Which classic character of Mary Tyler Moore do you prefer: Mary Richards on The Mary Tyler Moore Show or Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show and why?

Originally posted by LucyFan
Which classic character of Mary Tyler Moore do you prefer: Mary Richards on The Mary Tyler Moore Show or Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show and why?

I love Laura a lot, but my heart belongs to Mary Richards! I think being that I'm not married yet and still dealing with that search for "Mr. Right" I can relate more to her than to Laura, although I'm closer to Laura's age.

That's just my opinion, I know on both sides there are strong feelings.

Kristen

I prefer Mary, she was indepedent and could think for herself. As opposed to Laura who was portrayed in that 60's sitcom dimwit wife syndrome.

I'm a little old fashioned, but how can there be any comparison to MTM's Laura Petrie character? MTM once said herself that, "Laura was just out there in New Rochelle, doing her thing." And what was Laura's "thing"? She didn't want to dance, although she could, and very well. She didn't want a writer's career, although she tried her hand at it. She didn't want to compete with and beat Rob at anything, although she occassionally did. Laura focused her energy on making sure that their home was comfortable and happy for Rob and Richie.
Mary Richards was different. She was a career woman who'd never found the right guy to settle down with, but you knew that she knew she could have almost any guy she wanted. She was no vixen, to be sure, but she was well aware of her curb appeal. You get the impression that when she was ready, she knew she'd have her pick.
On the other hand, Laura Petrie would've been genuinely surprised and flattered to know that millions of men found her so attractive and desireable. Oh she may have denied it at first, if Rob brought it up one morning at breakfast. But eventually she would've given in, agreed reluctantly, and told him she didn't understant why. Then she would have sent him off to work with a kiss, and started defrosting a roast for dinner. No comparison

OK, so tonight, as a relative newcomer to the MTMS board, I'm looking back at the different subjects that have been talked about.
And while I did just choose between The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show in another thread, as a guy I just can't make the call on this one.
MTM as Laura Petrie...a bright-eyed, gorgeous brunette (those capri pants!), younger, intelligent, yes a devoted housewife, but talented and with a mind of her own
MTM as Mary Richards...still stunning with great hair and smile, a bit older and more worldly, sweet and a friend to all, now independent enough to make it on her own in a male-dominated field

This is like choosing between chocolate and strawberry ice cream...give me one scoop of each, please!

Mary Richards by default - I've seen much more of MTM than DVD.

Mary!

Mary !!!

Eeek! That is the toughest one!!! I love them both. I can relate to them both in different ways:
Laura: I want to be a dancer (and an actress) and if anyone told me that I was pretty I would deny it (I do to my BFF all the time). I'm not just Laura's namesake, I'm Laura's exact replica! So many people say to me: "You remind me just of Laura Petrie!" Laura is more my age than Mary.
Mary: Mary is a career lady like I want to be. She produces (and they mention that she edits!!) like I like to also, but she is shy. I am not shy, but many people will say that I am a goody-goody like her. I never get into trouble (not that Laura did by any means, but Mary showed that she didn't).
All in all, I will conclude that I love both of the characters equally and I am a mix between the both of them!

~LauraNamesake ;)

Both are funny, beautiful characters and it's really hard to make a choice.

I love both characters so much, but I like Laura a little more than Mary.

LauraNamesake, do you have photographic proof that you look like Laura Petrie?

;)

LauraNamesake, do you have photographic proof that you look like Laura Petrie?

;)
What do you mean, photographic proof?

What do you mean, photographic proof?

I believe he means a picture of you. hehe

- Kristen

yes, when you said you were an exact replica of laura petrie, i thought it would be fun to see it
but it's no big deal if you can't produce a pic
i'm sure you're close, but there's only one laura petrie!
or only one mary richards for that matter!

yes, when you said you were an exact replica of laura petrie, i thought it would be fun to see it
but it's no big deal if you can't produce a pic
i'm sure you're close, but there's only one laura petrie!
or only one mary richards for that matter!
No pic, to risky on the internet. But I can say that all of my features are like her, except for the nose. My eyes, smile, face shape (Laura's not Mary's. Mary had a more mature face shape. I guess since MTM was so young on as Laura she adn't lost her younger baby face shape), and everything just is hers, even the personality.

interesting!
well, having the laura petrie nose is a pretty important requirement
but if you've got it all but that, you must be a pretty hot little number!
some capri pants would really sell the look

I wear them almost constantly! Only I don't think that anyone could look as good as Laura Petrie in those slacks.
My hair color is a little more blonde-ish than hers though...but I do have a flip!!! I've always wanted one, so (because of my pin straight hair) my mom got me a fall, and I wear that.
Eyes are blue/green, not brown. My coloring isn't much like her, except for the complexion. Quite close.

Well, you couldn't have a better role model
LP was intelligent, friendly, and had a wow factor that was somehow understated yet at the same time off the charts
Timeless beauty

Hola!

Laura Petrie was hot. Smoking hot. Sensual. Gorgeous body. I wish the woman did Playboy.
http://members.aol.com/Dave7373/dvd10813.gif
(I mean, would any straight man have their own bed married to her?)

Laura Petrie turned into frumpy early 1970s middle aged woman in about five years, and she looked like she aged about 15. MTM really aged up. I have also read that she drank a lot when she was young and then developed diabetes which almost killed her. Her only child was also killed accidentally with a shotgun. This grief puts time on you too.

http://images.art.com/images/-/Mary-Tyler-Moore-Show--C10039379.jpeg

I think the hideous clothes of the early 1970s contributed to her lessening of attractiveness. Rhoda was hot too. Cloris was annoying.

Senor

Hola!

Laura Petrie was hot. Smoking hot. Sensual. Gorgeous body. I wish the woman did Playboy.
http://members.aol.com/Dave7373/dvd10813.gif
(I mean, would any straight man have their own bed married to her?)

Laura Petrie turned into frumpy early 1970s middle aged woman in about five years, and she looked like she aged about 15. MTM really aged up. I have also read that she drank a lot when she was young and then developed diabetes which almost killed her. Her only child was also killed accidentally with a shotgun. This grief puts time on you too.

http://images.art.com/images/-/Mary-Tyler-Moore-Show--C10039379.jpeg

I think the hideous clothes of the early 1970s contributed to her lessening of attractiveness. Rhoda was hot too. Cloris was annoying.

Senor
Ms. Moore's son was not killed until after The Mary Tyler Moore Show, so that wasn't what aged her within the 5 years. The diabetes is what aged her. Diabetes at a young age makes everything come quicker and a little harsher: she got it after The Dick Van Dyke Show, before the Mary Tyler Moore Show, and during that time it aged her quite a bit. Also, I believe, that when she found out she had diabetes, she had a miscarriage and that showed the diabetes or something, I'm pretty sure. I read the book...

I'm sorry, I hear that a lot, but Mary Tyler Moore was still great looking during the Mary Tyler Moore Show, and remains that way today!
During TMTMS did she look like Laura Petrie, a 20/29-year-old innocent-yet-sexy brunette housewife with intelligence and a killer bod? Of course not...but guess what, she wasn't 20-29 anymore!
But she still had (and has) great hair, eyes, smile, and cheeks on TMTMS, and there's one episode in the early TMTMSs when you can see she's got an absolutely washboard stomach, and she stayed fit throughout.
So did she age, yes, but not the way some would have you believe...it's impossible to match Laura Petrie going forward, but she's still highest-echelon cute!