The Mary Mary Mary Mary Mary Mary Mary I Knew

Mary Tyler Moore changed television, and America, forever. Now, the man who played her boss Lou grant remembers the woman behind the smile.

- Ed Asner As Told To Dan Snierson

HATS FLEW AT HALF-MAST ON JAN. 25. WHEN MARY TYLER Moore died at the age of 80 of cardiopulmonary arrest in Greenwich, Conn., the culture mourned the loss of one of the most vital and vivacious voices in TV history. Moore fetched two Emmys in the ’60s as charming housewife Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show and earned an Oscar nomination as an icy mother in 1980’s Ordinary People. But it was in her seven-season turn (1970–77) as spunky TV producer Mary Richards on CBS’ The Mary Tyler Moore Show that Moore burned brightest, winning four Emmys as a single woman who defied traditional archetypes, charted her own course in the workforce, and became a feminist icon. (The show is available on Hulu, Amazon, and iTunes.) Along the way, Mary Richards formed an unlikely bond with her gruff boss, Lou Grant (EdAsner). They became a punchline perfect duo, and their friendship evolved into the show’s emotional center. If she could turn the world on with her smile, he could turn it right back off with his scowl. Here, Asner, 87, who nabbed five Emmys for that role, remembers the woman who changed the game not only for him—but for audiences everywhere.

WHEN LOU MET MARY

During the casting process for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Asner was recommended to series creators James L. Brooks and Allan Burns by Grant Tinker, Moore’s then husband and cofounder of MTM Enterprises, and CBS casting exec Ethel Winant, who was convinced that the dramatic actor could pull off comedy. After an audition with the producers, Asner was brought back to read opposite Moore.

America’s sweetheart—that was my first impression. Automatically, her beauty took hold. She was the goddess, and I hoped that the little lady—or the big lady, I should say—would overlook my faults.