A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy ) is a genre of comedy that centers on a recurring cast of characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent setting, such as a home, workplace, or community. Unlike sketch comedy , which features different characters and settings in each skit , sitcoms typically maintain plot continuity across episodes. This continuity allows for the development of storylines and characters over time, fostering audience engagement and investment in the characters' lives and relationships.
126-400: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (also known simply as Mary Tyler Moore ) is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore . The show originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970, to March 19, 1977. Moore portrayed Mary Richards , an unmarried, independent woman focused on her career as associate producer of a news show at
252-579: A mastectomy for breast cancer on September 28, 1974, after having been diagnosed with the disease. Ford decided to be open about her illness because "There had been so much cover-up during Watergate that we wanted to be sure there would be no cover-up in the Ford administration." Her openness about her cancer and treatment raised the visibility of a disease that Americans had previously been reluctant to talk about. "When other women have this same operation, it doesn't make any headlines," she told Time . "But
378-402: A psychiatrist approximately between August 1965 and April 1967. Ford received support from her family and managed to resume a busy lifestyle. However, notably, Ford had not yet managed to address her increasing prescription pain medication dependency, which sometimes saw her taking as many as twenty pills in a single day. Nor had she yet addressed her relationship with alcohol, which she, at
504-540: A 30-minute time slot. Throughout their history, American sitcoms have often drawn inspiration from British counterparts. Popular shows like All in the Family , Three's Company , and Sanford and Son were adapted from successful British series. More recently, The Office achieved significant popularity in the United States , following the success of its British counterpart. Numerous television networks in
630-462: A cameo role, becoming the first First Lady to appear on a television sitcom. The show's final seasons explore death in " Chuckles Bites the Dust " and juvenile offenders in "Mary's Delinquent"; Ted suffers a heart attack; Ted and Georgette contend with intimate marital problems, deal with infertility, and adopt a child; and Mary overcomes an addiction to sleeping pills. Mary dates many men on and off over
756-408: A central female character who was neither married nor dependent on a man was a rarity on American television in the 1970s. The show has been celebrated for its complex, relatable characters and storylines. The Mary Tyler Moore Show received consistent praise from critics and high ratings during its original run and earned 29 Primetime Emmy Awards , including Outstanding Comedy Series three years in
882-544: A core group of characters who interact in a recurring setting, such as a family, workplace, or institution. However, British sitcoms typically consist of shorter series, often six episodes, and are frequently developed by a smaller writing team. The majority of British sitcoms are half-hour comedies recorded in studio settings using a multiple-camera setup. While many adhere to traditional sitcom conventions, some have ventured into more unconventional territory. For example, Blackadder and Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister shifted
1008-462: A day more than a decade after production ended. In January 2017, the house was marketed for a price of $ 1.7 million. The opening title sequence features many scenes filmed on location in Minneapolis in both summer and winter, as well as a few clips from the show's studio scenes. The sequence changed each season, but always ended with Mary tossing her hat into the air in front of what was then
1134-514: A diplomatic trip to European nations after the midterm elections. Both Betty and Gerald Ford refused to comment on speculation that President Nixon might be forced out of office due to the Watergate scandal . Ford did indirectly indicate her willingness to step into the role of first lady by affirming that she would make any sacrifices required for her husband to carry out his constitutional obligations, but also opined that it would be traumatic if
1260-474: A four-day trip, Ford met with former Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam Nguyễn Cao Kỳ to discuss Southeast Asian refugees. Afterwards, Ford stated she was impressed with the conduct of the refugees. Ford's involvement in political issues received some conservative criticism. Phyllis Schlafly accused Ford of acting improperly by intervening in state affairs. Some women protested Ford's lobbying for
1386-474: A list of TV's Top Ten credit sequences, as selected by readers. In 2017, James Charisma of Paste ranked the show's opening sequence No. 15 on a list of The 75 Best TV Title Sequences of All Time. Sonny Curtis wrote and performed the opening theme song, " Love Is All Around ". The lyrics changed between the first and second seasons, in part to reflect Mary Richards having become settled in her new home. The later lyrics, which accompanied many more episodes at
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#17327905438601512-414: A mastectomy. The spike in women self-examining after Ford went public with the diagnosis led to an increase in reported cases of breast cancer, a phenomenon known as the "Betty Ford blip". According to Tasha N. Dubriwny, the massive media coverage of Ford's mastectomy was constrained by stereotypical gender roles , particularly the need for breast cancer patients to maintain their femininity. Betty Ford
1638-412: A mother of four who mused about drugs, abortion and premarital sex aloud and without regret." Ford was open about the benefits of psychiatric treatment and spoke understandingly about marijuana use and premarital sex. The New York News Service wrote that Ford was, "constitutionally incapable of uttering 'no comment' or otherwise fudging an answer." As first lady, remarking on her honest candor and
1764-505: A row (1975–1977). Moore received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series three times. The series also launched three spin-offs : Rhoda , Phyllis , and Lou Grant . The series has been universally regarded as one of the best television shows of all time. Mary Richards ( Moore ) is a single woman who, at age 30, moves to Minneapolis on the heels of a broken engagement. She applies for
1890-472: A secretarial job at fictional television station WJM, but the position is already taken. She is instead offered the post of associate producer of the station's six o'clock news. She befriends tough but lovable boss Lou Grant ( Ed Asner ), newswriter Murray Slaughter ( Gavin MacLeod ), and buffoonish anchorman Ted Baxter ( Ted Knight ). Mary is later promoted to producer of the show, though her duties remain
