Page 165 - Sitcoms News Today

Generation it came later. mary tyler moore youd see it on nick at night, syndication still. a whole new generation too grew up very familiar with that show and those characters. we will have much more on the life and legacy of mary tyler moore throughout the hour. also going to speak to a long time collaborators. she was the primary director on the mary tyler moore show along with many other well-known sitcoms. >> this isnt the first date this has ever happened to you, is it? >> yes, as a matter...

>> grab your pen. >> reporter: her big break came in 1961 when she became dick van dykes tv wife for the next five years. >> oh! >> reporter: she returned to tv in 1970 "the mary tyler moore show" produced by her own company, mtm, led by her second husband, grant tinker. as mary richards, moore broke the mold for women in sitcoms. she was over 30, employed and actually spent the night with a man. >> why are you here? >> well, i havent seen you in a month or so, and -- i -- oh, no. oh, you didnt ...

Then lost her job when she became pregnant at 18 with her only son, richie. >> its no use, pete. im just fed up. >> reporter: she returned to tv as a guest star on various series until she landed the role of sam, the sultry, unseen answering service operator on richard diamond private detective in 1957. >> grab your pencil. >> reporter: her big break came in 1961 when she became dick van dykes tv wife for the next five years. >> oh! >> reporter: she returned to tv in 1970, "the mary tyler moore ...

I dont know if you can see, but we are showing that episode right now. chuckles the clown episode. thats one of the most famous of any sitcom in television history. i remember reading behind the scenes story about that episode. one of the people involved was a writer or director said if we were going to laugh at somebodys death and make that okay or the circumstances, it had to be mary tyler moore who broke down laughing like that. that was, that was who the audience would be able to relate to m...

Again, sad news coming in this afternoon. legendary actress mary tyler moore passing away today at the age of 80. she was best known for her roles in two of televisions most loved sitcoms of all time. the dick van dyke show in the 60s, and the mary tyler moore show in the 1970s. her role in that show helping to change the way women were depicted on television. and joining me now on the phone, emmy award winning director of the many, many episodes i should say of the mary tyler moore show, someon...

Eighties. americas tv dad alan thicke from "growing pains" also passed in september at the age of 69. > . and who can forget carrie fisher, the legendary princess leia from "star wars." i officially hate 2016 tweets one fan. why did you have to take carrie fisher too? i keep seeing celebrities come up on my timeline and just presume they have died. please, can 2016 just end? and there are other celebrities past this year that really made their name in the 1980s. r2-d2, gary marshall. the creator...

As you can see. >> nice to meet you, ritchie. >> my pleasure. >> when "laverne & shirley" made a guest appearance, one of the cameramen said, look at this two shot. thats a series. >> shamele, shamozle -- hossenfere incorporated. >> tuesday night between 8:00 and 9:00 is called the death spot, death to any program that dares to go head on against abcs "happy days" and "laverne & shirley." >> "laverne & shirley" was one of the few sitcoms that debuted as number one. >> the absolute top number one...

Hes canadian born. hed also a songwriter. he created the theme song for many popular sitcoms. listen. ♪ ♪ you take the good you take the bad ♪ ♪ you take em both and there you have ♪ ♪ the facts of life the facts of life ♪ >> i have children of the 80s sitting with me. were all singing along. in addition to "the facts of life" thicke also wrote the opening theme for "different strokes" and "wheel of fortune." he is survived by his wife and three sons including the singer robin thic...

All you can hope is every night turns out like thursday. >> yo, angela! >> next. >> how rude. >> quick, ill give him that. >> all television and, oh, maybe sitcoms are alive again. and thats all that it took. it took one success. >> a few years from now, something new may tempt the people that pick what we see. its save whatever gets hot for a season or two those who create good television comedy will be laughing all the way to the bank. ♪ [engine revving] ♪

>> governor dukakis, rebuttal? >> i cant believe im losing to this guy. >> it is gary shandling show. >> people were taking the old principles of comedy and turn them into something new. we spent years watching sitcoms and dramas and talk shows and we knew them by heart, if somebody played on that and parodied that, we got it. instantly. >> i appreciate you coming in under these conditions. you want to hold the credits. we were going to roll the credits but you were late. >> the gary shandling s...