Monday will mark the 30th anniversary of the airing of the final episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." It makes me feel old acknowledging this, but I remember that night very well. There was a lot of media hype about the final show and what would happen, how the show would end. Some of the biggest speculation was that Lou and Mary would get married. No one could have guessed the actual outcome: that everyone would be fired except Ted. The cover of TV Guide that week had Mary on the cover, leaning against the inside of the newsroom doorway and looking wistfully into the newsroom. The caption at the bottom said "So long, Mary."

Well, the nation sat down that night, Saturday, March 19, 1977, and watched that emotional, unforgettable farewell which was surely beyond what any of us could have imagined. At the end, Mary turned off the light. But the turning off of the light wasn't the very end. After that, the cast came out for a final bow in front of the studio audience. To my knowledge, that particular piece of footage hasn't been aired since that night 30 years ago. So many years have passed, but this show remains as beloved now as it was then, truly a classic among classics.

Monday will mark the 30th anniversary of the airing of the final episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." It makes me feel old acknowledging this, but I remember that night very well. There was a lot of media hype about the final show and what would happen, how the show would end. Some of the biggest speculation was that Lou and Mary would get married. No one could have guessed the actual outcome: that everyone would be fired except Ted. The cover of TV Guide that week had Mary on the cover, leaning against the inside of the newsroom doorway and looking wistfully into the newsroom. The caption at the bottom said "So long, Mary."

Well, the nation sat down that night, Saturday, March 19, 1977, and watched that emotional, unforgettable farewell which was surely beyond what any of us could have imagined. At the end, Mary turned off the light. But the turning off of the light wasn't the very end. After that, the cast came out for a final bow in front of the studio audience. To my knowledge, that particular piece of footage hasn't been aired since that night 30 years ago. So many years have passed, but this show remains as beloved now as it was then, truly a classic among classics.

No, I don't think the curtain call has been aired, either. I'd kill to see it, though. I'll try and remember to drag out my tape of the finale on Mon to make the occaison.

- Kristen

no; that ending hasn't been seen since the finale first aired. When CBS reran the finale that summer they didn't even show it then. Hopefully when the final season comes out on DVD it will be on there.

(but at the rate that MTM, Bob Newhart, Barney Miller, and some other shows are being realeased; DVDs may be out of style by the time we see them!:mad: )

No, I don't think the curtain call has been aired, either. I'd kill to see it, though. I'll try and remember to drag out my tape of the finale on Mon to make the occaison.

- Kristen

Good news: You don't have to kill anyone. Someone has posted that final curtain call on Youtube! This is the first time I've seen it since it was aired 30 years ago. I love Youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTMYD6Sxg4c

Good news: You don't have to kill anyone. Someone has posted that final curtain call on Youtube! This is the first time I've seen it since it was aired 30 years ago. I love Youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTMYD6Sxg4c


:thanks: Awww. That was so sweet. I wonder where the person got it to put on there, since it hasn't been on TV in so long.

And yes, I love YouTube, too. In fact, I think I'm a bit addicted, hehe. I wonder if there's a support group out there for that.

- Kristen

:thanks: Awww. That was so sweet. I wonder where the person got it to put on there, since it hasn't been on TV in so long.

And yes, I love YouTube, too. In fact, I think I'm a bit addicted, hehe. I wonder if there's a support group out there for that.

- Kristen

:lol: I need to join that same support group. Youtube is taking over my life! The person who posted the video clip claims to have recorded it when it originally aired. I didn't even know VCRs were around back then.

NOVARick

That was GREAT. Thank you!!!
I am sooooooooooooooo happy I finally got to see it.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

NOVARick

That was GREAT. Thank you!!!
I am sooooooooooooooo happy I finally got to see it.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

You're very welcome, but I'm really not the person you should be thanking. I didn't post that clip, I just luckily ran across it yesterday. The person who posted it had purchased a VCR way back in 1976 for $1300, which is about $4900 in today's dollars. Imagine that! So anyhow, this person recorded that final curtain call when it aired way back in '77 and has had it all these years. Thank goodness for this person and for Youtube so that now we can all see it!

NOVARick, if you find anymore TMTMS-related stuff on YouTube, please share! (Not that I think you wouldn't, lol, I just want to make sure.)

Wow, I can't imagine paying that much for a VCR! I remember in one episode, Ted had one in his dressing room to tape his own newscast (typical Ted!). I wonder how much he paid, and what his reaction was when they told him the price! :lol:

NOVARick, if you find anymore TMTMS-related stuff on YouTube, please share! (Not that I think you wouldn't, lol, I just want to make sure.)

Wow, I can't imagine paying that much for a VCR! I remember in one episode, Ted had one in his dressing room to tape his own newscast (typical Ted!). I wonder how much he paid, and what his reaction was when they told him the price! :lol:

Yeah, I remember that scene. :lol: Ted is so pathetic I can't help but love him. :lol: As for MTM stuff on Youtube, there's quite a bit out there. If you do a search of "Mary Tyler Moore" it will return quite a few things. Here's one I came across that's really, really cool: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbukZ5AxkjM

This is a wonderful tribute that contains lots of clips and stills depicting scenes from the show, of the set, publicity, etc., and features different versions of the theme music, including from the pilot which has yet another variation on some of the lyrics (e.g., "This world is awfully big and girl you'll be so far from home")

When the show first aired, it was on my mom's 27th birthday. She too was a single girl trying to make her own way, so she related a lot to Mary and Rhoda. In 1974 she married my dad (the same month that Rhoda married Joe on her show), but still related a lot to the characters and stories.

It's funny - I was born after the show went off the air, but through the magic of reruns and DVDs, I fell in love with it. I'm 28 and a single working girl. The show may be 30+ years old but the issues a single working girl faces are timeless. God bless MTM and all the wonderful people who brought this gem of a show to life!!! :clap :D