So Lets Get This Straight, Lou Was Divorced, But Mary Wasn't Allowed To Be??? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 06-22-2011, 10:25 PM

Am I correct so far?

catlover79 · 06-22-2011, 11:35 PM

Well, Lou wasn't divorced at the outset. He and his wife split up in the third or fourth season (Kristen and/or Leigh Ann, feel free to correct me). I think by that time, TV in general was more liberated - but it was still before Norman Lear introduced Bonnie Franklin as Ann Romano, the spunky divorced mom of two girls on One Day at a Time.

Brian Damage · 06-22-2011, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

Well, Lou wasn't divorced at the outset. He and his wife split up in the third or fourth season (Kristen and/or Leigh Ann, feel free to correct me). I think by that time, TV in general was more liberated - but it was still before Norman Lear introduced Bonnie Franklin as Ann Romano, the spunky divorced mom of two girls on One Day at a Time.

I guess that answers my question then!

Thanks Monika

Marvo301 · 06-22-2011, 11:54 PM

The reason the suits at the network didn't want Mary Richards to be divorced is that they were worried audience members would assume she was divorced from Dick Van Dyke due to her successful 5 year run as Dick's TV wife, Laura Petrie, on the Dick Van Dyke Show. TDVDS ended it's run only 4 years prior to the the start of TMTMS.

Kristen · 06-23-2011, 03:47 AM

I was about to post the bit about Mary and how the network would fear she'd divorced Dick, but I see Marv beat me to it!

I don't think it was so much the divorce itself that scared CBS, as the fact it was MARY being divorced. I think they didn't want it to reflect badly on her, since she had been previously known as a housewife on TDVDS.

catlover79 · 06-23-2011, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

I guess that answers my question then!

Thanks Monika

You're welcome!

Mr. Television · 06-23-2011, 11:59 AM

Remember that Vivian Vance was divorced on The Lucy Show all the way back in 1962 and nothing was said about it.

catlover79 · 06-23-2011, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

Remember that Vivian Vance was divorced on The Lucy Show all the way back in 1962 and nothing was said about it.

Yeah, I've always wondered about that myself - why there was no backlash. Weren't CBS execs afraid people would think she'd divorced Bill Frawley?

Marvo301 · 06-23-2011, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

Yeah, I've always wondered about that myself - why there was no backlash. Weren't CBS execs afraid people would think she'd divorced Bill Frawley?

I think in 1962 it was very common knowledge that Bill Frawley and Viv Vance didn't get along with each other so even if people mistakenly thought Viv was divorced from Bill there probably would be very little backlash as people would expect those two to split up anyway. Mary's case was quite different as her and Dick's characters, Rob and Laura were very happily married and Mary and Dick were good friends in real life as well. That's why CBS feared a backlash if the Mary Richards character was divorced.

McGillicuddy · 06-23-2011, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

I think in 1962 it was very common knowledge that Bill Frawley and Viv Vance didn't get along with each other so even if people mistakenly thought Viv was divorced from Bill there probably would be very little backlash as people would expect those two to split up anyway. Mary's case was quite different as her and Dick's characters, Rob and Laura were very happily married and Mary and Dick were good friends in real life as well. That's why CBS feared a backlash if the Mary Richards character was divorced.

It's funny, when Viv referred to her ex-husband Ralph, he sounded an awful lot like Fred Mertz.

I wonder if it was intended to be that way.

Marvo301 · 06-23-2011, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markway895

It's funny, when Viv referred to her ex-husband Ralph, he sounded an awful-like Fred Mertz.

I wonder if it was intended to be that way.

You're right! Viv's descriptions of Ralph did sound a lot like Fred Mertz! I don't know if it was intentional but it added a whole other dimension to the humor!

old grouch · 06-24-2011, 09:41 AM

It's funny how the executives thought that viewers weren't smart enough to discern that Laura Petrie and Mary Richards were two entirely differently characters.

And regarding Fred and Ethel's divorce, I'm taking Fred's side. Maybe her nagging drove him to leave her. Besides, where was she when he was busy raising their grandsons on 'My Three Sons'???

MaryFan4Life · 06-24-2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old grouch

And regarding Fred and Ethel's divorce, I'm taking Fred's side. Maybe her nagging drove him to leave her. Besides, where was she when he was busy raising their grandsons on 'My Three Sons'???

