"Eight Characters in Search of a Sitcom" - The Mary Tyler Moore Show | A documentary

This video is the 2002 documentary "Eight Characters in Search of a Sitcom" - The Mary Tyler Moore Show. It was one of the special features when the DVDs of Season 2 came out.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show is my favorite situation comedy of all-time, created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring Mary Tyler Moore. It originally aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977. Moore, who several years earlier had achieved fame as Laura Petrie on the Dick Van Dyke Show, starred as Mary Richards, an unmarried, independent woman focused on her career as associate producer of the fictional WJM news program in Minneapolis.
Ed Asner co-starred as Mary's boss Lou Grant, alongside Gavin MacLeod (Murray Slaughter), Ted Knight (Ted Baxter), Georgia Engel (Georgette Franklin), and Betty White (Sue Ann Nivens), with Valerie Harper as Rhoda Morgenstern and Cloris Leachman as Phyllis Lindstrom, friends and neighbors of Mary. What a cast! It's hard to believe that they've all passed on, but what memories they left us every Saturday night on CBS.
The show is remembered for its complex, realistic characters and storylines, unlike what was usually seen on TV at that time. In addition to the goings-on in Mary's home life, this budding journalist loved the scenes in the newsroom, which were hilarious, and as I later found out, very realistic. The show enjoyed high ratings and critical acclaim in its original run, earning 29 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series from 1975-1977.
In the "The Making of Season One" documentary about TMTMS (also available in this playlist) they concentrated on the show's beginning. This one is of more overall scope; they focus on each of the characters and what made them so great, then add some more interview footage.
This doc was written and directed by Matthew Asner and Danny Gold. Ed Asner was executive producer, Matthew Asner and Gold were producers, and Jonathan Oakes was co-producer.
Copyright Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Endless Classic Television, or any other party. I don't claim the rights to, and don't profit from, this video. I just posted it for historical and educational purposes, and for those who will enjoy it as much as I did.

[@tkreitler]

This is one of the funniest sitcoms of all time. The writing was terrific and the actors portrayed their characters in such a believable way. It is sad to think that none of them are still with us.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Agreed. But at least their brilliance is saved for us to enjoy!

[@melodiefrances3898]

One of those times when everything in a show came together perfectly. ❤❤❤

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

❤❤❤!

[@TopKirby8305]

It's so hard to believe that the entire cast is all deceased now. ;-; They were all phenomenal actors that will never ever be forgotten!

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Amen to that!

[@Lava1964]

Well, it has been 46 years since the last episode aired. Time spares no one.

[@adamodeo9320]

I met Valerie Harper - she was kind and sweet - very joyful -

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

She was a sweetheart!

[@pacificostudios]

LOU: "You've got spunk! -- I hate spunk!"

[@shelleynobleart]

My first time realizing the entire main cast has now passed.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

It was a gut punch, for sure. I do take some comfort in that all their great work is still available for us to enjoy.

[@jimmyguitar2933]

But Dick Van Dyke is still kicking it. Amazing!

[@josephbistricer6229]

Bird or nest issue at Mary Tyler Moore

[@kendallrivers1119]

Without The Mary Tyler Moore Show the workplace sitcom would probably never have become what it became. There'd be no Barney Miller, WKRP, Spin City, Newsradio, Murphy Brown, The Office, Superstore, Parks & Recreation etc. This show definitely has a huge legacy.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Excellent observation!

[@kendallrivers1119]

@@petegoodwinboston4825 Thanks! Thanks for this vid, man.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

@@kendallrivers1119 Glad you liked it!

[@rah62]

Well, without the Dick Van Dyke Show there'd be no Mary Tyler Moore Show!

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

@@rah62 True that!

[@user-tj4ks3uh6f]

They all were fantastic.

[@stephenr3910]

Valerie Harper was in a play near me and spent an afternoon visiting kids at a summer camp for kids from low-income families. There was no publicity in it for her. Someone at the camp called into a local radio station a short while after and told about it.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Valerie struck me as an extraordinarily nice human being, in addition to being so talented!

