An iconic modern woman who starred in two very different, but very successful sitcoms, actress Mary Tyler Moore also made an enormous contribution to television history as the producer of numerous acclaimed comedies and dramas of the 1970s and 1980s. Audiences first fell in love with Moore as a believable symbol of the smart, young, pants-wearing mom in “The Dick Van Dyke Show” (CBS, 1961-66) before she came to signify a new breed of independent, liberated professional woman in the Emmy magnet sitcom, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (CBS, 1970-77). In addition to her longstanding reputation for
At the age of 17, appeared as a dancing elf in commercials for Hotpoint Appliances broadcast during "Ozzie and Harriet" (ABC)
1958
Appeared in several bit parts in ABC shows, "Bourbon Street Beat," "77 Sunset Strip" and "Hawaiian Eye"
1959
First regular TV role was as a telephone receptionist on the show "Richard Diamond, Private Detective" (NBC); only her legs were shown and voice heard; Moore quit after three months
1961
Cast as Van Dyke's wife, Laura Petrie on the CBS sitcom "The Dick Van Dyke Show"; created by Carl Reiner
