The Mary Tyler Moore Show
an Episode Guide
by Jim Pattison
Last updated:
Thu, 25 Oct 2018 21:00
The Mary Tyler Moore Showan Episode Guide
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| aired from: Sep 1970 to: Mar 1977 | 168 eps | CBS | 30 min | color | mono |
regulars:
recurring characters:
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Production Credits
Executive producer: James L. Brooks and Allan Burns
Created by: James L. Brooks and Allan Burns
Producer: David Davis
Music composed & conducted by Pat Williams
rc: Phyllis, Rhoda
Rebounding from a broken romance, Mary Richards, 30, moves to Minneapolis, where she finds an apartment in the same building as her old friend Phyllis Lindstrom, meets her upstairs neighbor Rhoda Morgenstern, a native of New York, and gets a job as associate producer for The Six O'Clock Newsat WJM-TV, where her co-workers include Lou Grant the gruff producer of the news, Murray Slaughter, the unflappable news writer, and Ted Baxter, the narcissistic anchorman.
b: 19 Sep 70 pc: _________ w: James L. Brooks and Allan Burns d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Alarmed at the prospect of being 30 and still single, Mary reluctantly allows Rhoda to talk her into inviting some supposedly eligible male friends to a party in Mary's apartment.
b: 26 Sep 70 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Mary finds herself in a delicate situation when she unwittingly goes from being Bess's babysitter to being her adoptive mother, a situation that Phyllis cannot deal with.
b: 3 Oct 70 pc: _________ w: John D.F. Black d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Mary and Rhoda join a club for divorced people, called the "Better Luck Next Time" club, to get group rates for a trip to Europe, but their plans backfire when Mary gets elected to the club's executive board. Note: Ed Asner did not appear in this episode.
b: 10 Oct 70 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Alan Rafkinrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Frank Carelli, an ex-football player turned insurance salesman, attaches himself to Mary in hopes of getting a job at WJM as a sportscaster. Note: Ted Knight did not appear in this episode.
b: 17 Oct 70 pc: _________ w: Steve Pritzker d: Alan Rafkinrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Mary finds herself caught between Rhoda and her mother Ida when Mrs. Morgenstern, a member of the keep-them-feeling-guilty school of child rearing, comes to Minneapolis for a visit and Rhoda refuses to see her.
Note: Emmy Award - Outstanding writing achievement in comedy (series).
rc: Rhoda
Mary becomes involved romantically with a writer who appears on a WJM news program, and becomes acutely aware of the fact that he is several inches shorter than she is.
Note: Ted Knight did not appear in this episode.
Emmy Award - Outstanding directorial achievement in comedy (series).
rc: Rhoda
A heavy snowstorm forces Mary to produce her first news program: a broadcast of local election results which must remain on until a winner is declared.
b: 7 Nov 70 pc: _________ w: David Davis & Lorenzo Music d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Mary's enthusiasm at being nominated for her first Teddy Award is dampened by Rhoda's new boyfriend Bob, who displays more interest in Mary than he does in Rhoda.
b: 14 Nov 70 pc: _________ w: Bob Rodgers d: Peter Baldwinrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
When she finds herself unable to keep up with her increasingly heavy workload, Mary hires Phyllis as her newsroom assistant, with disastrous results.
b: 21 Nov 70 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Peter Balwinrc: Rhoda
Mary's income tax return is audited by an IRS auditor who takes more of an interest in Mary than he does in her taxes, even though he won't admit it.
Note: Edward Asner did not appear in this episode.
rc: Phyllis
When a speaking engagement for Ted Baxter at Phyllis' club turns into a demoralizing experience, Mary is faced with the task of restoring his self-confidence.
b: 5 Dec 70 pc: _________ w: Lorenzo Music d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Mary is forced to hold off the amorous advances of Lou's Nephew, a young cameraman at the studio, who's telling everyone a different story than she is about what happened when she invited him home for supper.
b: 12 Dec 70 pc: _________ w: Bob Rodgers d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Mary is forced to cancel her planned trip home and make the best of things when she finds out that she has to work on Christmas Day.
b: 19 Dec 70 pc: _________ w: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Mary begins dating Paul Arnell, the brother of her former boyfriend Howard, but Mrs. Arnell persists in believing that Mary and Howard are engaged.
b: 2 Jan 71 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Mary sadly prepares to leave her newsroom friends to begin a job as a producer at a rival station, but she has second thoughts when they throw a farewell party for her.
b: 9 Jan 71 pc: _________ w: Martin Cohan d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
After accepting an innocent invitation to go to lunch, Mary finds herself becoming romantically involved with a married man against her wishes.
b: 16 Jan 71 pc: _________ w: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns d: Bruce Bilsonrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Mary loses first her clothes and then her furniture when her apartment is burglarized twice within the space of a couple of days.
b: 23 Jan 71 pc: _________ w: Steve Pritzker d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Murray's joy at learning that his oft-rejected newsroom play, All Work and No Play, will be produced is offset by the news that the leading role will be played by Ted.
