Friday, April 17, 2020

An 'Ordinary' Look at Mary Tyler Moore


Came across this fascinating profile of Mary Tyler Moore written on the eve of the release of "Ordinary People." Mary's portrayal of icy WASP Beth Jarrett was thought to be a nearly unbelievable stretch at the time for America's Sweetheart. But as the years went on, it began to seem more like an eerie case of typecasting. The lifelong Republican had just filmed an endorsement for the Jimmy Carter re-election campaign(!) and was experiencing a rebirth of sorts at 42, having recently separated from television executive Grant Tinker. (She got pregnant and married the first time at 17.) The irony that her newly single life in many ways now mimicked Mary Richards's trials and tribulations wasn't lost on her. (There's a theme song anecdote that gave me a smile nearly as big as hers.) Mary's once-estranged son, Richie Meeker, was by her side for a Paramount Studios screening of the film that would garner her an Oscar nomination. But the young man would tragically die of a self-inflicted gunshot wound before the piece even went to press.



Mary was a Carter fan before it was fashionable

2 comments:

James Dwight Williamson said...

Incredible performance by her, but Timothy Hutton, Donald Sutherland , Judd Hirsch all knocked it out of the - park. She should have won the academy award, but Hutton did and Robert Redford for best Director did. In my top five movies of all time.

Jack said...

We love Mare here in Minneapolis! I have a friend who lived near the "Mary Tyler-Moore house" in Kenwood. You could see it from his bedroom window. It had been repainted taupe by then.