2016-475: A smart sense of humor suggest, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its titular star may just make it after all”. In addition to numerous nominations, The Mary Tyler Moore Show won 29 Emmy Awards . This was a record unbroken until Frasier earned its 30th in 2002. Sitcom The structure and concept of a sitcom have roots in earlier forms of comedic theater, such as farces and comedy of manners . These forms relied on running gags to generate humor, but
2142-418: A strong personal and political partnership. This open affection was evident from the beginning of Gerald Ford's presidency. Ford was observed audibly telling her husband "I love you" following a kiss they shared right after he was sworn in as president. Later that day, President Ford was caught momentarily patting Betty's buttocks before the press gathered outside of their Virginia residence. Weeks later, when
2268-411: A time when the show's popularity was at a peak, are more widely known, and most covers of the song use these words. For season 7, there was a slightly new musical arrangement for the opening theme, but the lyrics remained the same as seasons 2–6. No supporting cast members are credited during the show's opening (though from the second season on, shots of them appear). The ending sequences show snippets of
2394-536: A woman's right to an abortion, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and grass roots activism. Ford took these stances despite recognizing that they created a political risk of conservative backlash against her husband. However, not everything Ford did as first lady broke tradition. Ford also enjoyed the traditional role as hostess of the White House and on a daily basis spent most of her energy on
2520-564: Is one of the leading channels in India, dedicated entirely to Sitcoms. Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is the longest-running sitcom of Indian television and is also known as the flagship show of SAB TV . On Tiptoes and Shabhaye Barareh were among the first and most important sitcoms that led to the growth of this type of comedy in Iran, both receiving wide critical and audience acclaim. El Chavo del Ocho , which ran from 1971 to 1980,
2646-525: The 1976 United States presidential election . On May 31, 1973, Ford made her first major speech when she gave a commencement address to the graduates of the Westminster Choir College . This set a contrast with First Lady Pat Nixon , who routinely rejected invitations to give formal speeches. Ford was also observed to be upgrading her wardrobe, adding designer clothing . In addition to the arts, Ford also gave focus to projects helping
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#17327905438602772-478: The 60 Minutes interview, President Ford initially quipped to her that her comments had lost him a large number of votes. However, polling would show that her comments were accepted by many Americans. In 1975, when Time named the "American women" as its " Person of the Year ", the magazine profiled Ford as one of eleven women selected to represent "American women". That same year, People named Ford one of
2898-725: The Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series . In 2020, the sixth and final season of Schitt's Creek was nominated for 15 Primetime Emmy Awards . This broke the record for the most Emmy nominations given to a comedy series in its final season. During the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards , the show became the first ever comedy or drama series to sweep the four acting categories ( Outstanding Lead Actor , Outstanding Lead Actress , Outstanding Supporting Actor , Outstanding Supporting Actress for Eugene Levy , Catherine O'Hara , Dan Levy , and Annie Murphy respectively) and one of only four live action shows, along with All in
3024-747: The Continental Can Company , and after that for the Widdicomb Furniture Company . The couple moved frequently because of his work. At one point, they lived in Toledo, Ohio , where Elizabeth was employed at the department store Lasalle & Koch as a demonstrator, a job that entailed being a model and saleswoman . She worked a production line for a frozen food company in Fulton, New York . When they returned to Grand Rapids, she worked again at Herpolsheimer's, this time as
3150-532: The Harry S Truman Building . In June 1974, Ford attended the funeral of Alberta Williams King , the assassinated mother of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Other Nixon administration official figures did not attend, continuing with other obligations. Ford was the only individual in attendance at the funeral not directly ingrained in the civil rights movement or black politics, with
3276-554: The John Robert Powers firm in order to finance her dance studies. She joined Graham's auxiliary troupe and eventually performed with the company at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Bloomer's mother was opposed to her pursuing a career in dance and insisted that she return home, and, as a compromise, they agreed that Bloomer would return home for six months and, if she still wanted to return to New York City at
3402-990: The Michigan Wolverines and the Northwestern Wildcats , before driving to Owosso, Michigan , to attend a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee Thomas Dewey . The Fords would ultimately be married for the next 58 years, until Gerald Ford's death. An anecdote that was later reported was that, when Gerald Ford left Grand Rapids for Washington, D.C., Betty Ford's new sister-in-law Janet Ford remarked to her, "with Jerry, you'll never have to worry about other women. Your cross will be his work." Betty and Gerald Ford had four children together: Michael Gerald Ford (born 1950), John Gardner Ford (nicknamed Jack; born 1952), Steven Meigs Ford (born 1956), and Susan Elizabeth Ford (born 1957). The Fords lived in Washington, D.C. after his election, until
3528-753: The RTR channel. The "boom" of Russian sitcoms began only in the 2000s, when in 2004, the STS started the highly successful sitcom " My Fair Nanny " (an adaptation of the American sitcom " The Nanny "). Since that time, sitcoms in Russia have been produced by the two largest entertainment channels in the country — STS and TNT . In 2007, the STS released the first original domestic sitcom — " Daddy's Daughters " (there were only adaptations before), and in 2010, TNT released " Interns " —
3654-822: The Republican Party . Ford successfully lobbied her husband to, in 1975, sign an executive order to establish the National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year . Ford also, unsuccessfully, lobbied her husband to appoint the first woman to the Supreme Court of the United States or as a running mate in the 1976 election. Ford took personal credit for the appointment of Carla Anderson Hills as secretary of Housing and Urban Development . In May 1975, during
3780-630: The TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland , which aired on September 4. Katie Couric interviewed the cast on Katie as they celebrated acting together for the first time in more than 30 years. It would be their final time on-screen together, as Mary Tyler Moore died in January 2017. The show has remained popular since the final episode was broadcast in 1977. Several songs, films and other television programs reference or parody characters and events from