b: 30 Jan 71 pc: _________ w: Kenny Solms & Gail Parent d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
When Mary checks into the hospital to have one of her tonsils removed, she draws a cantankerous roommate who rejects her numerous attempts at friendship.
b: 6 Feb 71 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Mary becomes involved when she learns the reason for Lou's repeated refusals of her invitations to supper: he and his wife have separated.
b: 13 Feb 71 pc: _________ w: David Davis & Lorenzo Music d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
An obnoxious childhood friend uses her relationship with Mary to introduce herself to, and impose upon, the rest of the newsroom staff.
b: 20 Feb 71 pc: _________ w: Susan Silver d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Rhoda is at a loss when she finds out that the man she has fallen in love with is a former executive who has dropped out and plans to go back to school to prepare for his new career as a forest ranger.
b: 27 Feb 71 pc: _________ w: Steve Pritzker d: Jay SandrichWhen a drop in the news show ratings cause Lou to be fired, Mary tries to get his job back by going to see the station owner: Wild Jack Munroe.
b: 6 Mar 71 pc: _________ w: George Kirgo d: Herbert Kenwith| Back to TOP of Page |
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Production Credits
Executive producer: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Created by: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Producer: David Davis
Music composed & conducted by Pat Williams
rc: Phyllis, Rhoda
Phyllis traps Mary into telling Bess the "facts of life" after seeing a documentary produced by Mary on "sexual IQ's."
b: 18 Sep 71 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Lou breaks his long-standing rule about fixing people up when he arranges a date for Mary with a middle-aged bachelor friend of his, and then becomes upset when the romance doesn't work out as he had planned.
b: 25 Sep 71 pc: _________ w: David Davis & Lorenzo Music d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
When the office schedule forces Mary to take a last-minute, winter vacation, she and Rhoda decide to go to Mexico, but they are asked to fulfill a mysterious favor in exchange for reservations.
b: 2 Oct 71 pc: _________ w: Allan Burns d: Jerry Parisrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
In order to be better at her job, Mary enrolls in a night school journalism class and ends up dating the instructor.
b: 9 Oct 71 pc: _________ w: Susan Silver d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Rhoda's mother returns for a visit and tries to be pals with her daughter after seeing how well Mary gets along with her mother, and what good friends Bess and Phyllis are.
b: 16 Oct 71 pc: _________ w: David Davis & Lorenzo Music d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
When Ted's brother, a professional model, arrives in town, he revives a long-standing sibling rivalry as each brother tries to out-do the other.
b: 23 Oct 71 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
When Mary attends her high school reunion, she encounters many faces from her past, including a former boyfriend that she'd prefer to forget.
b: 30 Oct 71 pc: _________ w: Allan Burns d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
When a union strike causes all the writers and performers at the station to hit the picket line, Mary and Lou are forced to write and deliver the news by themselves.
b: 6 Nov 71 pc: _________ w: Martin Cohan d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Ted's worst fears are realized when he's forced to take a vacation he doesn't want, and his replacement turns out to be a huge success.
b: 13 Nov 71 pc: _________ w: Steve Pritzker d: Jerry Parisrc: Rhoda
Although she thinks the idea is silly, Mary answers a chain-letter she got from Lou, and receives an unexpected reply as a result.
b: 20 Nov 71 pc: _________ w: David Davis & Lorenzo Music d: Jerry Parisrc: Rhoda
Lou receives a shock when he takes Mary and Rhoda to see a John Wayne movie and sees his son-in-law there with a woman who is not his daughter..
b: 27 Nov 71 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
When Rhoda loses her job as a window-dresser, Mary is puzzled at her seeming reluctance to find another.
b: 4 Dec 71 pc: _________ w: Susan Silver d: Jay SandrichWith his wife out of town for a few days, Lou hires Rhoda to redecorate his living room, but she soon finds that her flamboyant tastes do not agree with his more conservative ones.
b: 11 Dec 71 pc: _________ w: Susan Silver d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
The newsroom staff is surprised to learn that Ted has fallen in love with the daughter of the star of the Chuckles the Clown show.
b: 18 Dec 71 pc: _________ w: David Davis & Lorenzo Music d: Peter BaldwinMary is excited about dating a handsome politician who is one of the governor's top aides, but her enthusiasm fades as he keeps breaking dates.
b: 1 Jan 72 pc: _________ w: Pat Nardo & Gloria Banta d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
A guilty Mary hires an incompetent girl as her assistant because she was responsible for the girl losing her previous job as a waitress.
b: 8 Jan 72 pc: _________ w: Dick Clair & Jenna McMahon d: Peter Baldwinrc: Rhoda
Murray takes on an extra job as a cab driver to earn extra money so he can buy his wife a car as a present for their tenth wedding anniversary.
b: 15 Jan 72 pc: _________ w: Rick Mittleman d: Peter Baldwinrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
When Mary gets a phone call from a former boyfriend who is back in town for a few days after agreeing to babysit Bess for the weekend, she turns to Lou for help.
b: 22 Jan 72 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
When the apartment directly below Mary's becomes available, Ted decides to move in, but Mary and Rhoda, who aren't as excited by the idea as Ted is, try to dissuade him.
