(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: