Wednesday, September 08, 2021

The Passing of Ed Asner (Mr. Grant), And The Cast Of The Mary Tyler Moore Show

The Sunday before last as I was getting ready for work, I watched my favorite episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (The Lars Affair) and was reminded of just how marvelous that show was. I used to watch it in the 70's with my mother every Saturday night @ 9 PM without fail and laughed so hard. Not only did the show have genius comedy writers, but a stellar cast as well. It was as if every actor/actress was born to play the character they portrayed. And so much so, that it never even occurred to you that they were acting. You just automatically believed they were those characters.

*Cast: Mary Tyler Moore (Mary), Valerie Harper (Rhoda), Cloris Leachman (Phyllis), Ed Asner (Mr. Grant), Gavin MacLeod (Murray), Ted Knight (Ted), Betty White (Sue Ann), Georgia Engel (Georgette). 

As I sat there with my mother watching the show each week, I would fantasize about having a studio apartment one day, just like Mary's. LOL! I loved how comfy and cozy it was. And my favorite area of the apartment was the little step-up kitchen with the pass through stained glass window that rolled up.  

The Mary Tyler Moore Show will go down in television history as being a "Brilliant Classic" because the situations were hysterical and the comedic timing by every cast member was impeccable. As a matter of fact, I find that I laugh more now than I did when this show originally aired. Which is proof of how timeless the show is.

Anyway, the reason I'm sharing this post today is because something extraordinary happened to me on the Sunday before last, while I was watching that Mary Tyler Moore episode before going to work. I suddenly recalled how I had seen an interview earlier this year in which Ed Asner talked about the deaths of both Cloris Leachman and Gavin MacLeod who had just recently passed away, and said that he and Betty White were the only two remaining from the cast. He also said he felt that he would be the next to pass on. In fact he said, "I'll be up there with you soon!"

I went to work that day thinking nothing more about it. 

However, when I got home that night and went online to check my emails at Yahoo, I immediately saw this headline...

Not only did I get chills, I also couldn't help but get teary-eyed thinking of how Ed Asner knew. He knew that he would be next. And when he said it, he said it with a sense of acceptance and peace - he simply knew that it was his time. 

I loved his character of Mr. Grant on the show because he was grumpy and scruffy on the outside, but soft and lovable on the inside. You could tell he had a kind heart. And that's how I always saw Ed Asner - as a lovable teddy bear. 

Now Betty White (at 99 years old) is the only cast member remaining. And I find that amazing because she was the oldest of them all. And it was the same on the TV show, The Golden Girls. She was the oldest in the cast, yet she still rocks on.

Cheers to you, Betty...

And thank you Mary, for all the joy, love and laughter you gave us, and continue to give us in syndication.

Yes, you did make it after all...

Have a terrific rest of your week, everyone! 💗

Question: If you were a fan of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and watched it, I'm curious, who was your favorite character?

Although I loved them all, I would have to say that my very favorite was the character of Phyllis (Cloris Leachman). She was freaking HILARIOUS!