b: 29 Jan 72 pc: _________ w: Steve Pritzker d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
After Bess gets an 'A' in school for a composition about 'The Care And Feeding Of Parents,' Phyllis tries to get her to expand it into a book, and calls on Mary for help.
b: 5 Feb 72 pc: _________ w: Dick Clair & Jenna McMahon d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
A fire destroys Rhoda's apartment and threatens her friendship with Mary when she moves into Mary's apartment for a few days, and the two friends find themselves getting an each other's nerves.
b: 12 Feb 72 pc: _________ w: Martin Cohan d: Peter Baldwinrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
After Mary begins dating a handsome architect who has come to sketch her building, she is surprised to discover that his son is almost as old as she is.
b: 19 Feb 72 pc: _________ w: Martin Cohan d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Mary begins a friendship with Joanne, a woman who ran into her car, but quickly ends the relationship when she learns that she is prejudiced.
b: 26 Feb 72 pc: _________ w: Steve Pritzker d: Peter Baldwinrc: Rhoda
When Mary learns that the city councilman she has lined up as guest on 'Face the People' is totally ignorant of current events, she tries to prepare him so he can make a respectable appearance on the show.
b: 4 Mar 72 pc: _________ w: Jim Parker & Arnold Margolin d: Jay Sandrich| Back to TOP of Page |
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Production Credits
Executive producer: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Created by: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Producer: Ed. Weinberger
Music composed & conducted by Pat Williams.
rc: Rhoda
When the station manager decides that it's time to change the image of The Six O'Clock News, he assigns Mary the task of making it more informal
b: 16 Sep 72 pc: _________ w: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns d: Hal Cooperrc: Rhoda
Against Lou's advice, Mary grants an interview to a newspaper columnist who is a champion word twister, and ends up accepting a date from him
b: 23 Sep 72 pc: _________ w: Susan Silver d: Jerry Belsonrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Lou's promotion to the position of program director creates problems for the newsroom when Murray takes over his old job.
b: 30 Sep 72 pc: _________ w: Martin Cohan d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
When Rhoda's parents come to Minneapolis for a visit her mother confides that their marriage is on the rocks, even if her father doesn't know it yet. Note: Ted Knight does not appear in this episode.
b: 7 Oct 72 pc: _________ w: Martin Cohan d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
When Murray loses a lot of money to Ted in a poker game arranged by Mary to make up for Lou's cancelled trip to Las Vegas he makes a wild double-or-nothing bet based on Ted's ability to deliver his lines to win it back. Note: Emmy Award - Outstanding directorial achievement in comedy (series).
b: 14 Oct 72 pc: _________ w: Martin Donovan d: Jay SandrichDespite losing 20 pounds, and Mary's efforts to convince her otherwise, Rhoda still feels fat, until she enters a beauty contest being sponsored by the store she works in.
b: 21 Oct 72 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Mary has mixed feelings about the news that her parents are moving to Minneapolis to be close to their daughter.
b: 28 Oct 72 pc: _________ w: Steve Pritzker d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Mary becomes romantically involved with a comedy writer who is working for Chuckles the Clown but really wants to be a stand-up comedian.
b: 4 Nov 72 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger d: Peter Baldwinrc: Rhoda
When Ted decides to earn extra money by doing television commercials, he and his "agent" trick Lou into giving him a non-exclusive contract.
b: 11 Nov 72 pc: _________ w: Martin Donovan d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Mary becomes the third side of a fractured triangle when a couple who have been friends of hers for years separate, and she begins seeing the husband.
b: 18 Nov 72 pc: _________ w: Charlotte Brown d: Hal Cooperrc: Rhoda
When Mary discovers that her newly retired father is suffering from boredom, she tries to find him some new friends.
b: 25 Nov 72 pc: _________ w: Steve Pritzker d: Jerry Belsonrc: Rhoda, Phyllis
Mary finds herself in a difficult position when Bess Lindstrom's boyfriend falls madly in love with her and begins hanging out around her, both at the office and at her apartment.
b: 2 Dec 72 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger d: Jay Sandrich
When Lou checks into the hospital to have a small piece of WW2 shrapnel removed, he leaves Mary in charge of the newsroom, creating friction between her and Murray, and develops an unexpected friendship with Ted.
b: 9 Dec 72 pc: _________ w: Elias Davis & David Pollock d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Georgette
When Rhoda announces her plan to move back to New York after returning from a vacation there, Mary thinks that she's only kidding and that she won't really go through with it.