[@johndalton3180]

Yup. I met her once. Great lady.

[@meman6964]

Was this in Columbus Ohio? I saw here there too. In the beautiful old RKO Palace theater.🎉

[@kathleendobens6648]

​@johndalton3180 wow that's so awesome.

[@January.]

*and spoke/talked about it.

[@adamfox9245]

Valerie Harper was GORGEOUS!

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Can confirm!

[@scotto9591]

The acting coach for this program is awesome. I never realized how important it was to have someone like that, on a show like this. 🤯

[@SuntoSet77]

Enjoyed this so so much. Mary was a great example for us young gals even though I'm definitely a Rhoda Morganstern, all the way. Lol. Watching the shows and when I see Mary n Dick doing their show,,, it's a warm blanket and I'm hiding safe from the cold harsh world. These are great interviews I've never seen. Thx for posting

[@joshuameeks2.05]

I was born in the late 90s but i love watching older shows like the Mary Tyler Moore show and and All the other one from this era

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

You have great taste, Joshua!

[@JuneJarka]

I LOVED the interplay between Ted Baxter, Murray Slaughter, and Lou Grant. They were all fantastic. They really made me laugh. Also Rhoda Morgenstern and Sue Ann Nivens. They were brilliant and my favourite females. Their lines were wonderful.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Tremendous cast!

[@JuneJarka]

@@petegoodwinboston4825 Agreed. The casting was perfect.

[@January.]

*females

[@hallsjuju2400]

They were all so good in their characters that is why we miss them.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Yes!

[@jimmyguitar2933]

Love ya Mary! You were one of the best things in my childhood! RIP.

[@shelteredsparrow2736]

About Cloris Leachman wearing her own clothes. I absolutely loved her clothes!

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

I got a kick out of that myself!

[@5cloudwalker]

Sad to think all the cast member are now passed☹️

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Yes, that's on the minds of everyone. However, I do like to note that their brilliant work will live forever!

[@gailkellum832]

Great show with great actors, crew, writers, etc. I loved that show and each character...

[@DanaTheInsane]

I"m from Minneapolis, we all grew up watching this, though, it never had anything to do with ACTUAL Minneapolis. They used a place name ONCE that I can remember and they pronounced it wrong. They said Edina but pronounced it EDEENA. But all the opening shots are my childhood.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

LOL! That's hilarious! I did the whole Mary tour a few years ago and loved it!

[@DanaTheInsane]

After Rocky Horror in the early 80s we would go to the house, twisted on various substances at 3 in the morning and sing the theme song under the windows, they must have hated us. I still do the theme song in Karaoke, and toss my hat in the air at the end. I assume you got to see the statue of her on Nicolette mall? @@petegoodwinboston4825

[@jchow5966]

Best TV show ever. I still watch it & love it.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Same here!

[@2tuffHD]

Great job on putting this together Pete. I loved every minute...

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

My only contribution was posting it. I think there are credits re: who wrote, edited, etc.

[@Rick-hx9fo]

Perfection. Absolute perfection.❤

[@uofa82]

Murrey was an “Everyman” in an eternal search for uniqueness not realizing he was born with it.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Well-said!

[@dianecaldwell5237]

Great documentary! Thanks for sharing it.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

YW, Diane!

[@DerekWill-qp5ge]

Mary Tyler moore was so elegant and lovely! A lady! They don't make em like her Anymore! 🎉🎉❤

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Well-said!

[@stevenvox6549]

One reason the show was different and so good was that Mary (the star of the show) did not have many punch lines. Her reactions to everybody else were funny.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

@@stevenvox6549 Bingo!

[@baddestjoanna-michellesmit5578]

Mtm ,is a brand but she was an actress ! dope ! She was an icon .

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Adored by so many!

[@wookinooki9023]

I always had the impression that Ted Knight was imitating Jack Cassidy.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Interesting! And not out of the question!

[@wookinooki9023]

@@petegoodwinboston4825 but I also think that Jack Cassidy was typecast as the cocky narcissistic guy (ex. Bewitched), and maybe had trouble turning it off.

