Mary Tyler Moore died last week at the age of 80. Along with her dies a big part of my childhood. When I was young, I couldn’t wait to grow up and get my own apartment, just like Mary’s. She was the first single woman on TV, unapologetically living her life. Not afraid to be picky about her suitors, only afraid to settle for less. My admiration for Mary goes a lot farther back than the Mary Tyler Moore show. Mary was taking a stand for feminism well before that. in the 60s, the Dick Van Dyke show gave us the perfect married couple with Rob and Laura Petrie .
Mary was 25 years old when the show first aired and parts of her were already famous. Her stint on the John Forsyth show, Richard Diamond private detective as Sam had made her voice and her dancer’s legs famous .
The Richard Diamond days.
But it was for covering her legs that she began her feminist journey. As Laura Petrie, Mary fought for and was finally allowed to wear Capri pants in one scene per episode . This was a controversial act in that women on TV wore skirts and dresses exclusively. But Mary said nuts to that ,walnuts that is:D
But it wasn’t until she got her own show that Mary took the feminist mantle into her personal life when she created Enterprises along with husband Grant Tinker, a production company that, not only produced the Mary Tyler Moore show, but many others including the Bob Newhart show, Lou Grant, Remington Steele and WKRP in Cincinnati.
Her talent behind the scenes was only bested by her talent on camera. Warm,funny, engaging and sexy, that was Mary.
I’d like to conclude this by sharing some of my favorite of Mary’s scenes. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
Whoever thought that walnuts could be so sexy?
Imagination what imagination?
Chuckling for Chuckles
Opening tribute
Curtain call
We miss you, Mary!
