Mary Tyler Moore and Her Cars -- a Contribution from Ed Garten

THE CARS OF THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW

The world mourns the passing of Mary Tyler Moore this week, an actress who changed the face of sitcom TV in the early to mid 70s.  More than a few young (and old) men fell in love with Mary during those television years and this writer, himself, had to wipe away a couple of tears.  

Given that the MTM Show was mostly shot in her apartment or in the fictional Minneapolis TV studio where she worked, there were few opportunities for "car spotting" or "product placements."  However, many of us did admire Mary's two cars (yes, two cars).  During the opening couple of seasons Mary was spotted getting out of a white 1970 Mustang coupe and the car was spotted in front of the house in which Mary lived in an upstairs apartment.   And of course in the opening sequence during the first few years Mary is seen driving into "the big city" as a 30 year old who has just left a bad relationship for new opportunities on her own.   But Mary got another Mustang in Season Three when she visited a Minneapolis Ford dealership, first looking at a green 1973 Mustang convertible and then finally deciding on a yellow '73 convertible (in spite of admitting she didn't much care for yellow).  In that episode Mary sort of rolls her eyes when she looks at the Monroney sticker hanging from the side of the yellow Mustang but buys it anyway.  You go girl.  RIP Mary Tyler Moore.