I'm sorry, which show are you referring to, exactly?
Looks like two different ones to me and I may be misunderstanding your humor, lol. Sorry.

Yong Fang · 06-25-2011, 01:20 PM

Lou was an old school dude who busted his ass his whole life.

Grew up in the Depression, with a father louder, drunker and more liberal than Ed Asner.

Had to fight in World War II. You know that Lou went to the front of the line. Most people of Asner's generation fought in WWII (like Ted Knight who won 5, five Silver Stars)

Went to school, got a job, got married, had some kids, had a mortgage, lived in coldass Minnesota, paid their college tuition, drank scotch at work, and basically had a bad imposition most of the time. If Lou Grant was real, he would have been dead thirty years ago.

His wife wanted to "be free" and do her own thing, after being a wife, mother and mate of Lou for at least 20 years. To me, this is a bad thing. She had all the freedom she wanted. The kids were out of the house and Lou was either at work, at home asleep, drinking scotch in the bar or at a ball game.

McGillicuddy · 06-25-2011, 05:08 PM

I guess that whole storyline with Lou and Edie was kind of sad and depressing!

And Edie wanted to be free, yet in the next season, she marries another man.

06-22-2011, 10:25 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	So Lets Get This Straight, Lou Was Divorced, But Mary Wasn't Allowed To Be??? Am I correct so far?
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

06-22-2011, 11:35 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Well, Lou wasn't divorced at the outset. He and his wife split up in the third or fourth season (Kristen and/or Leigh Ann, feel free to correct me). I think by that time, TV in general was more liberated - but it was still before Norman Lear introduced Bonnie Franklin as Ann Romano, the spunky divorced mom of two girls on One Day at a Time.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

06-22-2011, 11:54 PM	#4
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,453	The reason the suits at the network didn't want Mary Richards to be divorced is that they were worried audience members would assume she was divorced from Dick Van Dyke due to her successful 5 year run as Dick's TV wife, Laura Petrie, on the Dick Van Dyke Show. TDVDS ended it's run only 4 years prior to the the start of TMTMS.
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

06-23-2011, 03:47 AM	#5
Kristen Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2000 Location: New York, USA Posts: 4,042	I was about to post the bit about Mary and how the network would fear she'd divorced Dick, but I see Marv beat me to it! I don't think it was so much the divorce itself that scared CBS, as the fact it was MARY being divorced. I think they didn't want it to reflect badly on her, since she had been previously known as a housewife on TDVDS.
	__________________ Twitter \| Facebook \| Swagbucks \| Fanfiction Avatar Credit: Leigh Ann

06-23-2011, 11:59 AM	#7
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	Remember that Vivian Vance was divorced on The Lucy Show all the way back in 1962 and nothing was said about it.
	__________________ Sonny

06-24-2011, 09:41 AM	#12
old grouch Member Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2010 Location: montana Posts: 1,877	It's funny how the executives thought that viewers weren't smart enough to discern that Laura Petrie and Mary Richards were two entirely differently characters. And regarding Fred and Ethel's divorce, I'm taking Fred's side. Maybe her nagging drove him to leave her. Besides, where was she when he was busy raising their grandsons on 'My Three Sons'???

06-25-2011, 01:20 PM	#14
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	Lou was an old school dude who busted his ass his whole life. Grew up in the Depression, with a father louder, drunker and more liberal than Ed Asner. Had to fight in World War II. You know that Lou went to the front of the line. Most people of Asner's generation fought in WWII (like Ted Knight who won 5, five Silver Stars) Went to school, got a job, got married, had some kids, had a mortgage, lived in coldass Minnesota, paid their college tuition, drank scotch at work, and basically had a bad imposition most of the time. If Lou Grant was real, he would have been dead thirty years ago. His wife wanted to "be free" and do her own thing, after being a wife, mother and mate of Lou for at least 20 years. To me, this is a bad thing. She had all the freedom she wanted. The kids were out of the house and Lou was either at work, at home asleep, drinking scotch in the bar or at a ball game.

06-25-2011, 05:08 PM	#15
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	I guess that whole storyline with Lou and Edie was kind of sad and depressing! And Edie wanted to be free, yet in the next season, she marries another man.