Mary Tyler Moore, Emmy-Winning TV Legend, Dies at 80
Actress’ spokeswoman says that she “passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years”
Tim Kenneally | January 25, 2017 @ 11:45 AM
Last Updated: January 25, 2017 @ 2:55 PM
Mary Tyler Moore, the six-time Emmy-winning star of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and the “Mary Tyler Moore Show,” has died at age 80, TheWrap has learned.
“Today, beloved icon, Mary Tyler Moore, passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine,” her longtime publicist, Mara Buxbaum said in a statement. “A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile.”
Moore’s family told the New York Times that the actress died of cardiopulmonary arrest after she contracted pneumonia.
Born in Brooklyn in 1936, Moore made appearances on series including “The Tab Hunter Show” and “77 Sunset Strip” before landing the role of Laura Petrie, the wife of Rob Petrie, on “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”
The role earned Moore an Emmy award in 1964, one of six Emmys she would win throughout her career.
She was also nominated for an Oscar for playing an affluent mother whose son commits suicide in Robert Redford’s 1980 film “Ordinary People.”
Following “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” Moore stepped into the title role of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” which premiered in 1970 and starred Moore as Mary Richards, a single woman working as a news producer in Minneapolis.
The series, which ran until 1977, gave birth to multiple spinoffs for the characters Lou Grant (Ed Asner), Rhoda Morgenstern (Valerie Harper) and Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman).
It was around the time of the sitcom that Moore was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
In 2015, her Van Dyke told Larry King that the illness had “taken a toll on her, she’s not well at all.”
Moore became heavily involved in raising awareness of the disease and served as the international chairman of JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).
The actress was married three times. In 1955, she wed Richard Carleton Meeker; the pair divorced in 1961. Moore married CBS executive (and later chairman of NBC) Grant Tinker in 1962.
Together they formed the production company MTM Enterprises, which was responsible for her namesake show as well as other hits like “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Remington Steele” and “Hill Street Blues.”
The couple divorced in 1981, following the death of Moore’s son Richard, who died of an accidental gunshot to the head incurred while handling a shotgun.
Moore married Dr. Robert Levine in 1993.
12 Classic Shows You Didn't Know Mary Tyler Moore Was Involved With Behind the Scenes (Photos)
The acclaimed sitcom that bears Mary Tyler Moore’s name -- you know, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" -- ran for seven season (1970-1977) and won numerous awards. It cemented Moore as a comedy legend. But what you may not have known is that Moore's production company, MTM Enterprises, also produced it. And that's just one of the many show's Moore's company had a hand in over the next several decades.
"The Bob Newhart Show" (1972-1978) Produced by MTM Enterprises, “The Bob Newhart Show” is also often ranked among the best TV shows ever. It received numerous award nominations during its six-season run.
"Rhoda" (1974-1978) This spin-off from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” included numerous ties back to the show that spawned it, running for five seasons. It was produced by MTM and won two Emmys and a Golden Globe.
"Phyllis" (1975-1977) The second spin-off from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" earned Cloris Leachman a Golden Globe for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. MTM Enterprises produced it for two seasons.
"Lou Grant" (1977-1982) Another "Mary Tyler Moore" spin-off, Lou Grant won 13 Emmys, including two for star Ed Asner. MTM produced the series' five seasons.
"Hill Street Blues" (1981-1987) MTM produced the seven-season cop drama. It's tied for the record of most Best Drama Emmy wins with four, along with "West Wing," "Mad Men" and "L.A. Law."
"Remington Steele" (1982-1987) Best known for launching Pierce Brosnan before he was James Bond. MTM Enterprises produced and distributed the show, which ran for five seasons.
"St. Elsewhere" (1982-1988) The hospital drama often known for starring a young Denzel Washington was produced by MTM. It won 13 Emmys and ran for six seasons.
"WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978-1982) MTM produced the sitcom, set in a struggling radio station. It garnered 10 Emmy nominations and one win for its four seasons, and later returned as a sequel series, "The New WKRP in Cincinnati."
"Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" (1993-1998) MTM distributed, rather than produced, the Western drama about a woman doctor on the frontier in Colorado. "Dr. Quinn" went on for six seasons and had enough of a fan following to warrant two made-for-TV movies after its cancellation.
"America's Funniest Home Videos" (1995-1997) Before memes were a thing, "America's Funniest Home Videos" was basically "Memes: The Show." MTM distributed the series from 1995, when it started, to 1997.
"Rescue 911" (1989-1996) William Shatner treated viewers to re-enactments of harrowing 911 calls in this People's Choice Awards winner. MTM Enterprises produced and later distributed the show.
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Mary Tyler Moore is well-known as a comedian and actress, but her production company, MTM Enterprises, is responsible for a host of classic TV shows as well
The acclaimed sitcom that bears Mary Tyler Moore’s name -- you know, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" -- ran for seven season (1970-1977) and won numerous awards. It cemented Moore as a comedy legend. But what you may not have known is that Moore's production company, MTM Enterprises, also produced it. And that's just one of the many show's Moore's company had a hand in over the next several decades.
