A Deeper Dive: The Icon behind “The Mary Experience” hosted by SCAD Atlanta
Throughout history, many icons have inspired women to challenge the stereotypes placed upon them by creatively introducing new perspectives on how they live their lives. Among the most notable of these icons is Mary Tyler Moore, an actress, producer, and health advocate who served as a positive representation of the lives women could lead, even after passing away in 2017. The work that she accomplished is still making marks on the world, with the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative and Francis Valentine’s collaboration to bring “The Mary Experience,” an unforgettable exhibit hosted by SCAD, to Atlanta on Sep 24 and 25. Students, alumni, and the general public were welcomed to a two-day-only experience in SCAD Film Studios that highlighted Moore’s story, showcasing her impacts on fashion, television, and women’s history. The exhibit was divided into different areas grouped together by themes that define Moore’s impact: “Mary, The Icon,” “Mary, The Inspiration,” and “Mary, The Legacy.”
Each area featured outfits, artifacts, and objects that corresponded with its overarching theme and drew admiration for Moore’s life’s work and accomplishments. In these sections of the Digital Media Center, one of her Emmy awards, and television personality awards for her outstanding acting ability were on display. Visitors could also see her personal scripts, showcasing her creative markings and doodles that gave visitors an intimate look into the way that she approached her work. In every corner of the experience there were reminders of Moore’s incredible eye for fashion, such as dresses from Emmy Awards shows she attended as well as her iconic Tam O’ Shanter hat from the opening sequence of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” and even just casual, stylish outfits of hers from the 60s and 70s. The experience was only bolstered by SCAD Docents who wore her garments and were walking reminders of her style impact.
At “The Mary Experience,” all of the interesting artifacts, and items were carefully curated to tell a story– a story of who Moore was and the impact that she still has. However, to fully appreciate her impact and resonate with her experience, one must go even further than just admiring her possessions. They must take a look at her as a person.
Mary the Icon:
Mary Tyler Moore, a Brooklyn Native, was born on Dec 29, 1936. At age eight, Moore and her family moved to Los Angeles, an epicenter for new advancements in film, television, and music in the 50s. She began her career as a commercial actor before becoming a mother to her son, Richard Carleton, and having to learn to balance motherhood with her career on TV. Moore worked first as a running faceless character, Sam, in the series “Richard Diamond, Private Detective,” before boldly asking for a raise, knowing that she was being short changed for her work, and being fired. That, however, would not crush Moore’s spirit as she kept working in the acting industry and eventually struck on the show that would deliver her her breaking role, “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” While playing the main character’s (Dicks) wife, Laura Petrie, Moore’s eccentric, unforgettably funny performance would make audiences across America fall in love with her. Through her work on the show she popularized a new fashion statement in the 50s and 60s: The Cigarette Pant, as included and highlighted in “The Mary Experience.”
Because of her outstanding performance ability, she would make herself a household name nine years later with her own produced television show, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” A CBS sitcom centered around her main character, Mary Richards, the show follows her move from Minneapolis and away from a relationship that ended in separation, to Minnesota, where she could live a more independent lifestyle as a woman. This show was one of the first of its kind during the 70s, showcasing a woman thriving whilst not relying on a man to bring her joy or comfort. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was a smashing success, and it stayed in the top 20 shows during its seven year run, making it one of the most successful sitcoms of its time. The characters’ performances would go on to win over 40 accolades from the Directors Guild of America, to the Golden Globes and even the Primetime Emmys which elected the show as the Most Outstanding Comedy Series on three occasions from 1975-1977.
Moore’s exceptional TV presence redefined America and her impactful acting would be recognized and awarded many times throughout her life. She won won three Golden Globes in 1965 (Best Female TV Star– “The Dick Van Dyke Show”), 1971 (Best Actress in a Comedic TV Series–”The Mary Tyler Moore Show”), and 1981 (Best Actress in a Dramatic Motion Picture–”Ordinary People”). She also saw seven wins for Primetime Emmys between 1964 and 1993, and she was even honored with a special Tony Award for her stage performance in 1980 in the Broadway show “Whose Life Is It Anyway?” Aside from acting, Moore was also awarded for the many productions MTM (Mary Tyler Moore) Enterprise worked on and though she may have been physically faceless in those, her presence could be felt them. The sheer amount of recognitions make her an icon on paper, but in the hearts of many today, it is her iconic impact on TV that is still relished years later:
“Mary Tyler Moore is a wonderful comedienne with a special gift of reacting to other people. Brooks and Burns have surrounded her with a perfect bunch of characters. The writing, acting, and direction all mesh into a beautiful result. It’s good to have Mary Tyler Moore home again.” — Sue Cameron for The Hollywood Reporter
Mary the Inspiration:
Throughout her life, Moore was a known advocate for feminist politics as well as diabetes awareness.