3906-399: The United States feature sitcoms in their programming. CBS , TBS, Nickelodeon , and Disney Channel are just a few examples of networks that air sitcoms. Betty Ford Elizabeth Anne Ford ( née Bloomer ; formerly Warren ; April 8, 1918 – July 8, 2011) was first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of President Gerald Ford . As first lady, she
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4032-584: The Will Ferrell comedy film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy , the name of Burgundy's dog, Baxter, refers to the character Ted Baxter, and the head of the newsroom staff is named Ed, honoring Ed Asner. In the 1997 film Romy & Michele's High School Reunion , the characters argue with each other while exclaiming "I'm the Mary and you're the Rhoda." Frank DeCaro of The New York Times wrote that this
4158-664: The comedy-dramas of the 1980s and 1990s. Although there have been few long-running Australian-made sitcoms, many American and British sitcoms have been successful in Australia, since sitcoms are considered a staple of the government broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). In the 1970s and 1980s many British sitcoms also screened on the Seven Network . By 1986, UK comedies Bless This House and Are You Being Served? had been re-screened several times by ABC Television ; they were then acquired and screened by
4284-724: The disabled during her time as second lady. On March 12, 1974, the Fords hosted a state dinner for King Hussein of Jordan after president Nixon, with a week's notice, asked Vice President Ford to take over for him in hosting the already-scheduled state dinner. The dinner was held in the John Quincy Adams Drawing Room, one of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the United States Department of State headquarters at
4410-554: The oath of office before a joint session of the United States Congress while placing his hand upon a bible that Betty Ford held. With her husband assuming the office of vice president, Ford became the second lady of the United States . Before the end of December, Ford played a role in establishing the Republican Women's Federal Forum, partnering with Barbara Bush , whose husband George H. W. Bush
4536-406: The "most disciplined, composed first lady in history." Ford ultimately became a popular and influential first lady. In the opinion of The New York Times and several presidential historians, "Mrs. Ford's impact on American culture may be far wider and more lasting than that of her husband, who served a mere 896 days, much of it spent trying to restore the dignity of the office of the president." She
4662-431: The 1990s these included: Dekh Bhai Dekh (1993), Zabaan Sambhalke (1993), Shrimaan Shrimati (1995), Office Office (2001), Ramani Vs Ramani (Tamil 2001), Amrutham (Telugu 2001–2007), Khichdi (2002), Sarabhai vs Sarabhai (2005) F.I.R. (2006–2015), Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (2008–present), Uppum Mulakum (Malayalam 2015–present), and Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain (2015–present). SAB TV
4788-482: The 1990s, sitcoms have since expanded to animated sitcoms , with successful shows of the genre including The Simpsons , King of the Hill , and Family Guy . Critics have debated the exact definition of a sitcom, mostly regarding productions created at the turn of the 21st century. Many contemporary American sitcoms use a single-camera setup and do not feature a laugh track, instead more resembling documentaries or
4914-482: The 2010s, resulting in a decline in sitcom popularity. Nevertheless, there have been recent efforts to revive the sitcom genre. For instance, Netflix released So Not Worth It in 2021, featuring many creators from popular South Korean sitcoms. Popular South Korean sitcoms include the High Kick series, which has spawned several spin-offs. British sitcoms , like their American counterparts, often revolve around
5040-636: The 81st Congress Club and National Federation of Republican Women . Ford's busy life took a toll. In 1964, a pinched nerve on the left side of Ford's neck sent her to the hospital for two weeks. After her pinched nerve, she began suffering several effects, including muscle spasms , periphrasic neuropathy, numbing the left side of her neck, and arthritis on her shoulder and arm. She would be given prescription medication , including Valium . Ford would ultimately develop an addiction to prescription medication (and would ultimately confront and recover from this addiction in 1978). Ford's health problems and
5166-649: The Calla Travis Dance Studio in Grand Rapids, where Ford was taught ballet, tap dancing , and modern movement . She developed a passion for dance, and she decided she wanted to pursue a career in the field. At the age of 14, she began modeling clothes and teaching children popular dances, such as the foxtrot , waltz , and big apple , to earn money in the wake of the Great Depression . She worked with children with disabilities at
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5292-466: The Calla Travis Dance Studio. She further taught ballroom dancing lessons for children with visual impairment and hearing loss and gave weekly dance lessons to African American children. In 1942, Elizabeth Bloomer married William G. Warren, whom she had known since she was 12. At the time they married, Warren worked for his own father in insurance sales. Shortly after they married, he began to sell insurance for another company. He later worked for
5418-685: The ERA by carrying placards outside of the White House reading "Betty Ford, Get Off the Phone". On June 30, 1976, Ford attended the opening of "Remember the Ladies", a Revolutionary War-era women's exhibit. She drew boos from demonstrators against the Equal Rights Amendment in stating, "This exhibit about neglected Americans should give us strength and courage to seek equal rights for women today." Weeks after Ford became first lady, she underwent
5544-417: The Family , The Golden Girls , and Will & Grace where all the principal actors have won at least one Emmy Award. Sitcoms started appearing on Indian television in the 1980s, with serials like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984), Nukkad (1986), and Wagle Ki Duniya (1988) on the state-run Doordarshan channel. Gradually, as private channels were permitted to operate, many more sitcoms followed. In
5670-423: The Fords moved from their Virginia residence into the White House their king size bed was photographed being moved into the White House, which prompted Betty to quip that they had been outed for breaking the tradition of first couples keeping separate bedrooms in the White House. Early into her time in the White House, during a televised tour of the White House, Ford once again noted that she and her husband shared
5796-557: The House in light of the Republican Party's failure to win a majority in the 1972 United States House of Representatives elections . Spiro Agnew resigned as vice president on October 10, 1973. Two days later, on October 12, 1973, President Richard Nixon nominated Gerald Ford to serve as vice president. Ford felt an obligation to attend her husband's testimony at his confirmation hearings. During his testimony, Gerald Ford
