As if we needed another reason to like her, Mary was also a Mustang girl driving one in the intro of all 7 seasons of the show. In a later episode, Rhoda even bought her a new one to pay back a loan after her business took off.

Perhaps even more surprising than her death is that she’s survived by the man who played her boss, Lou Grant, on the show. Actor Ed Asner was kind enough to tweet the following about her passing…

“A great lady I loved and owe so much to has left us. I will miss her. I will never be able to repay her for the blessings that she gave me.”

And, he also sent this more personal tweet to her…

“Know that I love you and believe in your strength.”

Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Richards, from the MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW,1970.

Mary Tyler Moore is also survived by her 94-year-old costar, Betty White, who is currently too distraught to comment on Moore’s passing. However, her last scripted TV appearance was perfect, in a way. Moore was last seen on the TV sitcom: Hot in Cleveland—but it wasn’t just any regular old guest appearance. Moore appeared alongside her Mary Tyler Moore costars for a reunion in the episode called “Love is All Around,” a nod to the show’s famous theme song.

This was Moore’s second appearance on the show that stars TV veterans Betty White, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and Valerie Bertinelli. She played Diane, an old bowling buddy of White’s Elka. Of course the two previously starred on MTM together, starting in 1973 when White joined the cast as Sue Ann Nivens. We leave you with Mary Tyler Moore’s final broadcast and a call for more pioneers in family programming.