Note: the character of Georgette Franklin, played by Georgia Engel, was introduced in this episode.
rc: Rhoda
A chance meeting between Mary and former boyfriend Dan Whitfield and his fiancee sets off an unexpected chain of events, culminating in Dan's proposal to Mary. Note: Dan Whitfield first appeared in episode #28: "Room 223."
b: 23 Dec 72 pc: _________ w: David Pollock & Elias Davis d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Lou achieves a lifelong ambition when he becomes the owner of his own bar, but he's forced to go into partnership with Ted to do it.
b: 6 Jan 73 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis, Georgette
Phyllis becomes a nervous wreck when her brother, visiting from New York, falls for Rhoda instead of Mary, as she had planned.
b: 13 Jan 72 pc: _________ w: Dick Clair & Jenna McMahon d: Jay SandrichMary and Rhoda try to straighten out Ted's new girlfriend Georgette, because they feel that he's taking advantage of her naive, trusting nature.
b: 20 Jan 73 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger d: Peter Baldwinrc: Rhoda
Mary encounters an overly zealous suitor who just won't leave her alone when she lets Rhoda talk her into accepting a blind date.
b: 27 Jan 73 pc: _________ w: Jim Mulholland & Mike Barrie d: Peter Baldwinrc: Rhoda
Lou doesn't quite know what to do when he finds out that his new boss, an attractive woman, thinks that she's in love with him.
b: 3 Feb 73 pc: _________ w: David Pollock & Elias Davis d: Jay SandrichMurray becomes depressed when he hears that a former classmate of his has won a Pulitzer prize in journalism, and he begins to think that life is passing him by.
b: 10 Feb 73 pc: _________ w: Martin Cohan d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
When Mary receives a phone call from an ex-boyfriend who broke her heart once before, she is torn between wanting to see him again, and wishing he'd stay out of her life forever.
b: 17 Feb 73 pc: _________ w: Dick Clair & Jenna McMahon d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Mary's nomination for a Teddy award for a show she produced is the only bright spot in her life, as absolutely everything else seems to be going wrong.
b: 24 Feb 73 pc: _________ w: Marilyn Suzanne Miller & Monica Magowan d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Georgette
When Rhoda's green thumb convinces her that she should go into the houseplant business, she turns to Mary for help, and convinces her friend to loan her the money that Mary had been saving to buy a new car.
b: 3 Mar 73 pc: _________ w: Martin Cohan d: John C. Chulay| Back to TOP of Page |
TO Title List |
Production Credits
Executive producer: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Created by: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Producers: Ed. Weinberger
Music composed & conducted by Pat Williams
Phyllis makes a desperate bid to win back her husband Lars when she finds out that he's having an affair with Sue Ann Nivens, the star of WJM's Happy Homemaker series.
Note: Emmy Award - Best supporting actress in comedy (for a special program; a one-time appearance in a series; or a continuing role): Cloris Leachman.
The character of Sue Ann Nivens, played by Betty White, was introduced in this episode.
rc: Rhoda
Mary dates a man seven years younger than she despite the advice of friends against the relationship, but has second thoughts when she meets some of his friends.
b: 22 Sep 73 pc: _________ w: Marilyn Suzanne Miller & Monica Magowan Johnson d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Rhoda and Mary fly to New York for the wedding of Rhoda's younger sister Debbie, but Mrs. Morgenstern, who thinks that Rhoda is dying of jealousy, tries to downplay the importance of the ceremony.
b: 29 Sep 73 pc: _________ w: Karyl Geld d: Jerry Belsonrc: Rhoda
Lou is heartbroken and confused when his wife Edie moves out of the house after their marriage counselor suggests a trial separation.
b: 6 Oct 73 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
When she asks for more responsibility, Lou gives Mary the task of hiring a new sportscaster for the station, providing that she fire the old one.
b: 13 Oct 73 pc: _________ w: Jerry Mayer d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Georgette
Ted nervously prepares for a reunion with his father, who deserted him as a baby, and who he hasn't seen since
b: 20 Oct 73 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Wes Callison, one of Mary's ex-boyfriends, gets a job in the newsroom and manages to disrupt things there when he displays more interest in Mary than he does in his job.
b: 27 Oct 73 pc: _________ w: Phil Mishkin d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Georgette
Lou, newly separated from his wife, needs a date to take to an awards ceremony, so he assigns Mary the task of finding him a lady friend, with unexpected results.
b: 3 Nov 73 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger & Stan Daniels d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
When Rhoda falls madly in love with the owner of the store she works in, she ignores Mary's advice to take it slowly until she has some idea of how he feels about her.
b: 10 Nov 73 pc: _________ w: Sybil Adelman & Barbara Gallagher d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Rhoda
Mary is forced to make use of Sue Ann's expertise as a cook when a congresswoman with whom Mary worked on a news show accepts her very casual invitation to dinner.
b: 17 Nov 73 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda
Mary agrees to try and get a lonely Lou back together with his wife when Lou begins showing up at Mary's apartment each night for supper.
b: 24 Nov 73 pc: _________ w: William Wood d: Nancy Walkerrc: Phyllis, Rhoda, Georgette
When Phyllis decides that Ted would make an ideal candidate for the city council, he surprises everyone in the newsroom by giving up his job at WJM to pursue a political career.
b: 1 Dec 73 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay SandrichWhen Mary learns that Murray's daughter Bonnie is looking for a part-time job, she gets the girl one in the newsroom, but things don't quite work out as planned.