When Moore was 33 years old, she suffered a miscarriage that ultimately led to her finding out and being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. As heart breaking as this news was, she did not let the lifelong condition stop her from doing what she always longed to do, perform, and to do it to the best of her ability. From this struggle was born one of Moore’s most inspirational insights, “You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you,” and this statement would go on to define her bravery and courage while gracefully handling her fight. The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative was formed after Moore’s passing in 2018 by her husband, Dr. Robert Levine, for diabetes advocacy. On their website, they offer insight into what she represented for people in her community as a “tireless advocate”:
“Refusing to succumb, Mary transformed her struggle into a powerful force for change. She became the International Chairman of Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) and helped raise billions of dollars for research. Mary symbolized hope for people living with diabetes. Her courage in the face of long-term complications, including vision loss and blindness, lent strength to others facing the same fear.”
Moore’s life was an inspiration to people beyond just her acting. Her life symbolized what it meant to fight and push to do what you love even when you are faced with difficult conditions. Her dedication to educating the broader public about the disease highlights the incredible ways in which she used her platform to raise awareness about issues that aren’t reported on often, and that people are not always educated about.
While working on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” Moore simultaneously inspired and educated the women viewers of the show about what it meant to lead a lifestyle that they themselves could choose without having to conform to the social norms of the time. Using comedy as a storytelling medium, she was able to embed really deep and somewhat controversial topics into her show. As reflected on Ebesco, a collegiate research website, “Although The Mary Tyler Moore Show was primarily a comedy, the show also dealt with a number of serious issues, including premarital sex, divorce, and freedom of the press. The character, in some ways, mirrored the desires of feminist women in the 1970’s.” By tackling topics like these, Moore’s show became one of the prime conversation starters for women’s advancements during her time. Through her show, she carefully reflected to her generation that things were changing and that women could play a more active role in how they lived their lives rather than yielding to the stereotypical roles often forced on them. Her show put the idea of a thriving single woman in her thirties choosing to pursue a career on the front lines of everyday television, an idea that was extremely uncommon before then. This way of life for women presented in her show would go on to impress critics and viewers alike.
Over a decade after “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” in 2017, Bonnie Dow reflected on Moore’s impact on TV in an article for the U.S. News and World Report, “What Mary Tyler Moore Did for Women,” when she expressed that, “Perhaps the most subversive aspect of Mary Richards was that she was happy with a life built on work and friends, implicit affirmation of the feminist admonition that a woman did not need to be married to have a satisfying existence. . . The true legacy of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” lies in the trail it blazed for all kinds of television programming that followed – shows that offered more than narrow depictions of American life and strove instead to be responsive to the changes in the culture they claimed to represent.”
Through her show, Moore pioneered change that would inspire American television and the lives of women exponentially. Today, we can still appreciate the boldness and advocacy that she displayed in different facets of her life, another key component of “The Mary Experience.”
Mary the Legacy:
Because Moore worked so hard to develop her status in performance, ultimately becoming an icon using her star power as a platform to advocate and inspire, her legacy remains true and unfeigned today. Watching her performances, examining her bold style, and seeing the impact that she had on women give us a way in to see what it’s like to build a life that allows you to represent something larger than just yourself. “The Mary Experience” was conceived on that exact premise and offered real artifacts from her life to correspond with it. Continuing to serve her legacy, the proceeds from the experience benefited SCAD, the host, and the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative which collaborated with Francis Valentine to honor Moore and raise even more awareness in 2026.
Taking the time to appreciate icons like Mary Tyler Moore allows us to see the positive effects that figures like her have had on us today. As an icon, inspiration, and legacy, Moore reminds us that being bold, doing what we love, and reflecting what we believe in can touch the hearts of people far beyond our time.