[@charlie-obrien]

Jack Cassidy played Ted's more successful brother on one episode and it was hilarious. The difference in their demeanor's though, was that Ted was like a harmless teddy bear and Jack was a "Casanova".

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

@@charlie-obrien Those were great scenes!

[@January.]

​@@charlie-obrien*demeanor

[@shelteredsparrow2736]

I write humor. This show showed that you could be really funny without being dirty.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Exactly!

[@mikeymutual5489]

You must be hilarious. SMH

[@lauraberendson4032]

It is sad that they all are dead and gone. Betty white was the last one.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

It is hard to wrap one's brain around. Such a big part of our lives!

[@adamfox9245]

Nice interviews! GREAT SHOW!

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@jilltagmorris]

This was WONDERFUL ❤❤❤

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Glad you enjoyed! Such a great show!

[@jimmyguitar2933]

Those 70's fashions! Of course, Mary looked great in anything. She'd look hot in old sweatpants.

[@spockboy]

Good work!

[@MrJoeybabe25]

This is magnificent! Thank you very much!

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Careful, Joe, or you'll have me blushing!

[@MrJoeybabe25]

@@petegoodwinboston4825 😊😊

[@davidkemp3154]

Ted Knight & Bob Newhart were the funniest!

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Yes! They (and a lot of others) made Saturday nights the best!

[@patrickcooper7869]

Used to be a big fan of Ed Asner in the spinoff series ‘Lou Grant’ 😀

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Yes! Between TMTMS and Lou Grant, I wanted to be a journalist, which I ended up making my career! And if I get some free time I plan on re-watching Lou Grant!

[@rolanchristofferson9363]

Too bad you didn't end with the MTM kitten meow.

[@Daniel-sh3os]

I don't think that I have seen so many great characters on a comedy show, maybe Mash.

[@user-jd2pl8tu4v]

It can ALMOST, be considered as good as "The Odd Couple and " The Honeymooners," I always saw much of John Beluschi in Lou Grant.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

All great shows. And I can see the Belushi comparison!

[@uofa82]

Mary Tyler Moore always had comedy in her, but I think it was Dick Van Dyke who helped her learn how to get it out. Who better to learn from.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

True. What a gentleman and a talent DVD is!

[@uofa82]

I remember on one the Dick Van Dick memory shows Dick said that early in the show a scene was going to call for MTM to be funny and they weren’t sure she could pull it off. But she did, with flying colors. And a whole new angle for the show was born.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

@@uofa82 And aren't we lucky it was!

[@Daniel-sh3os]

I don't think that I have ever seen reruns of the Lou Grant show on my Cable system or fios. Is there some reason why that show about a newspaper editor isn't on television, anymore.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

I think you can find them on KZbin!

[@MrKansaitim]

The opposite of Friends -- genius.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

I didn't mind Friends, but most everything paled in comparison to TMTMS!

[@MrKansaitim]

@@petegoodwinboston4825 Watch some Friends episodes minus the canned laugh track; it's horribly shallow.

[@josephbistricer6229]

Mary Tyler Moore and building nest bird issue

[@stephenriggs8177]

I think older Chloris looks prettier than MTM Chloris. 🤔

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Mary, Valerie, and Cloris were all gorgy, as the kids say today.

[@lane99]

22:27: what in the world does "pedoriousness"(sp?) mean?

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Penurious Miserly, parsimonious, and stingy. Being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others.

[@lane99]

@@petegoodwinboston4825 That would work. Thank ya.

[@loranv3435]

No but better

[@adamfox9245]

Too many early clips before the characters found their groove. Why??

[@henrimatisse7481]

ok now we know the value of good writers. not just this show but my favorite, Murphy Brown. Why screw them over and go to the movies paying the CEO's who would impoverish every professional who makes the entertainment? Don't go for 6 months

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

You're preaching to the choir, henri, I'm a union guy. The writing is just as important as the acting!