5922-500: The Mary Free Bed Home for Crippled Children. She studied dance at the Calla Travis Dance Studio, graduating in 1935. While she was still in high school, she started her own dance school, instructing both youth and adults. Growing up, she was subject to teasing about her surname, with other kids in school calling her "Betty Pants " (a play on " bloomers " being a name for a type of lower-body garment). Bloomer disliked
6048-571: The Nixon administration opposed. Ford had an extremely busy schedule by July 1974. Magazines such as Vogue and Ladies Home Journal were planning to publish spreads on Ford in upcoming issues. With her husband, as vice president, tasked with heavily campaigning on behalf of his party for the 1974 midterm elections , Ford occasionally hit the campaign trail herself. Ford had declared that she would be accompanying her husband at campaign functions, "when he wants me to." The Fords had planned to make
6174-728: The Seven Network. In 1981, Daily at Dawn was the first Australian comedy series to feature a regular gay character (Terry Bader as journalist Leslie). In 1987, Mother and Son won the Television Drama Award for portraying a woman suffering from senile dementia and her interaction with her family, presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission . In 2007, Kath & Kim ' s first episode of series 4 attracted an Australian audience of 2.521 million nationally. This
6300-505: The Supreme Court's ruling. I think it's time to bring abortion out of the backwoods and put it in the hospitals, where it belongs." Disregarding criticism to her stance, Ford would remark, "Maybe I shouldn't have said it, but I couldn't lie. That's the way I feel." The media "broke" the story that Ford had a previous marriage and had been divorced, initially reporting it as a secret revelation. However, Ford simply responded by giving
6426-583: The United States . As was the case during Gerald Ford's vice presidential swearing-in, Betty Ford held the Bible upon which he placed his hand while taking his oath of office . In his remarks at his inauguration , Gerald Ford remarked, "I am indebted to no man and only one woman, my dear wife, Betty, as I begin this very difficult job." At the time her husband assumed the presidency, reporters speculated on what kind of first lady Ford would be, as they thought her predecessor, Pat Nixon, as noted by one reporter, to be
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#17327905438606552-578: The United States at a time, according to Robert S. Alley, the co-author of a book about the series. In the fall of 1992, Nick at Nite began broadcasting the series nightly, launching it with a week-long "Mary-thon", and it became the network's top-rated series. It is available on Hulu and through Pluto. It was a longtime staple of Weigel Broadcasting 's MeTV network dating back to its 2003 launch in Chicago , expanding nationwide in 2011, but has since moved to Decades , partly owned by Weigel. The series
6678-525: The United States in 1926 with the radio show Sam 'n' Henry . The subsequent success of Amos 'n' Andy , also created by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll , solidified the sitcom's place in American radio programming. The transition to television brought about significant changes in the sitcom format. Mary Kay and Johnny , which premiered in 1947, became the first American television sitcom. Today, American sitcoms typically run for 22 minutes, allowing for approximately eight minutes of advertising within
6804-450: The beginning of season 6, after both Rhoda and Phyllis move away (providing a premise for two spinoffs), Mary relocates to a one-bedroom apartment in a high-rise building; Minneapolis's Riverside Plaza was used for establishing shots. From the beginning, issues such as workplace discrimination against women figured into episode stories. In the third season, issues such as equal pay for women, pre-marital sex, and homosexuality are woven into
6930-403: The best and most courageous American first ladies. Following her years in the White House, Ford continued to lobby for the ERA, and remained active in the feminist movement . Soon after leaving office, she raised awareness of addiction when she sought help for, and publicly disclosed, her long-running struggle with alcoholism and substance abuse . After recovering, she founded, and served as
7056-525: The birth of Ted and Georgette's baby. When Moore was approached about the show, she "was unsure and unwilling to commit, fearing any new role might suffer in comparison with her Laura Petrie character in The Dick Van Dyke Show , which also aired on CBS, and was already cemented as one of the most popular parts in TV history". Moore's character was initially intended to be a divorcée, but divorce
7182-407: The cast, as well as any major guest stars in that episode, with the respective actors' names at the bottom of the screen. Other on-location scenes are also shown during the closing credits, including a rear shot of Mary holding hands with her date, played by Moore's then-husband, Grant Tinker , and Moore and Valerie Harper feeding ducks on the bank of a pond in a Minneapolis park (this shot remained in
7308-662: The credits, even after Harper left the show). Many of the opening shots were filmed at Lake of the Isles . The ending sequence music is an instrumental version of "Love is All Around". The ending finishes with Mimsie the cat meowing within the MTM company logo. In 2007 Time put The Mary Tyler Moore Show on its list of "17 Shows That Changed TV". Time stated that the series "liberated TV for adults—of both sexes" by being "a sophisticated show about grownups among other grownups, having grownup conversations". The Associated Press said that
7434-522: The editors of the New York News Service wrote that Ford was, "one of the most charming and popular First Ladies ever to occupy the White House". During her time as first lady, Ford was an outspoken advocate of women's rights and was a prominent force in the Women's Movement of the 1970s . Her active political role prompted Time to call her the country's "Fighting First Lady" and was
7560-450: The end of that time, her mother would not protest further. Bloomer became immersed in her life in Grand Rapids and did not return to New York. Her mother remarried, to family friend and neighbor Arthur Meigs Godwin, and Bloomer lived with them. She got a job as assistant to the fashion coordinator for Herpolsheimer's , a local department store . She also organized her own dance group and taught dance at various sites in Grand Rapids, including
7686-417: The exception of Gallup having not conducted such a poll in 1976 (the final full year of her husband's presidency). The poll gauges Americans' most admired men and women without providing respondents any pre-arranged list of names. In 1974, Ford placed second in the poll. She placed first in 1975. In 1977, the year her husband left office, she placed fourth. After her tenure as first lady ended, she would top
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#17327905438607812-437: The exception of Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter. Ford's attendance at the funeral was, in actuality, a break from the administration. Ford had believed it to be of great importance for the administration to show an expression of direct concern pertaining to the assassination, while Nixon's staff disagreed with her. Ford also broke from the administration in giving her support to the prospect of federally-funded child daycare , which
