Mary Tyler Moore's Journey: A New Biography Offers Exclusive Insights

Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Story dives deep into the life of sitcom icon Mary Tyler Moore, a star who became a household name through her work on The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. This compelling biography, crafted by Herbie J Pilato, is now available on Amazon. The book’s publisher, Jacobs Brown, has generously shared an exclusive excerpt from Chapter 5, titled "Born Identities," with Closer Weekly. Keep scrolling to uncover the fascinating details!

Mary Tyler Moore Opens Up on The David Susskind Show

Back in the spring of 1966, Mary Tyler Moore graced the screen on The David Susskind Show. The purpose? To reflect on her departure from The Dick Van Dyke Show, discuss its eventual cancellation, and share her thoughts on the move to New York with her then-husband, Grant Tinker. Initially, Mary wasn’t thrilled about this transition. “I just hate it,” she candidly told host David Susskind, who, caught off guard by her honesty, questioned whether she was seeking controversy. This was vintage Susskind — always aiming for higher ratings through notoriety.

From Fiction to Reality: Mary's Uncomfortable Encounter

Mary's appearance on the show was reminiscent of the Van Dyke episode, “Ray Murdock’s X-Ray,” aired on January 23, 1963. In this episode, Rob Petrie finds himself on the hot seat with an infamous, incendiary talk-show host. As Rob's worst fears materialize, he fidgets and eventually blurts out something embarrassing. But that Van Dyke segment was exaggerated comedy; Mary’s real-life appearance on Susskind was raw and unfiltered. Initially, she seemed uneasy, unprepared for Susskind's typical verbal barrages. At first, she carefully measured her words, but as the conversation progressed, she held her own, never losing composure. Mary addressed her relocation:

“Well, I have my own ready-made controversy at home. We just moved into—or rather attempted to move into—a lovely apartment that I thought would be perfect. It turns out that the housekeeper, who was on salary for three months while we were in California, and whose sole responsibility it was to ensure everything was dusted and ready, vanished the night before we arrived, having done absolutely nothing. Then, for the last three days, painters and movers have been bombarding me with cartons, asking, ‘Where should we put this?’ And I don’t have a place to tell them to put it. It’s been absolutely terrifying. I sat down on a stool today, and the seat broke off, leaving me sitting on a steel rod. Oh, well… I feel like I’ve been starring in another situation comedy, given the way things have been unfolding.”