Television legend Mary Tyler Moore died Wednesday afternoon at the age of 80, just hours after it was reported that she was in grave condition at a Connecticut hospital. TMZ reports the late actress had been suffering from “a number of health problems,” and had been on a respirator “for more than a week.” She died “surrounded by family who came to say goodbye,” which is a comforting silver lining to this sad piece of celebrity news.
Known best for her roles on The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Moore was an incredible comedic actress who won six Emmy awards—but her talents stretched far beyond comedy. She received an Oscar nomination for her dramatic work in 1980's Ordinary People, and was a prolific theatrical producer whose company had a hand in the classic play Noises Off. From her representative Mara Buxbaum, who referenced the theme song to The Mary Tyler Moore Show by noting Moore “turned the world on with her smile”:
“Today, beloved icon, Mary Tyler Moore, passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine. A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile.”
For now, here is a 20-year-old video of Oprah reminding her audience just how much she—like millions of others—was inspired by Moore, and then nearly bursting into tears when Moore pops out to surprise her from backstage.
This is a breaking news post and will be updated.