Candice Bergen Talks About What Mary Tyler Moore Meant to Her

Candice Bergen stopped by the Today show and paid her respects to Mary Tyler Moore, who died Wednesday, Jan. 25. Bergen credited the legendary actress with doing so much more than entertaining millions of people for decades, she credits her with paving the way for women not just in entertainment but in all walks of life. Bergen also said that her long-running sitcom, Murphy Brown, never could have happened without the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

In the Mary Tyler Moore Show, Moore played Mary Richards, who like Murphy Brown was a single woman working in a newsroom, and both shows tackled controversial subjects. Moore, as Mary Richards, fought for equal pay for women back in the ’70s — a fight that unfortunately continues today. Murphy Brown dealt with the issues of birth control and choosing to be a single parent. Bergen believes it was good for young women to see two strong women deal with these issues on mainstream television.

“I think they were very important. I think for young girls growing up, watching those characters on television, it gave them a sense of entitlement that they didn’t feel up until then they had,” Bergen said.

Bergen also lauded Moore as as an actress. Moore, Bergen said, put a little bit of herself in every character she played.

Watch Carl Reiner talk about the moment he discovered Mary Tyler Moore:

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