Beloved Hollywood actress Mary Tyler Moore – known for the television show that bore her name and for personifying the progress of women in the workplace in the 1970s – has died at the age of 80.
What was Moore’s cause of death?
According to ET, “Moore’s death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest after she had contracted pneumonia.”
Her representative told The Huffington Post and other news organizations:
Today, beloved icon, Mary Tyler Moore, passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine. A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile.
The groundbreaking star, who played the role of Minneapolis newswoman Mary Richards with greatest acclaim, had long suffered from a series of challenging health problems, including diabetes. Moore turned those struggles into passionate advocacy for more diabetes research. In 2009, she testified during a U.S. Senate hearing on behalf of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, speaking about the need for federal funding for Type 1 Diabetes research.
Mary Tyler Moore in 1974. (Getty)
“Today the type 1 #diabetes (#T1D) community lost a true champion, the world lost an iconic entertainer, and we lost a dear friend and incredible supporter,” wrote JDRF, a leading organization funding Type 1 diabetes research. “We send our deepest sympathies to Dr. S. Robert Levine and the family and loved ones of Mary Tyler Moore.”
In 2011, Moore underwent brain surgery. An ABC News story at the time reported that the surgery was an “elective procedure” to “remove a meningioma, a benign tumor growing on the meninges, the protective layer of tissue between the brain and skull.”
According to TMZ, Moore was on a respirator for a week in a Connecticut hospital as her health progressively failed before she died on January 25.
Actress Mary Tyler Moore (L) and actor Dick Van Dyke attend the Tribute To Mary Tyler Moore at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on March 16, 2008 in Beverly Hills, California. (Getty)
Moore’s family took her off life support on Tuesday night, and she lingered until Wednesday afternoon, reported TMZ.
According to ABC News, Moore had long lived with diabetes. “Moore was diagnosed with type 1 at age 33,” reported ABC. She was also a vocal advocate for stem cell research.
Actress Mary Tyler Moore accepts the Life Achievement Award onstage during the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 29, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty)
Earlier in the day on January 25, news first broke that Moore was in grave condition in the Connecticut hospital, TMZ reported. TMZ reported that the actress’ condition was “so grim” that family members had come to the hospital to “say goodbye.”
Within minutes, news broke that she had died.
Celebrities reacted to the death of the woman considered an American sweetheart.
#marytylermoore my heart goes out to you and your family. Know that I love you and believe in your strength.
The star of the Mary Tyler Moore Show and the Dick Van Dyke Show is one of America’s most beloved television legends, and she symbolized a generation. News of her death came after Hollywood lost a string of other beloved stars in 2016.
Mary Tyler Moore and Cloris Leachman on the final episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. (Wikpedia)
Moore was married three times, most recently to Levine. She also had one son, but he preceded her in death after accidentally shooting himself in a tragic shotgun incident. Moore’s marriage to Levine, a cardiologist, endured 33 years, despite the fact that he was 15 years younger.
Born in Flatbush, Brooklyn, Mary Tyler Moore broke through as America’s sweetheart on television. However, she started her career as a dancing kitchen appliance in television commercials.
In addition to the Mary Tyler Moore Show that bore her name, Moore is best known for her role of Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961).
Her character was the wife of Van Dyke on the show. Her portrayal of career woman Mary Richards made her a feminist icon who captured the 1970s movement of women into the workplace. The show was noteworthy at the time because Mary Richards was focused on friends and career, not family and husband.
In addition to inspiring a generation of young women to enter the workforce, the role turned Moore into a fashion trendsetter.
Moore left an estate estimated at about $60 million. You can read more about her net worth here:
Read more about Mary Tyler Moore in Spanish at AhoraMismo.com:
