Mary Tyler Moore spent decades as “America’s Sweetheart,” starring in popular shows like The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. But behind her Hollywood success, her life was filled with family tragedies. Here is the story of Mary Tyler Moore.
Mary Tyler Moore was born on December 29, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York, to George Tyler Moore, a clerk, and Marjorie Hackett Moore. She was the oldest of three children in a Catholic family, raised in a home her father called “impoverished nobility.”
Mary Tyler Moore – Childhood
Brooklyn was a diverse place during Mary’s childhood. As an English-Irish Catholic, she grew up in an orthodox Jewish neighborhood. Though it was different from what she was used to, Mary found it exciting. “My background is exciting,” she said. “We integrated ourselves, fought each other, called each other names, but through it all we were friends.”
Mary loved dancing as a young girl. When she was five, her family moved to Los Angeles, bringing her closer to her dream of being in show business. After World War II, the Moore family settled in Los Angeles, where Mary’s successful uncle, Harold Hackett, encouraged the move.
Moving to Los Angeles
Starting at the bottom, Mary worked hard to achieve her dream. She attended grammar school in Hollywood and later went to a Catholic school. She wasn’t the best student and struggled with self-confidence, especially with a father who was an expert on movie classics.
However, Mary knew that if she was going to make it in show business, LA was the place to be. She focused on singing and dancing and worked in the mailroom of a Hollywood company in 1953. Although it wasn’t glamorous, it was a step toward her dream. But Mary wasn’t meant to stay in a mailroom.
Mary would often sit in on radio show rehearsals, and she eventually took dance classes, which her aunt paid for. By the time she graduated high school, Mary was well on her way to a career in show business.
Mary Tyler Moore – Dancer
In 1955, Mary got her first on-screen role as a dancer in TV commercials for The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. She played “Happy Hotpoint” in 39 segments, earning $6,000. At just 17 years old, Mary was now a professional dancer. But soon, she found out she was pregnant, which changed everything.
Mary had married Richard Carleton Meeker in 1955, and they had a son, Richard “Richie” Meeker Jr., in 1956. She wrote in her memoir how difficult it was to continue working as an actress while pregnant. She even had to squeeze into a costume that became tighter as her pregnancy progressed.
Mary Tyler Moore – Comedy Shows
After her pregnancy, Mary’s career took off. She appeared in several TV shows, and although she was often hired for her “beautiful dancer legs,” she soon proved she had real talent. In the early 1960s, she was cast as Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show. The show became a huge success, known for its clever humor. Mary won two Emmys and a Golden Globe for her work on the show.
After the show ended in 1966, Mary took a break to focus on family and movies. However, she found her true calling in comedy shows. In 1970, she got her own show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, where she played the role of Mary Richards, a single woman working as a producer at a fictional news station. The show was groundbreaking and became an instant hit.
Mary’s show ran for seven seasons and 168 episodes, earning her many awards. But it wasn’t all easy. Before the pilot aired, both Mary and the writers were worried. They had a terrible first run-through, and Mary cried herself to sleep. But the writers made changes, and the show became a huge success.
Mary Tyler Moore – Awards
The show was filmed in front of a live audience, which made it nerve-wracking for Mary, who often had to perform dance routines perfectly. “It was do or die,” she said. Mary won several awards for her role, including three Emmys and a Golden Globe, proving her talent.
However, behind the success, Mary faced personal struggles. Both she and her mother battled alcoholism. Mary’s sister passed away from a combination of alcohol and painkillers, and Mary’s own son also faced addiction and tragic loss.
Alcohol Abuse
Mary’s alcoholism worsened during her marriage to Grant Tinker. She would drink to cope with unhappiness, even playing “Russian roulette” with her car. After their divorce in 1980, Mary’s drinking continued until she checked into the Betty Ford Center for help. She managed to stop drinking and found strength during her recovery.
Tragic Passing of Son Ritchie Meeker
Mary’s son, Richie Meeker, tragically passed away in October 1980 after accidentally shooting himself with a gun. Richie had struggled with addiction, and his death was devastating for Mary. She later spread his ashes in the Owens River in California and wrote about her grief in her memoir.
Mary Tyler Moore – Academy Award
Despite the heartbreak, Mary continued to find success. In 1980, she starred in Ordinary People, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. She also won a Tony Award for her Broadway performance in Whose Life Is It Anyway?.
Mary married Robert Levine in 1983, and they stayed together until her death in 2017. In her later years, Mary battled complications from diabetes, including heart and kidney problems. She also lost her vision, and in 2011, she had a benign tumor removed from her brain.
Mary Tyler Moore passed away on January 25, 2017, at the age of 80 due to cardiopulmonary arrest, following a battle with pneumonia. Her death was met with tributes from fellow celebrities, including Robert Redford and Oprah Winfrey.
Mary Tyler Moore had a tough life behind the scenes, but she will always be remembered for her talent, grace, and kindness. She will be missed, but her legacy lives on.
Angelina Jolie through the years: The star’s life in photos
Angelina Jolie has lived her whole life in front of the spotlight. She was born to father, Jon Voight, and mother, Marcheline Bertrand in 1975. Now, on her 46th birthday, see her evolution through the years in the limelight.
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Jolie clings tight to father, Jon Voight, in 1980.
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Angelina Jolie, Jamie Haven and Jon Voight attend the Academy Awards in 1986.
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Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight, and Jamie Haven at the 60th Academy Awards.
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Jolie starts life in front of the camera while modeling a bikini in 1991.
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Jolie attends the premiere of “Wallace” in 1997.
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Jolie at the premiere of “Gia” in 1998.
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Jolie goes blonde for the SAG Awards in 1999.
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Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton get close at the “Gone in 60 Seconds” premiere. The two were married from 2000 to 2003.
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Jolie smolders in a beige dress at the “Taking Lives” premiere in 2004.
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Jolie out with baby Maddox in 2003.
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Jolie arrives to the Venice Film Festival in 2004.
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Jolie beams next to Brad Pitt at the premiere of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” in 20o5. The two began their relationship while filming the movie while Pitt was still married to Jennifer Aniston.
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Jolie films “Life or Something Like It” with a platinum blond wig.
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Pitt and Jolie attend the premiere of “God Grew Tired Of Us” in 2007.
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Jolie steps out with Maddox and Shiloh in 2007.
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Angelina Jolie steps onto the red carpet while pregnant in 2008.
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Pitt and Jolie attend the SAG Awards in 2009.
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Jolie out with her children in 2011.
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Jolie showing off some leg at the Academy Awards in 2012.
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Pitt and Jolie attend the “Maleficent” premiere in 2014. The two filed for divorce in 2016.
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Pax Jolie-Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend the Netflix Golden Globes in 2018.
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Angelina Jolie attends the “Maleficent” premiere with her kids, Vivienne, Zahara, Shiloh and Knox in 2019.
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Jolie beams with her daughter, Vivenne, in 2020. While Jolie hasn’t acted in a movie since 2019’s Maleficent, she has stayed in the spotlight as her custody battle with ex, Brad Pitt, rages on.
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