7938-400: The explanation that it was not something that she had tried to hide, but rather, something that she had only neglected to share with the news media because none of them had broached the subject in their previous questions to her. This response proved effective in killing the speculation that she was covering-up her past and earned her some admiration in the media. At one point, Ford disclosed to
8064-513: The fact that I was the wife of the President put it in headlines and brought before the public this particular experience I was going through. It made a lot of women realize that it could happen to them. I'm sure I've saved at least one person—maybe more." Adding to heightened public awareness of breast cancer were reports that several weeks after Ford's cancer surgery, Happy Rockefeller , the wife of Vice President Nelson Rockefeller , also had
8190-464: The family, health, and serving as a surrogate for her husband on the political campaign trail. Steinhauer of The New York Times described Ford as "a product and symbol of the cultural and political times—doing the Bump dance along the corridors of the White House, donning a mood ring , chatting on her CB radio with the handle First Mama—a housewife who argued passionately for equal rights for women,
8316-466: The fashion coordinator. She had, three years into the marriage, concluded that their relationship was a failure. She desired to have a family with children and was unhappy with the frequent moves between cities she had experienced in her marriage. Warren was an alcoholic and diabetic , and was in poor health. Shortly after she decided to file for divorce, Warren fell into a coma. She paused her divorce, and supported him, living at Warren's family's home for
8442-474: The fictional local station WJM in Minneapolis . Ed Asner co-starred as Mary's boss Lou Grant , alongside Gavin MacLeod , Ted Knight , Georgia Engel , Betty White , Valerie Harper as friend and neighbor Rhoda Morgenstern , and Cloris Leachman as friend and landlady Phyllis Lindstrom . The Mary Tyler Moore Show proved to be a groundbreaking series in the era of second-wave feminism ; portraying
8568-468: The finale of Friends . The show spun off three television series, all of which aired on CBS: the sitcoms Rhoda (1974–78) and Phyllis (1975–77), and the one-hour drama Lou Grant (1977–82). In 2000, Moore and Harper reprised their roles in a two-hour ABC TV-movie, Mary and Rhoda . Two retrospective specials were produced by CBS: Mary Tyler Moore: The 20th Anniversary Show (1991) and The Mary Tyler Moore Reunion (2002). On May 19, 2008,
8694-483: The first chair of, the board of directors of the Betty Ford Center , which provides treatment services for people with substance use disorders . Ford also became involved in causes related to HIV/AIDS . For years after leaving the White House, Ford continued to enjoy great influence and popularity, continuing to rank in the top ten of Gallup 's annual most admired woman poll every year through 1991. Ford
8820-405: The first of adjustments for politics, he had asked her to delay the wedding until shortly before the primary election because, as The New York Times reported, "Jerry was running for Congress and wasn't sure how voters might feel about his marrying a divorced ex-dancer." For their honeymoon, the two briefly traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan , where they attended a college football game between
8946-647: The first sitcom, filmed as a comedy (unlike dominated "conveyor" sitcoms). Sitcoms, or "시트콤" in Korean, gained significant popularity in South Korea during the 1990s. This popularity was fueled by the success of shows like Dr. Oh's People , LA Arirang , and Men and Women . The use of computer graphics (CG) in sitcoms began to increase in the late 1990s as more broadcasters adopted CG technology. This led to more visually dynamic and creative sitcoms. However, viewer preferences shifted towards dramas and thrillers in
9072-430: The flagship Donaldson's department store at the intersection of South 7th Street and Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. The hat toss was ranked by Entertainment Weekly as the second greatest moment in television. On May 8, 2002, Moore was in attendance when basic cable network TV Land dedicated a statue to her that captured her iconic throw. In 2010, TV Guide ranked the show's opening title sequence No. 3 on
9198-496: The focus from domestic or workplace settings to the world of politics. A more recent development in British comedy is the mockumentary , a style that blends documentary and comedic elements. Shows like The Office , Come Fly with Me , W1A , People Just Do Nothing , and This Country have successfully employed this format to explore a variety of topics and characters. Sitcoms, or situation comedies, made their debut in
9324-505: The last episode's "final curtain call", broadcast only once on March 19, 1977 (March 18 in Canada), was included at the request of fans. However, some of the season 7 sets did not include the curtain call; a replacement disc is reported to be available from the manufacturer. On Rotten Tomatoes , season 1 holds an approval rating of 92% based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 10.00/10. Critics consensus reads: “An exceptional ensemble and
9450-403: The nation had to endure a president being forced from office. Ford also publicly expressed admiration and friendship toward First Lady Pat Nixon . On August 9, 1974, after the resignation of Richard Nixon (who was facing the prospect of likely impeachment and removal from office), Gerald Ford ascended to the position of president of the United States and Betty Ford became the first lady of
9576-434: The news program 60 Minutes , Ford called Roe v. Wade a "great, great decision". Ford's abortion position differed from the political platform of the Republican Party. For a long time, it was unclear whether Gerald Ford shared his wife's pro-abortion rights viewpoint. In December 1999, he told interviewer Larry King that he, too, was pro-abortion rights and had been criticized for that stance by conservative forces within
9702-402: The news", said Fey. Entertainment Weekly also noted that the main characters of 30 Rock mirror those of The Mary Tyler Moore Show . When the writers of the sitcom Friends were about to create their series finale, they watched several other sitcom finales. Co-creator Marta Kauffman said that the last episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show was the "gold standard" and that it influenced
9828-424: The next two years as his health recovered. During these two years, she lived upstairs while he was nursed downstairs. She worked jobs in order to support both herself and Warren. This experience has been credited with further cementing Ford's understanding of gender-based income inequalities between individuals doing the same work. After he recovered, they were divorced on September 22, 1947. In August 1947, she
