(CBS Primetime, 1970 - 1977)
[one of the venerable sitcoms of television, begun as the
character of Mary Richards began as a novice TV reporter
in a Minneapolis TV newsroom; the ensemble cast rounded
out the well-written series including Ed Asner (who
played news director Lou Grant, the subject of a spinoff
series), Ted Knight (who played an empty-headed self-
absorbed anchorman), Gavin McCleod (who went on to a
well-known role as the Captain of "The Love Boat"),
Valeria Harper (who played the character who was the
title of another spinoff, Rhoda Morgenstern), Cloris
Leachman (who played another character who was the
title of another spinoff, Phyllis);
If a TV franchise can be measured in the number of
spin-off series this was the most successful franchise
ever established in the history of television;
the intelligent writing and casting were probably the
most under-credited components of this series which
some have called the most perfect sitcom (next to
"I Love Lucy")]
[BMI alternate titles...
aka: "Mary Tyler Moore Show Theme";
aka: "Mary's Theme";
Such a well cast and well written series seemed to have so
many elements carefully chosen and crafted; so it's a real
disappointment when a nondescript semi-professional song
was chosen as the THEME, almost as an afterthought...but
then this was the Seventies, and the trend was toward the
kind of singer/songwriter noodlings that were typical of
the times...]
Composer: Sonny Curtis (BMI)
1978 Publisher:
2001 Publisher: Mark Three Music (BMI)
c/o Copyright Management International, Inc.
of Nashville, TN
Copyright Date: July 20, 1970; Eu 194 966.
Renewal Date: Nov. 12, 1998; RE-789-853.
Recordings: