That is the question. I have heard (and been in treatment) that Dick Van Dyke was an alcoholic. That DVD was an alcoholic (and is according to 12 steps).

I have also read that mary Tyler moore was also on the edge and she drank a lot during this period and possibly did drugs. She was a gorgeous woman in the early 1960's with a lot of parties and whatnot.

I have read recently that MTM was a nicotine addict and was trying to quit cigarettes and going up the walls with the rest of the cast (who liked to loved her) begging Mary to just have a cigarette. I agree with that. I think one can cut down on the cigarettes, go from 10 a day to 5 to 2 to less than one or none. I am a smoker, but usually smoke when I drink. I also smoke when I am stressed out about something. When I am disturbed about something I read online ( like a young child being raped and killed) I smoke for comfort. I think Mary probably lights up once in a while. I think it would have been cool in the MTM show if Mary lit a smoke in Lou's offfice with Lou bumming one (because they are pissed at Ted). Have Mary Richards scold Lou on smoking..."Mr. Grant, you know you need to inhale, also, I also want a shot of what is in your bottom drawer! NOW!."

Did MTM quit the smokes? I know she is diabetic and married a doctor (a Jewish doctor, to Rhoda's chagrin...........). I am sure she quit drinking but I think she was a problem child at one time who quit before it killed her career. I wonder like DVD she was in AA. I was in AA and although I think some of their beliefs are nonsense, there are others I have tried to follow in everyday life (it needs to be more practical and less spiritual).

I have also read that DVD was drinking when the DVD Show was on, but he was flawless and not necessarily drunk but had a few pops in him. It was the early 1960's.

What was the true story?

Van Dyke has said his drinking problem started during The DVD Show and continued well into the 1970s. He has since been cured.

I think pretty much everyone smoked in the 1960s, especially actors. Moore did have a drinking problem at one time I read. It was during the "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" years, but I think she has since resolved it. She had more issues with her diabetes than anything else.

MTM was trying to quit smoking during the making of the episode where Laura gets her foot stuck in the bathtub faucet. She drove all the cast and crew nuts until they basically made her start smoking again just to calm her down. Later in her life she did successfully give up smoking.

that's notwhat I heard. When she saw the script for NEVER BATHE OM SATURDAY (the episode where she gets her toe stuck in the spicket) and saw that she wasn't in 90% of it-you just heard her voice-she ran off the set in tears, but later apoligized because it was the week she had decided to give up smoking and her nerves were on edge.