b: 8 Dec 73 pc: _________ w: Don Reo & Allan Katz d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette, Rhoda
When Georgette catches Ted kissing another woman in his dressing room, she decides to become a nun, but Rhoda and Mary try to talk her out of it.
b: 15 Dec 73 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger & Stan Daniels d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Rhoda
When Mary finds out that it's Lou's birthday, she arranges a surprise party for him, feeling that he'll be lonely now that he's separated from his wife, even though he hates birthday celebrations.
b: 22 Dec 73 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: George Tynerc: Rhoda
When Mary begins dating the anchorman from the top-rated television station, she soon finds herself developing an inferiority complex about her own show.
b: 5 Jan 74 pc: _________ w: Karyl Geld d: Jay Sandrichrc: Phyllis, Rhoda
When Phyllis, who has just gotten her real estate license, turns up at the newsroom looking for clients, she settles on Lou, who isn't quite sure whether he really wants her to sell his house for him.
b: 12 Jan 74 pc: _________ w: George Atkins d: Jay SandrichMary and Rhoda's joy at being given the chance to co-produce a show together turns to horror when they learn that the stars will be Ted and Sue Ann, who each have their own ideas about how the show should be done.
b: 19 Jan 74 pc: _________ w: David Pollock & Elias Davis d: Jay SandrichEverybody begins to fear that Mary's friendship with Rhoda is going down the drain after Mary becomes upset with Rhoda for revealing that Mary lied on her job application.
b: 26 Jan 74 pc: _________ w: Marilyn Suzanne Miller & Monica Johnson d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Georgette
When a flippant obituary written by Mary accidentally gets read on the news, an angry Lou decides to suspend her from work, so Mary retaliates by threatening to quit.
b: 2 Feb 74 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: John C. Chulayrc: Rhoda, Georgette
When Walter Cronkite shows up at the newsroom to visit Lou, Ted, who has just won his first Teddy Award, immediately assumes that Cronkite has come to offer him a job with the network.
b: 9 Feb 74 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger d: Jay Sandrich
When Lou and Rhoda begin dating each other on a casual basis, everyone including Mary assumes that things are a lot more serious than they really are, causing Lou to almost call the whole thing off.
Note - This episode was Valerie Harper's last appearance as a regular cast member. At the end of the 4th season she left the series to star in Rhoda, beginning in the fall of 1974.
rc: Georgette
When Ted finds out that Mary is attending a night-school class in creative writing, he enrolls in the same course, and ends up plagiarizing her assignment.
b: 23 Feb 74 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Nancy WalkerMary spends every evening for a week in a singles bar, researching material for a special news show, but the reaction that the crew gets when they bring in their cameras isn't what they expected.
b: 2 Mar 75 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Mel Ferder| Back to TOP of Page |
TO Title List |
Production Credits
Executive producer: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Created by: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Producers: Ed. Weinberger & Stan Daniels
Executive Story Editors: David Lloyd
Music composed & conducted by Pat Williams
rc: Sue Ann, Georgette
Mary spends the night in jail and faces the possibility of a term behind bars when she refuses to reveal the source for a news story about graft in city hall.
Note: Emmy Award - Outstanding writing in a comedy series (a single episode of a regular or limited series with continuing characters and/or theme).
rc: Phyllis, Sue Ann, Georgette
Mary's romance with a tall, dark, and very handsome man seems to be progressing nicely, although everyone is trying to convince her that they have nothing in common, and that she likes him for his looks only.
b: 21 Sep 74 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger & Stan Daniels d: Jay SandrichTed takes advantage of Lou's new image as the office pussycat when Lou undergoes a change in personality after throwing Ted through the studio doors for endorsing a political candidate on the air.
b: 28 Sep 74 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jackie Cooperrc: Sue Ann
Lou's romance with a cocktail lounge singer makes him feel 25 years younger, until Murray and Ted begin making jokes about her active past, which makes Lou feel uncomfortable.
b: 5 Oct 74 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette, Sue Ann
Tension mounts and morale drops in the newsroom when a young consultant hired to raise the ratings begins usurping Mary's responsibilities and ordering changes in Murray's copy and Ted's delivery.
b: 12 Oct 74 pc: _________ w: Jack Winter d: Peter Bonerzrc: Georgette
Murray is plagued by his conscience when he considers having an affair with an attractive junior high school principal he met at one of Mary's parties.
b: 19 Oct 74 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
Everyone is surprised at Sue Ann's seeming indifference to the possiblity that she might lose her Happy Homemaker show to a youngster who's playing up to the station manager.
b: 26 Oct 74 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Phyllis
The man Phyllis dates on a platonic basis for intellectual purposes creates a triangle when he begins dating Mary as well.
b: 2 Nov 74 pc: _________ w: Treva Silverman d: Jay SandrichSue Ann serves her Christmas dinner two months early, in November, to a quarreling newsroom staff trapped at the office by a blizzard.
b: 9 Nov 74 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger & Stan Daniels d: John C. Chulayrc: Sue Ann
Mary finds out just how lonely the life Sue Ann leads really is when the pair travel to Chicago to represent WJM at a broadcasters' convention.
