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.
Keanu Reeves’ reaction to 9-year-old who says he’s his favorite actor is breaking hearts
Keanu Reeves’ reaction to 9-year-old who says he’s his favorite actor is breaking hearts
If it wasn’t already abundantly clear, Keanu Reeves is a really, really good human being.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll have likely heard the stories and seen the videos. You’ll know that for all his megastar status, millions of dollars, and unbelievable fame, Reeves is a down to earth individual who has never considered himself above compassion and kindness.
It seems as though every few months Reeves does something new to remind us that he’s the gold standard when it comes to A-list celebrities putting others before themselves and generally behaving like they truly care about the general population.
Reeves, well known for his work on blockbuster films, has shown himself to also be adept where comic book writing is concerned of late. He co-created and co-wrote the series BRZRKR, the biggest single selling issue since Star Wars in 2015, alongside Matt Kindt.
At a recent book signing, a nine-year-old fan of the series approached Keanu to tell him that the Matrix star was his “favorite actor”. Keanu’s reaction?
Well, it’s as wholesome as you’d expect…
When your star shines as bright as Keanu Reeves‘s does, it’s safe to assume there are very few days when you don’t encounter someone or other who wants you to take a photo with them or sign an autograph.
Now, we can imagine that the rigmarole must get tiring sometimes – I mean, it’s only natural to assume that people wanting a piece of you all the time will wear you down – but one would never guess it from watching Keanu interact with his fans.
There have been multiple instances of the 58-year-old showcasing his huge heart and compassion over the years. Take, for example, the time he responded to a boy’s rapid-fire questions with kindness after a long flight. Or how about that time Sandra Bullock revealed that he had surprised her with champagne and truffles after she confided in him that she’d never tried them.
We could go on and on. The point is, Keanu Reeves is a genuinely good human being, so it should come as small surprise that he’s once again doing the rounds on the internet following an interaction with a nine-year-old fan.
As per reports, the young boy in question approached Reeves at a book signing, telling the actor “I’m such a big fan!”
In footage shared by IGN, Reeves can be heard asking the boy his name. When the nine-year-old says “Noah”, Keanu then introduces himself too (like there was any need).
“You’re probably my favourite actor in the whole world!” Noah says in the clip.
Keanu can then be seen wearing a beaming smile. “Oh my gosh, Noah, thank you!” he says.
The 58-year-old actor then gave his young fan a mini quiz, asking him if he’d seen Duke Caboom – the toy voiced by Reeves in Toy Story 4.
“Yeah, he’s my favourite character!” Noah replies.
It’s not just Keanu’s politeness that shows through in these interactions, but his sheer enthusiasm. Fans were quick to highlight the fact that the John Wick star always appears to be just as happy to interact with others as they are to interact with him.
They say you should never meet your idols, but we think it’s safe to disregard that advice where Keanu is concerned.
Are you also a huge fan of Keanu Reeves? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comments box – what’s your favourite Keanu film?
Share this article on Facebook so that this legendary actor gets the praise he deserves.
Leave a Reply