Television icon Mary Tyler Moore, most known for her starring roles in The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, died today after being hospitalized in Connecticut. She died of a cardiopulmonary arrest, which occurred after she had contracted pneumonia, reports The New York Times. A rep for the actress, Mara Buxbaum confirmed her death in a statement given to The Huffington Post:
“Today, beloved icon, Mary Tyler Moore, passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine. A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile."
While starring in The Dick Van Dyke Show, Moore achieved worldwide fame, which only proliferated with her namesake show. The Mary Tyler Moore Show is said to be one of the first shows to feature a non-married, working woman (Moore) as a main character. For that reason, Moore is seen as being fundamental in embedding the notion of the "modern woman" into popular culture.
Moore also acted in films and received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role in the 1980 drama Ordinary People. She was an activist for animal rights and for spreading awareness around diabetes, which she had suffered with since age 33. Below are some notable social media reactions to Moore's death.
