Mary Tyler Moore passes away at the age of 80

Image from Variety

By Darian Scalamoni

            It holds us all with a heavy heart here at Cinema Wave to say that TV icon, Mary Tyler Moore has passed away at the age of 80 today after her battle with diabetes for decades.

            Moore is known by many as one of the greatest and most influential television actresses of all-time. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 33, right around the start of her show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show in which she played a young journalist working in the newsroom of a Minneapolis TV station. The series won 29 Emmys over the span of its life and even won three consecutive Outstanding Comedy Series awards from 1975-77. Moore also won three Emmys for Lead Actress in a Comedy for the show as well. She would wind up winning another four Emmys over her career, while garnering 15 nominations along the way.

            Before her role on her own titular show, she had a role as Laura Petrie in the wildly successful, Dick Van Dyke Show. The show ran for 158 episodes from 1961-66 and Moore won two Emmys for the smart, beautiful, hilarious and neurotic wife of Van Dyke’s character, Rob Petrie. In 2012, the Writers Guild of America released its list of 101 Best Written TV Series in which The Mary Tyler Moore Show was ranked at No. 6 and Dick Van Dyke Show was ranked at No. 14.

            Moore also had a huge role within an Oscar-nominated film, Ordinary People. Robert Redford’s movie that starred Moore, Donald Sutherland and Judd Hirsch led to four Oscar wins, including Best Picture. Moore was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in the movie as well.

            Rest in Peace to Mary Tyler Moore as the entertainment world mourns the loss. Our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends and other loved ones during this tragic time.