9954-464: The nine months that she was second lady, be a high-profile public figure. As she became a more active second lady, Ford adopted an objective of promoting the arts. In April 1974, she made her first official solo trip as second lady when she spent two-days visiting the states of Georgia and Tennessee to help in publicizing the "ARTRAIN", which was a traveling exhibit of art, visual displays, and performance pieces housed in six railway cars , and which
10080-526: The poll for a second time in 1978, the year she had established herself as an advocate for people with drug and alcohol dependence. Contrarily to her, while President Ford ranked in the top-10 positions of most admired men in multiple years, he never managed to top it. In Good Housekeeping ' s annual readers' poll of most admired women, Ford placed second in 1974 and first in 1975. By late-1975, Harris found Ford to have established herself as one of America's most popular first ladies. In January 1976,
10206-402: The proposed Equal Rights Amendment. In her September 4, 1974 press conference, Ford declared her support for it. Ford lobbied state legislatures to ratify the amendment, and took on opponents of the amendment. Ford utilized phone calls , letter-writing, and telegrams as means of lobbying in support of the ERA. Ford was also unapologetically pro-abortion rights . In a 1975 interview with
10332-508: The public that her husband had previously promised her that he would retire from the House of Representatives in 1976 in order to return to private legal practice and dedicate more time to his family. Ford became overwhelmed by the media attention she received and became somewhat reclusive for a period early into her time as second lady. However, by the spring of 1974, Ford was seen as embracing her position as second lady, becoming less reclusive and more active. Ford would, ultimately, for most of
10458-484: The reason they profiled her, among several others, to represent the "American Women" as the magazine's 1975 Person of the Year . On September 4, 1974, weeks after becoming first lady, Ford conducted a press conference in the State Dining Room of the White House in which she remarked that she, "would like to be remembered in a very kind way; also as a constructive wife of a president." Ford avidly supported
10584-583: The relatively recent loss of her husband. She instead attended the Bennington School of Dance in Bennington, Vermont , for two summers, where she studied under director Martha Hill with choreographers Martha Graham and Hanya Holm . After being accepted by Graham as a student in 1940, Bloomer moved to New York to live in Manhattan 's Chelsea neighborhood; she worked as a fashion model for
10710-414: The same bed. In a 1975 interview with McCall's , Ford remarked that she was asked just about everything, except for how often she and the president had sex. "And if they'd asked me that I would have told them," she said, adding that her response would be, "as often as possible." Ford was popular with the American public. Her overall approval rating was, at times, as high as 75%. Ford's popularity often
10836-494: The same. Mary rents a third-floor studio apartment in a 19th-century house from acquaintance Phyllis Lindstrom ( Cloris Leachman ); Mary and upstairs neighbor Rhoda Morgenstern ( Valerie Harper ) become best friends. Characters introduced later in the series include the acerbic, man-hungry hostess of WJM's Happy Homemaker show, Sue Ann Nivens ( Betty White ), and soft-voiced, sweet-natured Georgette Franklin ( Georgia Engel ), as Ted Baxter's girlfriend (and eventual wife). At
10962-564: The self-confidence to express herself with humor and forthrightness whether she speaks to friends, to the press or to a multitude." Ford filmed an interview with the television news program 60 Minutes which was broadcast on August 10, 1975 . The broadcast of the interview saw strong interest from the public. After the interview aired, a number of Ford's remarks in this interview on hot-button issues generated particularly immense media attention. Due to conservative backlash from Ford's comments on premarital sex , marijuana use, and abortion in
11088-438: The series discovered where exterior shots had been taken, the house became a popular tourist destination. According to Moore, the woman who lived in the house was "overwhelmed" by people showing up and "asking if Mary was around". To discourage crews from filming additional footage of the house, the owners placed an "Impeach Nixon" sign beneath the window where Mary supposedly lived. The house continued to attract multiple tour buses
11214-470: The show "took 20 years of pointless, insipid situation comedy and spun it on its heels. [It did this by] pioneer[ing] reality comedy and the establishment of clearly defined and motivated secondary characters." Tina Fey , creator and lead actress of the 2006-debut sitcom 30 Rock , explained that Moore's show helped inspire 30 Rock ' s emphasis on office relationships. "Our goal is to try to be like The Mary Tyler Moore Show , where it's not about doing
11340-532: The show has earned an estimated $ 1 billion in syndication fees alone for Televisa . Gliding On , a popular sitcom in New Zealand in the early 1980s, won multiple awards during its run including Best Comedy, Best Drama and Best Direction at the Feltex Awards . The first Russian sitcom series was "Strawberry", which resembled "Duty Pharmacy" in a Spanish format. It was aired from 1996 to 1997 on
11466-405: The show's comedic plots. In season four, marital infidelity and divorce are explored with Phyllis and Lou, respectively. In the fifth season, Mary refuses to reveal a news source and is jailed for contempt of court . While in jail, she befriends a prostitute ( Barbara Colby ) who seeks Mary's help in a subsequent episode. In the highly rated sixth-season episode "The Seminar", Betty Ford appears in
11592-417: The show, including the memorable "can turn the world on with her smile" line from the title song. Parodies were done on shows such as Saturday Night Live , MadTV , and Mystery Science Theater 3000 (which was produced in Minneapolis ). Musical artist Barbara Kessler and groups The Hold Steady and Relient K have all referred to the show in their songs. The show has also been mentioned in film. In
11718-433: The sometimes-controversial remarks it resulted in, Ford declared, "I am not very good at making up stories." In another instance, she commented, "it's just impossible for me to lie and look someone in the eyes and talk to them. This is my problem." While President Ford never attempted to silence his wife, some of his senior staff resented her independent candor. Margaret Brown Klapthor later wrote of Ford's candor, "she has
11844-472: The spring of 1955, when the Fords moved into a house they constructed in the D.C. suburb of Alexandria , Virginia. Gerald Ford had ambitions to rise to the rank of speaker of the house , and therefore maintained a busy travel schedule, regularly crisscrossing the United States to fundraise and campaign on behalf of other Republicans in hopes that they would, in turn, provide him with the support he'd eventually need to become speaker. This meant that Gerald Ford
11970-428: The stress of her husband's career (which saw him frequently away from their household) compounded, particularly after her husband's career became even more demanding after he became House minority leader in January 1965. In 1965, Ford suffered a significant nervous breakdown , erupting in severe crying that had appeared inexplicable to others. This led her to seek psychiatric assistance. Ford had weekly meetings with