[@rogerjenkinson7979]

​@@petegoodwinboston4825The Writing is more important than the acting. If you don't have a good story even a great cast will look bad. I watch lots of old films. They are great even with unknown actors because the credits say - From the book, play, story by... ie. An already successful beginning. Having said that, to translate well to film, you need a good talented team in all the cinematic skills to bring it all together & make it gel.

[@January.]

*CEOs

[@scotto9591]

This was a wonderful program. It helped people to think in different ways, without rubbing their nose in it. Georgette was barely a character in the show. I'm not sure why she has a place in this retrospective😊

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Georgette/Georgia Engle was pretty much a regular the last few seasons, and brought out the softer side of the bombastic Ted. Plus the wedding episode was hilarious. I didn't mind at all.

[@January.]

*on the show

[@jimmyguitar2933]

She was big in the later seasons, as was Betty White.

[@pattip2788]

“Rhonda” was jealous of Mary, always complementing her on her looks, personality, her ability of attracting men, etc. etc. “Rhoda” the insecure one. However, I saw Rhoda as much prettier, with a better body, and a way better personality, than Mary Richards. It was a fantastic show! From the days of good comedy!

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

I thought they were both great and played off each other so well!

[@lauraberendson4032]

It was a good show when the writing was good and the acting was good. But there was a lot that I hated about each individual character..

[@gardenlover9663]

I found it hard, watching Cloris Leachman in this role. I didn't like the character at all. I loved her in Young Frankenstein and in History of the World Part I.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Interesting!

[@msr1116]

Mary and Phyllis were in college at the same time but Mary dropped out after two years and it appears that Phyllis got a degree. Phyllis was once described as very intelligent by Mary and she was always reading, interested in cultural pursuits and who permitted Bess to only watch educational TV. I think she fancied herself as an intellectual with discriminating taste and certainly came across as haughty at times.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

@@msr1116 And apparently some of her clothes actually belonged to Cloris!

[@gardenlover9663]

@@msr1116 Thanks! Haughty is a great word for her.

[@January.]

I absolutely loved Phyllis, Cloris' character, Cloris' comic genius portrayal, and wish she was still on the show.

[@deborahklinlger8565]

I wasn't a fan of Mary------> liked the supporting cast. 🙏 RIP to all . It's 2023 & I have a greater appreciation for this TV show. I liked The DIck van Dike Show & Rhoda & Phyllis Show & I never have seen the Lou Grant Show. The Love Boat was great & any shows/ films that Betty White did were great too. GERGIA in Everybody Loves Ray ❤️ was wonderfully funny 😁!!!! Ir was a very lovable cast!!!! GREAT WRITING/ DIRECTING TOO!!!!! All the women cast had great clothing styles!!!!! I liked most of the 70's-80's.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Interesting! I often hear it said that Mary's lack of ego let those other stars shine.

[@January.]

*Georgia *70s-80s

[@lauraberendson4032]

I always hated the way the merry character was too nice to people and too accommodating and too weak and too accepting. She was a doormat.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

We'll have to agree to disagree here. MR *was* nice, but also smart enough to know when to go along and when to take a stand. She was generally succeeding at work (which many women of that era weren't allowed to) and in her personal life. I actually thought hers was a *strong* character!

[@January.]

*Mary

[@josephbistricer6229]

Mary Tyler Moore son dies

[@loneprimate]

LOL Murray Slaughter was the gayest straight man I ever saw. :D

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

😉

[@meman6964]

Later he was Captain Steubing on Love Boat❤

[@loneprimate]

@@meman6964 Wait, Captain's tubing? My goodness! :D

[@quad5186]

Watch the MAD tv take on the show.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

@@quad5186 I've seen it! Quite funny!

[@blahdeblaaah9445]

Gavin McLeod was not funny and miscast. He could memorize lines and probably was wonderful to work with… but was unfunny.

[@petegoodwinboston4825]

Respectfully disagree.

[@blahdeblaaah9445]

@@petegoodwinboston4825 I understand. Thank you for being respectful.