Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration Page #4

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a good, hard look at herself.

We have to shake her up.

We have to slap some sense

into her.

-And she says "Rhoda!"

-Rhoda!

-And then she says it

a second time with a lot

of power -- "Rhoda!"

-Rhoda!

-And then she comes over

and takes,

disconnects my dryer and --

That was an old -- I don't think

they even make them anymore.

-Rhoda!

-What? What?

[Gasps]

What?

The show is brilliant because

Mary is who you want to be,

who you wish you were.

Rhoda is who you probably are

and Phyllis is who you are

afraid you'll become.

And that's pretty close to

the truth.

-NARRATOR:
Actors especially

liked working on the series

because the writing was superior

to most other sitcoms

of the era.

-Nobody ever had to complain

or suggest that

something be changed,

because the scripts

were always near perfect

when we got them.

We would sit around the table

on Monday morning,

and they would come down

near perfect.

-You value that writing.

You never take it for granted

because it doesn't happen

that often.

-NARRATOR:
At the helm

were James L. Brooks

and Alan Burns.

Their goal was to create comedy

that flowed from

real characters,

not the cardboard cutouts

that so often populate sitcoms.

-Television has

a responsibility --

[Ted interrupts]

Would you shut up, Ted!

I knew

they respected the truth.

And I knew they weren't ever

going to make a joke

that didn't make sense.

It was going to be because

it followed.

This was such an important night

to Wes.

He was counting on it so much.

And I don't have

a handkerchief.

[Sobbing]

-NARRATOR:
The biggest cultural

breakthrough on the show

was the portrayal of

Mary herself --

the first single, independent

career woman on television.

-After working here

for three years

and doing every little

piddly job

from ordering paper clips

to tweezers,

I think I am ready for

a little more responsibility.

Something challenging,

something difficult.

-You do, huh?

-Yes, I do.

And I think if you did that

for me

it would take some of the load

off your shoulders.

-You're right.

By golly, you are right.

-NARRATOR:
In an era when women

were fighting for equal rights,

Mary Tyler Moore was the most

visible example

of a new future for women.

-When she came on,

it changed America.

So many women have told me

it changed their lives,

made it possible for them

to work themselves.

-When you see somebody

accomplishing something

that your heart also desires,

and you see them do it

so well,

the message of that is,

that is possible.

-I've got some responsibility

for you right now.

Two things,

as a matter of fact.

-You do?

That's great.

-First thing, I want you to hire

a new sportscaster.

-Oh, Mr. Grant, thank you.

That's wonderful.

But I -- I didn't know that

Ed is leaving.

-Neither does he.

That's the second thing you do,

fire Ed.

-Oh, no.

Mr. Grant, please, no, I've

never fired anybody in my life.

I had a cleaning lady once

I couldn't fire, so I moved.

-NARRATOR:
Mary's character

wasn't militant.

She made her point in a quiet,

endearing way

that fit Mary's

natural personality.

-There was a goodness about her,

and I kindness about her

that I related to

in myself.

And, oh, my God,

I wanted to me Mare.

-She never would, like,

blow up or something.

She would say,

"Well, that wasn't

a very nice thing to say."

-Because if you push me,

then I just might have to

push back -- hard.

-[Laughs]

C'mon, You can't carry that off.

-I know.

I was kind of that woman,

you know, I was that person.

I grew up in a very

conservative household,

and I went to

a private girls' school,

and you behaved in

a certain way.

And it was second nature to me,

so, I didn't feel that separate

from the character

I was playing.

-I was playing

a very mean character.

It was a hospital scene where

she was having her tonsils out.

I was a very crusty lady

and I took Mary on

and I dished it out to her.

I was horrible to her.

-So how come you changed rooms?

-Because of my roommate.

-Your roommate?

-Yeah, she kept wanting

to talk.

I got hate mail from that show.

I received hate --

"How dare you treat our Mary

in that manner?!"

I wanted to say, "Folks, I'm

paid to say those words.

I think Mary is wonderful.

I'm with you!"

-NARRATOR:
Feminist leaders like

Gloria Steinem were not happy

with Mary's subtle portrayal,

and wanted her to play

a leading role

in the emerging

feminist movement.

-I believed that women --

and still do --

have a very major role to play

as mothers.

It's very necessary for mothers

to be involved with

their children.

And that's not what

Gloria Steinem was saying.

Gloria was saying, oh,

you can have everything,

and you owe it to yourself

to have a career.

And I didn't really

believe in that.

-NARRATOR:

"The Mary Tyler Moore Show"

did comment on the moral issues

of the early '70s --

but subtly,

and with humor.

-ASNER:

There were several episodes

that I was involved

with Sherry North,

who was a band singer,

and there's a wonderful moment

in the office

where, you know,

I get worried about

what kind of reputation

she might have.

-Okay, okay, so there have been

some other men.

-Not some other men,

lots of other men.

-Well, what's the cutoff point,

Mr. Grant?

I mean, is there some number?

I'd really like to know.

How many men is a woman allowed

to have

before she becomes

that sort of woman?

-Six.

[Laughter]

-Well...

-Walks out.

-I wash my hands

of the entire matter.

-There's a beat,

she comes back

and looks at me

incredulously.

-Six?!

-NARRATOR:
In the same way,

when the show's producers took

on racial issues,

the storylines flowed naturally

from the characters.

-The producers, Allan Burns

and Jim Brooks,

they were such class acts.

They didn't pander to the lowest

common denominator,

they did not go for the obvious

race jokes

that every other writer in the

business seemed to be going for.

-Is that what you think?

That I'm not good enough?

I mean go ahead and say it

if you think it's true.

Don't worry,

I'm man enough to take it.

-Okay, Ted,

maybe that's the reason.

Maybe I don't think

you're good enough.

[Wailing]

-Gordy was contrary to

most of the roles

that were being given to

African American actors

at that time,

in that he wasn't a stereotype.

-You know, Ted, when I told you

before that my life

is the same as yours,

I was lying.

It's better.

Want to hear the terms of

my contract, Ted?

-No, no, no, please!

-I'll tell you, Ted --

-No, I don't want to hear --

-I've got a penthouse

in the east 60s

and the company pays for it.

That's right, Ted.

You know how I get to work

every day?

Chauffeured limo,

to and from.

Chauffeured limo, Ted.

That's right.

And my picture hangs right

next to Walter Cronkite.

-NARRATOR:
Backstage, the series

stayed true to its values,

hiring more female writers than

any other sitcom of the era.

-Bridesmaid dresses.

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