b: 16 Nov 74 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Alan Rafkinrc: Georgette
Ted is shocked to learn that his mother plans to live with her boyfriend, but not to marry him.
b: 23 Nov 74 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Mary Tyler Moorerc: Georgette
Murray, the father of three daughters, wants a son. When he is unable to convince Marie to have another child, the couple decides to adopt instead.
b: 30 Nov 74 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger & Stan Daniels d: Jay SandrichWhen Lou finally decides to move out of his house and into something smaller, he rents Rhoda's old apartment and begins taking over Mary's private life.
b: 7 Dec 74 pc: _________ w: Ziggy Steinberg d: James Burrows & John C. Chulayrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
When Lou decides to add a female newscaster to his staff and gives orders to find "a girl like Mary," Mary decides to audition for the job herself.
b: 14 Dec 74 pc: _________ w: Andy Gibbs & Joel Kimmel d: Jay SandrichWhen Mary is promoted from associate producer to producer of The Six O'Clock News, Ted finally makes his move and soon convinces the rest of the newsroom staff that he and Mary are having an affair.
b: 21 Dec 74 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger & Stan Daniels d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
Feeling that she is the producer of The Six O'Clock News in name only, Mary asks Lou for the chance to actually produce the show on her own.
b: 4 Jan 75 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Norman Campbellrc: Georgette
When Ted astonishes everyone by coming up with a winning system for betting on football games, Lou goes into partnership with him, and bets all their winnings for the season on the Super Bowl, without telling Ted.
Note: In this episode, Lou bets on the Pittsburg Steelers, who lose the Super Bowl. In real life, he would have won. In Super Bowl IX, played in New Orleans the day after The System was first broadcast, the Steelers beat the Minnesota Vikings by a score of 16-6.
rc: Phyllis, Sue Ann
Phyllis suffers the ultimate indignation when she's forced to seek a job after Lars cuts off her credit cards, and she finds that she has no employable skills.
Note: Emmy Award - Outstanding single performance by a supporting actress in a comedy or drama series (for a one-time appearance in a regular or limited series): Cloris Leachman.
This episode was Cloris Leachman's last appearance as a regular cast member. At the end of the 5th season she left the series to star in Phyllis, beginning in the fall of 1975.
Lou tries to recapture the dynamism of the crusading reporter he once was by launching an investigation into big-city politics, only to find that the politician be has chosen to investigate is completely honest
b: 25 Jan 75 pc: _________ w: Michael Elias & Arnie Kogan d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette
Ted gets swept up in the spirit of Murray's 20th wedding anniversary party and chooses the most public place possible to pop the question to Georgette, but gets cold feet soon afterward.
b: 1 Feb 75 pc: _________ w: Pamela Russell d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette
Mary agrees to help a girl she met in jail go straight, but is frustrated by Sherry's unwillingness to accept a conventional job.
b: 8 Feb 75 pc: _________ w: Michael Leeson d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
Lou is terrified at the prospect of giving an acceptance speech when he wins the Albert Mason Award, a broadcasting award that he thought was never given to anyone who could still chew their own food.
b: 15 Feb 75 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Marjorie Mullenrc: Georgette
When Ted falls victim to a con artist while attempting to establish "Ted Baxter's Famous Broadcasters' School," he turns to Lou, Mary, and Murray to pose as the faculty and give the opening night's lectures.
b: 22 Feb 75 pc: _________ w: Michael Zinberg d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann
Mary finds herself in a quandary when she comes to the realization that she just cannot stand the young son of the handsome man she has been dating.
b: 8 Mar 75 pc: _________ w: Jerry Mayer d: Jay Sandrich| Back to TOP of Page |
TO Title List |
Production Credits
Executive producer: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Created by: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Producers: Ed. Weinberger & Stan Daniels
Executive Story Editor: Bob Ellison
Creative Consultant: David Lloyd
Music composed & conducted by Pat Williams
rc: Sue Ann
Lou happily announces that his ex-wife Edie is getting remarried, but then becomes uneasy when she invites him to the wedding.
b: 13 Sep 75 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
Feeling that she's in a rut, and that all her friends are doing something new and exciting, Mary attempts to make a change in her life by moving to a new apartment.
b: 20 Sep 75 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
Guilt plagues Mary when a handsome young priest confides to her that he is planning to leave the church, and she assumes that it's because he has fallen in love with her.
b: 27 Sep 75 pc: _________ w: Earl Pomerantz d: Jay SandrichMurray confides to Lou the fact that he has fallen in love with Mary and that he wants to tell her about it, even though he knows what her answer will be.
b: 4 Oct 75 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette
When Ted successfully auditions for the job as host of a game show, The $50,000 Steeplechase, in New York City, Mary and Lou find themselves facing a dilemma over whether they really want to see him leave.
b: 11 Oct 75 pc: _________ w: Charles Lee & Gig Henry d: Jay SandrichMary's plans are upset when her visiting Aunt Flo, a noted newspaperwoman, fails to hit it off with Lou, and instead persists in challenging his journalistic abilities by constantly upstaging him.
