01of 16Mary Tyler Moore’s Early YearsSeth Poppel/Yearbook LibraryBorn in Brooklyn, New York, on Dec. 29, 1936, Moore was a young girl when she set her sights on being an entertainer. “I knew at a very early age what I wanted to do,” the actress — who died on Jan. 25, 2017, from complications of type 1 diabetes — told the Archive of American Television in 1997. “Some people refer to it as indulging in my instincts and artistic bent. I call it justshowing off, which was what I did from about 3 years of age on.”
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Mary Tyler Moore’s Early Years
Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on Dec. 29, 1936, Moore was a young girl when she set her sights on being an entertainer. “I knew at a very early age what I wanted to do,” the actress — who died on Jan. 25, 2017, from complications of type 1 diabetes — told the Archive of American Television in 1997. “Some people refer to it as indulging in my instincts and artistic bent. I call it justshowing off, which was what I did from about 3 years of age on.”
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Getty
Moore made hertelevision debutin 1955 (the same year she married salesman Richard Meeker) as Happy Hotpoint, a dancing elf in a dishwasher commercial that ran during the popular seriesThe Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet. That led to acting jobs, and in 1959 she snagged the recurring role of an answering-service girl onRichard Diamond, Private Detective— but only her legs appeared on-camera!
03of 16Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van DykeCBS/GettyIn 1961, Moore was cast as Capri pants-clad housewife Laura Petrie onThe Dick Van Dyke Show, serving as straight man to the sitcom’s other stars. But series creator Carl Reiner soon noticed thatthe actress was funny. “I could handle the occasional quip,” Moore told PBS in 2003. “And Carl started writing for me in such a way that I could still feed Dick straight lines but I could also get a laugh.” Her comedic skills, including the hilarious way she would shrill “Oh, Rob!,” landed her two Emmys during the show’s five-year run.
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Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke
CBS/Getty
In 1961, Moore was cast as Capri pants-clad housewife Laura Petrie onThe Dick Van Dyke Show, serving as straight man to the sitcom’s other stars. But series creator Carl Reiner soon noticed thatthe actress was funny. “I could handle the occasional quip,” Moore told PBS in 2003. “And Carl started writing for me in such a way that I could still feed Dick straight lines but I could also get a laugh.” Her comedic skills, including the hilarious way she would shrill “Oh, Rob!,” landed her two Emmys during the show’s five-year run.
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Mary Tyler Moore and Grant Tinker
Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
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The Mary Tyler Moore Show
CBS/Landov
06of 16Mary Tyler Moore on BroadwayCBSLike Mary Richards, who moved to a new city after ending a relationship, Moore ended her series in 1977, divorced Tinker and left Hollywood to start over in New York. She made a triumphant Broadway debut and won a Tony as a paralyzed sculptor inWhose Life Is It Anyway?, a role originally written for a man. That same year she also nabbed an Oscar nomination for playing a grieving parent inOrdinary People.
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Mary Tyler Moore on Broadway
CBS
Like Mary Richards, who moved to a new city after ending a relationship, Moore ended her series in 1977, divorced Tinker and left Hollywood to start over in New York. She made a triumphant Broadway debut and won a Tony as a paralyzed sculptor inWhose Life Is It Anyway?, a role originally written for a man. That same year she also nabbed an Oscar nomination for playing a grieving parent inOrdinary People.
07of 16Mary Tyler Moore’s GriefFrank Edwards/Fotos International/GettyMoore lost her only child, Richie, 24, when he accidentally shot himself in 1980. The actress, who admitted she and her son had had a rocky relationship over the years, in part due to her all-consuming focus on her career, had only recently reconciled with him.
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Mary Tyler Moore’s Grief
Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Getty
Moore lost her only child, Richie, 24, when he accidentally shot himself in 1980. The actress, who admitted she and her son had had a rocky relationship over the years, in part due to her all-consuming focus on her career, had only recently reconciled with him.
08of 16Mary Tyler Moore and Dr. Robert LevineDMI/The LIFE Picture Collection/GettyIn 1982, Moore met Dr. Robert Levine when he treated her elderly mother for bronchitis. “After I’d seen her mom the second time,” the cardiologist told PEOPLE in 1984, “I said to Mary, ‘If there’s an emergency just get in touch with me.’ And Mary said, ‘Does acute loneliness count?’ And I said, ‘Yes.'” They married the next year.
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Mary Tyler Moore and Dr. Robert Levine
DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty
In 1982, Moore met Dr. Robert Levine when he treated her elderly mother for bronchitis. “After I’d seen her mom the second time,” the cardiologist told PEOPLE in 1984, “I said to Mary, ‘If there’s an emergency just get in touch with me.’ And Mary said, ‘Does acute loneliness count?’ And I said, ‘Yes.'” They married the next year.
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Mary Tyler Moore’s Honors
The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty
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Mary Tyler Moore’s Book
Ron Galella, Ltd./Wireimage
11of 16Mary Tyler Moore’s Animal ActivismSteve Mack/FilmMagicAn ardent supporter of animal rights (she owned four dogs, including a pit bull and golden retriever), Moore teamed up with Bernadette Peters to cofound Broadway Barks,an annual dog and cat adoption event. “We need more awareness that there are no-kill shelters that will take animals in and try to instill [the animals] with the same kind of affection and love that we recognize as people,” Moore said in a 2013 interview on broadwaybarks.com.
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Mary Tyler Moore’s Animal Activism
Steve Mack/FilmMagic
An ardent supporter of animal rights (she owned four dogs, including a pit bull and golden retriever), Moore teamed up with Bernadette Peters to cofound Broadway Barks,an annual dog and cat adoption event. “We need more awareness that there are no-kill shelters that will take animals in and try to instill [the animals] with the same kind of affection and love that we recognize as people,” Moore said in a 2013 interview on broadwaybarks.com.
12of 16Mary Tyler Moore’s Diabetes ResearchJesse Grant/WireImageDiagnosed with Type 1diabetes at age 33, Moore worked for decades to raise awareness of the disease, which is also called juvenile diabetes. “When I was first diagnosed, I debated about how up front I should be,” Moore admitted toNIH MedlinePlusmagazine in 2006. “[But] I also realized that if I did speak out, I might be able to help others better cope and manage their diabetes.” She served as international chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for more than 20 years.
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Mary Tyler Moore’s Diabetes Research
Jesse Grant/WireImage
Diagnosed with Type 1diabetes at age 33, Moore worked for decades to raise awareness of the disease, which is also called juvenile diabetes. “When I was first diagnosed, I debated about how up front I should be,” Moore admitted toNIH MedlinePlusmagazine in 2006. “[But] I also realized that if I did speak out, I might be able to help others better cope and manage their diabetes.” She served as international chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for more than 20 years.
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Mary Tyler Moore’s SAG Life Achievement
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Mary Tyler Moore on Hot in Cleveland
Rick Rowell/ABC/Getty
15of 16Mary Tyler Moore’s Later YearsGettyIn the last years of her life, her health continued to decline. During an appearance onLarry King Nowin October 2015, Van Dyke spoke out about Moore’s deteriorating condition, saying that he was in touch with her husband but that talking to Moore was near impossible at that point. “She’s really not even communicating now,” Van Dyke said. “It makes me sad.”
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Mary Tyler Moore’s Later Years
In the last years of her life, her health continued to decline. During an appearance onLarry King Nowin October 2015, Van Dyke spoke out about Moore’s deteriorating condition, saying that he was in touch with her husband but that talking to Moore was near impossible at that point. “She’s really not even communicating now,” Van Dyke said. “It makes me sad.”
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Mary Tyler Moore Dies
source: people.com