12096-411: The surname. When Ford herself began the process of recovering from her own alcoholism , she disclosed to the public that both her father and her brother Bob had suffered from alcoholism as well. When Bloomer was 16, her father died of carbon monoxide poisoning in the family's garage while working under their car, despite the garage doors being open. He died the day before his 60th birthday. It
12222-499: The surviving cast members of The Mary Tyler Moore Show reunited on The Oprah Winfrey Show to reminisce about the series. Winfrey, a longtime admirer of Moore and the show, had her staff recreate the sets of the WJM-TV newsroom and Mary's apartment (seasons 1–5) for the reunion. In 2013, the women of The Mary Tyler Moore Show – Cloris Leachman , Valerie Harper , Mary Tyler Moore , Betty White , and Georgia Engel – reunited on
12348-434: The term "sitcom" emerged as radio and TV adapted these principles into a new medium. The word was not commonly used until the 1950s. Early television sitcoms were often filmed in front of a live studio audience using a multiple-camera setup , the latter of which continues in some modern productions such as The Big Bang Theory and Fuller House . Other formats make use of a laugh track or "canned laughter". Since
12474-557: The three most intriguing people in America. In 1977, the World Almanac included Ford in its ranking of the 25 most-influential American women. In January 1976, Ford made a cameo appearance on the popular television program The Mary Tyler Moore Show . The Fords were among the more openly affectionate first couples in United States history. Neither was shy about their mutual love and equal respect, and they were known to have
12600-462: The time, believed was typical consumption. Ford accompanied her husband on a trip to mainland China in 1972. That same year, her husband brought up the possibility that he might retire from congress in 1977, which would make the 1974 United States House of Representatives election the last he would run in. This prospect elated Ford. Such talk was due to her husband seeing it as unlikely that he would ever fulfill his ambition of becoming speaker of
12726-406: The years but remains single throughout the series. One of the show's running gags is Mary's inability to throw a successful, problem-free party. Various disasters throughout the seasons include the break-up of two of Mary's closest friends; an insufficient amount of food due to unexpected guests; a power failure while attendees await the arrival of a high-profile guest of honor ( Johnny Carson ); and
12852-618: Was chairman of the Republican National Committee at the time. The organization sought to bring together political spouses and female government federal employees to discuss current party activates and ideas about legislation. Ford also, in a television interview with Barbara Walters , expressed her support for the United States Supreme Court 's Roe v. Wade decision ruling abortion as constitutionally protected. Ford remarked, "I agree with
12978-410: Was Mary's apartment. The fictitious address was 119 North Weatherly, but the exterior establishing shots were of a real house in Minneapolis at 2104 Kenwood Parkway. In the real house, an unfinished attic occupied the space behind the window recreated on the interior studio set of Mary's apartment. Minneapolis architect Edward Somerby Stebbins designed the 1892 residence for S. E. Davis. Once fans of
13104-490: Was a clothing model for charity fashion shows , after a Republican had urged her to do so since they felt that Democratic Party spouses had far outnumbered Republican spouses in such publicity-generating activity. Ford also volunteered for local charitable organizations, including serving as the program director of the Alexandria Cancer Fund Drive. Ford also held active membership in groups such as
13230-568: Was a passionate supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). As a supporter of abortion rights , and a leader in the women's rights movement , she gained fame as one of the most candid first ladies in history, commenting on the hot-button issues of the time, such as feminism , equal pay , the Equal Rights Amendment, sex, drugs , and abortion . Surveys of historians conducted by the Siena College Research Institute have shown that historians regard Ford to be among
13356-461: Was active in social policy , and set a precedent as a politically active presidential spouse. She was also second lady of the United States from 1973 to 1974, when her husband was vice president . Throughout her husband's time in the office of the presidency , she maintained high approval ratings, and was considered to be an influential first lady. Ford was noted for raising breast cancer awareness following her 1974 mastectomy . In addition, she
13482-403: Was also involved in her husband's political career by fulfilling the commitments expected of congressional spouses to help elevate her husband's regard among his House colleagues. She accompanied her husband to congressional and White House events, as well as on some trips abroad, and made herself available to newspaper and magazine articles. Ford also posed for newspaper publicity photographs and
13608-621: Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George H. W. Bush in 1991. She was also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal as a co-recipient with President Ford in 1998. Ford was born Elizabeth Anne Bloomer in 1918 in Chicago, Illinois, the third child and only daughter of Hortense (née Neahr; 1884 – 1948) and William Stephenson Bloomer Sr. (1874–1934), who was a travelling salesman for Royal Rubber Co. She
13734-547: Was away from home for roughly half the year, placing a great burden on Ford to raise their children. As a mother, Ford never spanked or hit her children, believing that there were better, more constructive ways to deal with discipline and punishment . Ford served as a parent-teacher association member, Sunday school teacher at Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, and a Cub Scout "den mother". She regularly drove her children around to their activities, such as her sons' Little League Baseball games and her daughter's dance classes. She
13860-520: Was broadcast on BBC1 from February 13, 1971, to December 29, 1972. The BBC broadcast the first 34 episodes before the series was dropped. Beginning in 1975, a number of ITV companies picked up the series. Channel 4 repeated the first 39 episodes between January 30, 1984, and August 23, 1985. The full series was repeated on The Family Channel from 1993 to 1996. The entire series was released on DVD in Region 1 between 2002 and 2010. Originally, season 1
13986-512: Was called Betty as a child. Hortense and William married on November 9, 1904, in Chicago. Betty's two older brothers were Robert (d. 1971) and William Jr. After the family lived briefly in Denver , Colorado, she grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan , where she graduated from Central High School . In 1926, when Bloomer was eight years old, her mother, who valued social graces, enrolled her in
