On another thread, the topic of 1sts for TV came up and I was curious if Lou was one of the first divorced tv character in TV history? Also, were there any other firsts for this great show???

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/16/article-1220930-06DA06E4000005DC-594_224x423.jpg

No Lou was not the first divorced character on TV. Vivian Bagley was a divorced character on the Lucy Show starting in 1962.

^ That's right - I was going to say that myself.

^ That's right - I was going to say that myself.
Great minds think alike!

Actually, was I had stated was maybe that Lou Grant was the first character "to get divorced" during the show's run.

Sounds like Vivian from the Lucy Show was already divorced. I agree that could be a first in the "already divorced" category.

I am currently watching Season 4 and there were a handful of episodes dealing with Lou's separation which later becomes a divorce.

Also, this may not quite be a first but before MTM there weren't that many quality roles for women on TV.

Women were either dusting in high heels or being killed off on Westerns before the 70's.

You may or may not know this, Cloris Leachman was briefly one of Lassie's owners (57-58) and wasn't happy playing second fiddle to a dog.

Lou Grant was surely one of the few TV sitcom characters,to get a dramatic spinoff show.

I know Trapper John was a dramatic spinoff from MASH but that was set about 30 years after MASH and Pernell Roberts played the older Trapper,whereas Wayne Rogers played him in the MASH TV series.