b: 18 Oct 75 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
The ludicrous death of WJM's Chuckles the Clown, crushed by an elephant while dressed as Peter Peanut, provokes a torrent of black humor which has everyone in the newsroom but Mary convulsed in laughter.
b: 25 Oct 75 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Joan Darlingrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
When Mary volunteers her services as a Big Sister to a delinquent girl guilty of shoplifting, Sue Ann does the same thing and soon finds herself being influenced by her little sister.
b: 1 Nov 75 pc: _________ w: Mary Kay Place & Valerie Curtin d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette, Sue Ann
Ted finally makes a commitment he isn't quite prepared for when a quiet luncheon Mary hosted for Ted and Georgette turns into an erratic and spontaneous wedding.
b: 8 Nov 75 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
When Lou receives a call from a girl who sent him a "Dear John" letter during the war, he nervously agrees to meet her again, only to find that she hasn't changed much in the intervening 30 years.
b: 15 Nov 75 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Georgette, Sue Ann
Mary has fallen deeply in love, but has a hard time getting used to the way her boyfriend publicly expresses his emotions, and to his seeming reluctance to tell her whether he loves her.
b: 22 Nov 75 pc: _________ w: Ed. Weinberger & Stan Daniels d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette
When Ted receives an unexpectedly large tax refund, he surprises everyone with expensive gifts, but his joy turns to horror when be learns that the IRS is planning to audit him.
b: 29 Nov 75 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Marjorie Mullenrc: Sue Ann
Trapped, hooked, and reeled in, Lou discovers that he's been had when a desperate Sue Ann maneuvers him to her apartment with a little help from Mary.
b: 6 Dec 75pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: James BurrowsMary finds herself in a complicated situation when she's forced to make a choice between her current boyfriend, Joe, and Dan Whitfield, a man she once almost married.
b: 13 Dec 75 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann
After Mary turns down Sue Ann's offer to produce her show, Murray accepts the position, visualizing advancement and a raise, but not Sue Ann's inevitable domination.
b: 20 Dec 75 pc: _________ w: Shelly Nelbert & Craig Allan Hefner d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
A heartbroken Georgette decides to leave Ted when he refuses to seek professional help for their marital problems.
b: 3 Jan 76 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Jay SandrichWhen Mary accompanies Lou to Washington, D.C., for a press seminar, she has a hard time believing the names of some of the former "contacts" he claims attended a party in his hotel room.
b: 10 Jan 76 pc: _________ w: James MacDonald & Robert Gerlach d: Stuart MargolinLou discovers that a secret romance is a hard thing to keep secret when he spends a night with Sue Ann, then reluctantly confides in Mary after she promises not to tell anyone.
b: 17 Jan 76 pc: _________ w: Pat Nardo & Gloria Banta d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette
Lou suffers an acute case of jealousy when an ex-girlfriend he had hoped to get back together with arrives at a party at Mary's with a male companion.
Note: The character of Charlene Maguire appeared previously in Lou and That Woman (episode 100) and The Shame of the Cities (episode 115), played by Sheree North.
rc: Sue Ann
When the new owner of WJM adopts new policies and procedures which raise disapproval from the newsroom staff, Murray is the only one who dares to speak out, an action he soon regrets.
b: 31 Jan 76 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay SandrichMary's journalist Aunt Flo and Lou find themselves opposing each other over the best way to prepare a TV documentary about a family with 20 children.
b: 7 Feb 76 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann
Mary threatens to resign when Lou decides to use some incriminating news she has discovered about an old friend who is seeking re-election to Congress.
b: 21 Feb 76 pc: _________ w: Richard M. Powell d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
Everything seems to be going right for Sue Ann when her show is nominated for a Teddy Award, but Mary is forced to bring her back to earth with some bad news about the rugged handsome man she has fallen in love with.
b: 28 Feb 76 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Doug Rogersrc: Georgette
Ted and Georgette decide to adopt a son when a doctor confirms Ted's worst fears by pronouncing him physically unable to have children.
b: 6 Mar 76 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Marjorie Mullen| Back to TOP of Page |
TO Title List |
Production Credits
Executive producer: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Created by: James L. Brooks & Allan Burns
Producers: Ed. Weinberger & Stan Daniels
Executive Story Editor: Bob Ellison
Creative Consultant: David Lloyd
Music composed & conducted by Pat Williams
rc: Sue Ann, Georgette
Mary's apartment unexpectedly turns into a delivery room when Georgette gives birth at a party, with Mary and Lou helping to deliver the baby.
b: 25 Sep 76 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrich
Mary tries her hand at creative writing, but becomes upset with Lou at his lack of enthusiasm for some of her efforts.
