Mary Tyler Moore dead at 80; how ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show,’ ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show’ star was an icon
Terribly sad news has come out today: Mary Tyler Moore, arguably one of the most influential television actress of all time, has died at the age of 80. In a statement, her rep Mara Buxbaum confirmed the news with the following (TMZ was the first to report the passing and Buxbaum’s statement):
“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. 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 was ill for some time, but understandably the family chose to keep matters private. To us, there is no question that Moore is one of the greatest, if not the greatest comedy actress of her time. She not only was a shining light on “The Dick Van Dyke,” but then she kept her career surging with “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” She was universally loved, charismatic, and she had this beautiful relatable quality about her where you never felt that she was better than anyone else. Even beyond these two shows she continued to lend her talent to other shows, including “Hot in Cleveland” most recently to go along with “That 70’s Show,” “The Naked Truth,” and some “Mary Tyler Moore Show” spin-offs. She’s not someone who ever felt the need to be everywhere on television and we know that if she was part of a show then this show was something she really believed in.
Beyond just her talent and her humor, Moore was incredibly significant in helping more female-fronted series, especially comedies, make it into mainstream television. She first broke out at a time when men were dominating the airwaves, and her talent made her impossible to ignore.
What we want to offer you below is the scene of Chuckles the Clown’s Funeral from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” which is to us one of the most iconic scenes and episodes in sitcom history. It shows that even when she tackled darker material, she found a way to still tackle it with humor, brilliance, and plenty of heart.
We’ll miss you, Mary, and we’re sending all of our love out to everyone who knew her. (Photo: CBS.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92I04DkMEps