The Mary Tyler Moore of the 1970s was almost a completely new kind of woman. Confident, articulate and outspoken, Moore had the confidence to go on television and be herself. In fact, that was the whole point of her self-titled television hit, 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show.' Breaking with the archaic social expectation to be married with children by the time she hit her 30s, Moore was single, proud of it, and had a career of her own as a news producer.
It would be no exaggeration to say that Moore is an icon of the decade. She wasn't only known for her views and her wisdom; Moore was a fashion inspiration whose style choices informed a whole generation of young women. On top of that, she went about her business with a dry sense of humor that could often catch people off guard. People in Hollywood had sometimes been known to take themselves too seriously. Moore broke the mold.