Peter Graves narrates this account of the life and career of Mary Tyler Moore from her Brooklyn, New York birth, through her aspirations of dancing professionally, through her many years of television stardom.
In 1955, Mary receives her first professional acting role, as "Hotpoint Pixie," a dancing elf to promote kitchen appliances for commercials sponsoring "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" television series.
Soon, she plays the role of a telephone receptionist on "Richard Diamond, Private Detective" television series, but her legs only are seen, along with the sound of her voice, factors which capture the attention of fans in wonder of with whom these legs and voice belong.
She nearly receives what have may become her next break when Mary is considered for the role of a daughter on "The Danny Thomas Show," but misses the chance by a nose although Producer Carl Reiner remembers her from this audition and keeps her in mind for a future opportunity.
This leads to Reiner's suggesting Mary for the breakthrough role of Laura Petrie on "The Dick Van Dyke Show," which launches her into television stardom.
After the run of the series, when she and Dick Van Dyke reunite for a special Musical presentation, Dick suggests for producers to spotlight Mary, as he has already had many starring roles in Musicals.
This leads to an arrangement between CBS Television and Mary with husband Grant Tinker at her side to produce a series of her own, and in 1970, she becomes Mary Richards on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."
In the aftermath, Mary continues to accept a variety of acting assignments amid a series of personal tragedies in her life, some of which she discusses in this episode.
Mary has volunteered for a great deal of charity work, and has been named Chairperson of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.
Mary's marriages are with Dick Meeker (1955–61), Grant Tinker (1962–81), and Robert Levine (1983–present). With Meeker, she welcomes one son, who has since passed.
Interview Guests for this episode consist of Mary Tyler Moore, Grant Tinker, Actress Betty White, Actors Dick Van Dyke, Edward Asner, and Robert Redford, and Producer Carl Reiner.
Archive footage includes Mary Tyler Moore, Harriet Nelson, Ozzie Nelson, William Bendix, U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, U.S. President John F. Kennedy, and others.
Television and Film Clips include a screen glimpse of Mary Tyler Moore through the years, in scenes from Hotpoint commercials on "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" (1955), "Steve Canyon" (1959), "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars: Ivy League" (1959), "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961-66), "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (1967), "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970-77), plus Public Service Announcements for American Diabetes Association and International Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