14112-927: Was criticized by several social commentators as inappropriately disrespectful to the office of the Prime Minister. The show nevertheless proved very popular with both television audiences and critics, becoming the most-watched Australian scripted comedy series of 2011. It was nominated at the 2012 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards for Best Television Comedy Series. Although there have been several notable exceptions, relatively few Canadian sitcoms attained notable success in Canada or internationally. Canadian television has had much greater success with sketch comedy and dramedy series. The popular show King of Kensington aired from 1975 to 1980, at its peak garnering an average of 1.5 to 1.8 million viewers weekly. The 1999 movie Trailer Park Boys
14238-530: Was followed up by a television series of the same name that ran from 2001 to 2018, airing in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K. Corner Gas , which ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009, became an instant hit, averaging one million viewers per episode. It has been the recipient of six Gemini Awards and has been nominated almost 70 times for various awards. Other noteworthy recent sitcoms have included: Call Me Fitz , Schitt's Creek , Letterkenny , and Kim's Convenience , all of which have been winners of
14364-499: Was higher than her husband's. Ford said, during her husband's failed 1976 presidential campaign, "I would give my life to have Jerry have my poll numbers." This reflects a common trend of American first ladies often being more popular than the presidents to whom they are married. Ford ranked as one of the top-10 most admired women in the results of Gallup 's annual most admired man and woman poll every year from 1974 (the year her husband first became president) through 1991, with
14490-413: Was housed in a multi-panel fold-out digipak in a slipcase, while seasons 2-4 were issued in a slipcase, with each disc being housed in its own slim case. Starting with season 5, each season was issued in a standard 3-disc DVD keepcase, and seasons 1-4 were reissued in the same style of DVD packaging. The discs from each of these releases were repackaged in 2018 as a complete series set. On the season 7 DVD,
14616-477: Was introduced by mutual friends to Gerald Ford , a lawyer and World War II veteran who had just resumed his legal practice after returning from Navy service, and was planning to run for the United States House of Representatives . They married on October 15, 1948, at Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids. Gerald Ford was in the middle of his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives. In
14742-520: Was never confirmed whether his death had been accidental or a suicide. With her father's passing, her family lost its primary breadwinner , and her mother began working as a real estate agent to support the family. Her mother's actions in the wake of her father's passing are said to have been formative for her views in support of equal pay and gender equality . In 1936, after graduating from high school, Bloomer proposed continuing her study of dance in New York City, but her mother refused on account of
14868-401: Was portrayed as an ideal patient within a success narrative that presented the key sequences of her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in a progressive, linear fashion that inspired optimism. Her coverage minimized the complexity of breast cancer as a disease and ignored the debates surrounding best treatment practices. It amounted to an aestheticization of breast cancer and her coverage became
14994-481: Was questioned about attending psychiatric care. After this, Betty Ford was transparent with the news media that she had received psychiatric care. She explained that, while her husband had attended two sessions with a psychiatric doctor, those sessions were for her care, and not care of his own. Gerald Ford was confirmed as vice president by the United States Congress on December 6, 1973, and he took
15120-411: Was regarded to be the most politically outspoken first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt , whom she regarded as a role model. Active in social policy, Ford broke new ground as a politically active presidential spouse. Repeatedly speaking out on women's issues, Ford was a leader in championing the changing status of women in American society. Ford surprised the media and the public by explicitly supporting
15246-656: Was selected for the show's location after "one of the writers began talking about the strengths and weaknesses of the Vikings ". A television newsroom was chosen for the show's workplace because of the supporting characters often found there, stated co-creator James Brooks. Aside from establishing shots and the title sequence, the show was filmed at the CBS Studio Center in Los Angeles. In 1995, Entertainment Weekly said that "TV's most famous bachelorette pad"
15372-537: Was still controversial at the time. In addition, CBS was afraid viewers might think that Mary had divorced Rob Petrie , Laura's husband on The Dick Van Dyke Show, so the premise was changed to that of a single woman with a recently broken engagement. Notably, Van Dyke never guest-starred in any episode, although his brother Jerry Van Dyke guest-starred in a couple of episodes during the third and fourth seasons. (Jerry had also regularly appeared on The Dick Van Dyke Show. ) According to co-creator Allan Burns, Minnesota
15498-559: Was the highest rating for a first episode in the history of Australian television, until the series premiere of Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities in 2009, which garnered 2.58 million viewers. In 2013, Please Like Me received an invitation to screen at the Series Mania Television Festival in Paris, was praised by critics, and earned numerous awards and nominations. Also in 2013, At Home with Julia
15624-461: Was the highlight of the film. The show's Emmy-winning final episode has been alluded to many times in other series' closing episodes, such as the 1988 finale of St. Elsewhere (including the group shuffle to the tissue box). For most of its broadcasting run, the program was the lead-in for The Bob Newhart Show , which was also produced by MTM Enterprises . The show did not do well initially in syndication, never being shown in more than 25% of
15750-546: Was the most-watched show on Mexican television and had a Latin-American audience of 350 million viewers per episode at its popularity peak during the mid-1970s. The show continues to be popular in Central America as well as in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Spain, the United States, and other countries. Syndicated episodes average 91 million daily viewers in all its American markets. Since it ceased production in 1992,
15876-453: Was to travel through small towns across the southern United States. Ford was the most prominent national supporter of the project. Her candor on this trip received a positive reception by the news media. Among those that she met on the two-day trip was Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn . The Carters would ultimately go on to be the Fords' successors as president and first lady after Jimmy Carter defeated President Ford in
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