Mary Tyler Moore has died. The Associated Press has confirmed that the legendary actor passed away at 80 years old. TMZ reports that Moore had been on a respirator for over a week.
Moore is best known for her role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, where she played a thirtysomething news producer in Minneapolis. The role was seen as revolutionary, as it was one of the first portrayals of a single working woman on television. Many critics had said that the show would fail, but Moore proved them wrong: The Mary Tyler Moore Show ran for seven years, from 1970 to 1977.
Prior to her role on the eponymous show, Moore had appeared on The Dick Van Dyke Show and won an Emmy for her portrayal of Laura Petrie. In her acceptance speech, she said, "I know this will never happen again." She was wrong. The Mary Tyler Moore Show would go on to win 29 Emmys — seven for Moore herself.
In addition to her show, Moore appeared in the film adaption of Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), and Ordinary People (1980), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. She made appearances on Broadway, as well, including Whose Life Is It Anyway, Sweet Sue, and Breakfast at Tiffany's.
More recently, in 2010, Moore had a guest appearance on Hot in Cleveland, which reunited her with Mary Tyler Moore Show cast members Betty White, Cloris Leachman, Valerie Harper, and Georgia Engel.
Moore's charity work included her role as the International Chairman of JDRF (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), rising awareness for Type 1 diabetes, with which Moore was diagnosed during her time on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She was also an animal rights advocate, working hard with Farm Sanctuary to promote the compassionate treatment of farm animals and Broadway Barks, a charity and pet adoption advocacy group that seeks to make New York City a no-kill city.
In 1986, Moore was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. She also wrote two memoirs. Her only son, Richard Meeker, died in 1980 from an accidental gunshot.
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