Note: The passage by Raymond Chandler which Lou reads to Mary is from the opening of the short story "Red Wind," first published in the January 1938 issue of Dime Detective Magazine, and later reprinted in the collections The Simple Art of Murder and Trouble Is My Business.
rc: Sue Ann, Georgette
Sue Ann begins to believe that the entire world is against her when her sister Lila arrives in town and gets a job as the homemaker star on a competing station.
b: 9 Oct 76 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay SandrichMary's elation at hiring an ex-Olympic swimmer as a sportscaster soon fades when she learns that the girl knows nothing about sportscasting and plans to ignore all sports except swimming.
b: 16 Oct 76 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Marjorie Mullenrc: Georgette
When Ted is stricken by a mild heart attack while on the air, he goes through a short-lived personality change which is as puzzling as it is unexpected.
b: 23 Oct 76 pc: _________ w: Earl Pomerantz d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann
Lou finds himself in the midst of a delicate situation when pandemonium erupts in the usually smooth-running newsroom after he makes Murray co-producer of the news with Mary against her wishes to prevent the newswriter from taking a job at a rival station.
b: 30 Oct 76 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette
Georgette is forced to cope with the two opposite IQs of the men in her life when the Baxters' adopted son David is found to have the brain of a genius.
b: 6 Nov 76 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann
b: 13 Nov 76 pc: _________ w: Burt Prelutsky d: Jay Sandrich
Although Lou and Mary's Aunt Flo have constantly challenged each other's journalistic abilities, things seem to soften between them long enough for Lou to propose.
b: 20 Nov 76 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
The annual Teddy Awards have everyone in the newsroom bubbling over with anticipation, except for a distraught Murray, who's convinced that he'll never win until Lou lets him in on a little secret.
b: 7 Nov 76 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay SandrichLou becomes afraid that Mary will become addicted to sleeping pills when she turns to a doctor's prescription to cure her insomnia, and tries to convince her that she doesn't need them. Note: The character of Bonnie Slaughter appeared previously in I Gave at the Office (episode 85), played by Tammi Bula
b: 4 Dec 76 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: James BurrowsWhen Ted travels to Hollywood with Mary and Murray to attend a broadcaster's convention, he is both surprised and frightened by the attempts of a beautiful young reporter to seduce him.
b: 11 Dec 76 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Harry Mastrogeorgerc: Georgette
Mary and Lou try to put up a united front in wage negotiations with the new station manager, who doesn't seem too willing to accept their demands.
b: 25 Dec 76 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann
With hopes of boosting the ratings of The Six O'Clock News by adding some controversy to the show, a renowned critic is hired who verbally and viciously attacks Minneapolis and its people.
b: 8 Jan 77 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Martin Cohanrc: Georgette
Lou finds himself caught in a vise when an old Army buddy, a one-time Casanova, asks him for a date with Mary to repay a 30-year-old favor.
b: 15 Jan 77 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette
Ted and Georgette become the co-hosts of WJM's variety show when the star of the show quits, but Georgette soon finds that show biz isn't all that she thought it would be.
b: 22 Jan 77 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann
Sue Ann faces unemployment when her Happy Homemaker show is cancelled, but she is determined to remain at WJM, no matter what she has to do.
b: 29 Jan 77 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette
When WJM's former weatherman Gordy returns to Minneapolis for a visit after having just signed a contract to host a network show in New York, Ted tries to talk himself into the job of Gordy's co-host.
b: 5 Feb 77 pc: _________ w: Earl Pomerantz d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann
Mary accepts a date with a charming gentleman who turns out to be Murray's father, and winds up on the receiving end of a series of jokes about the wide difference in their ages.
b: 12 Feb 77 pc: _________ w: Les Charles & Glen Charles d: Jay Sandrichrc: Sue Ann, Georgette
Murray suffers the pain of being Ted's ghostwriter when a small article about freedom of the press he writes turns out to be worth more than he thought, and he can't take credit for it.
b: 14 Feb 77 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay SandrichOver a few drinks in the office late one night, Murray, Lou, and Ted fantasize about what it would be like to be married to Mary.
b: 26 Feb 77 pc: _________ w: Bob Ellison d: Jay Sandrichrc: Georgette, Sue Ann
When the power goes out, Mary's guests sit in the dark and reminisce about some of her previous parties while awaiting the arrival of the guests of honor: Congresswoman Geddes and Johnny Carson.
Note: This episode contains flashbacks to Lou's First Date (episode 80), The Dinner Party (episode 82), and Happy Birthday, Lou!, (episode 87).
rc: Sue Ann, Georgette
After yet another disappointing date, Mary begins to wonder if she'll ever meet the right man, until Georgette points out that she's known him all along. Realizing that Georgette is right, Mary hesitantly asks Lou for a date, and he arrives at her apartment for supper that evening even more nervous than she is.
b: 12 Mar 77 pc: _________ w: David Lloyd d: Jay Sandrichrc: Rhoda, Phyllis, Sue Ann, Georgette
The new owner of WJM re-evaluates the news operation and, unable to determine the reason for the low ratings, arbitrarily fires everyone in the newsroom except Ted.
Note - Emmy Award: Outstanding writing in a comedy series (a single episode of a regular or limited series with continuing characters and/or theme.)
The tag of this episode shows Mary Tyler Moore introducing the other seven regular cast members to the audience as "the best cast ever."
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This guide was originally published by the author in the November 30, 1984 issue of Movie Collector's World.