The Poignant Legacy: Where Is The Cast Of The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s 20th Anniversary Special Now?

Forty-four years after Mary Richards first tossed her hat in the air and three decades since the cast reunited for their 20th Anniversary Special, the world of WJM-TV news is now a quiet, cherished memory. The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The 20th Anniversary Show, which aired on CBS on February 18, 1991, was a joyous retrospective that brought together almost the entire core ensemble. It was a rare, full-circle moment for a cast considered one of television's greatest, celebrating the groundbreaking sitcom that first aired in 1970 and ran until 1977. This reunion special captured a moment in time, but as of late 2025, the picture has changed profoundly, with a poignant reality marking the final chapter for every star who participated.

The 1991 special was a heartfelt celebration of the show's enduring legacy, featuring clips, bloopers, and on-stage reminiscences from the legendary ensemble. However, the most striking and emotional update for fans today is that every single principal cast member who appeared in that 1991 reunion—Mary Tyler Moore, Ed Asner, Valerie Harper, Gavin MacLeod, Betty White, Cloris Leachman, and Georgia Engel—has since passed away. Their collective passing over the last few years has solidified the special as one of the final, complete on-screen gatherings of these beloved television pioneers, whose work continues to influence comedy and culture.

The Iconic Ensemble: Remembering the Cast of the 1991 Special

The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The 20th Anniversary Show was a major television event, a rare opportunity to see the stars of the seminal sitcom back together on stage. Below is a look at the incredible careers and final legacies of the seven principal cast members who gathered for the special, plus a note on the one star who was remembered via archive footage.

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• Mary Tyler Moore (Mary Richards): The titular star and host of the special.
  • Born: December 29, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York.
  • Died: January 25, 2017, in Greenwich, Connecticut, at age 80.
  • Legacy: A seven-time Emmy winner and Oscar nominee (*Ordinary People*). She was a cultural icon who defined the modern working woman on television.
  • Final Years: Moore remained active in philanthropy, particularly advocating for juvenile diabetes research (JDRF). Her final on-screen role was in the 2013 film *The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The 20th Anniversary Show* (1991) *Against the Wild*. An auction of her personal collection was held in June 2025, keeping her memory and impact fresh in the public eye.
• Ed Asner (Lou Grant): Played the gruff but lovable news director.
  • Born: November 15, 1929, in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • Died: August 29, 2021, in Los Angeles, California, at age 91.
  • Legacy: The most-awarded male performer in Emmy history, with seven wins, five of which were for playing Lou Grant (three for the sitcom and two for the dramatic spin-off *Lou Grant*).
  • Final Years: Asner was incredibly prolific until his death. His later career included acclaimed voice work (notably Carl Fredricksen in Pixar's *Up*) and recurring roles on hit shows like *Grace and Frankie*, *Dead to Me*, and *Cobra Kai*.
• Betty White (Sue Ann Nivens): Played the man-hungry, saccharine host of WJM's *Happy Homemaker* show.
  • Born: January 17, 1922, in Oak Park, Illinois.
  • Died: December 31, 2021, in Brentwood, California, just weeks before her 100th birthday.
  • Legacy: A television pioneer with a career spanning over eight decades, best known for Sue Ann Nivens and Rose Nylund on *The Golden Girls*. She holds the record for the longest television career of any female entertainer.
  • Final Years: White experienced a massive late-career resurgence, starring in *The Proposal* and the sitcom *Hot in Cleveland*. She was an avid animal rights activist. Her final project was a special movie event celebrating her 100th birthday.
• Valerie Harper (Rhoda Morgenstern): Played Mary's best friend and neighbor.
  • Born: August 22, 1939, in Suffern, New York.
  • Died: August 30, 2019, in Los Angeles, California, at age 80.
  • Legacy: A four-time Emmy winner for her iconic role as Rhoda Morgenstern, which led to her own successful spin-off, *Rhoda*.
  • Final Years: Harper continued to work in television and on Broadway after a public battle with lung and brain cancer. Her final on-screen appearance was in 2018.
• Gavin MacLeod (Murray Slaughter): Played the head writer and Mary’s loyal confidant.
  • Born: February 28, 1931, in Mount Kisco, New York.
  • Died: May 29, 2021, in Palm Desert, California, at age 90.
  • Legacy: Known for two of TV’s most beloved roles: Murray Slaughter and Captain Merrill Stubing on the long-running hit *The Love Boat*.
  • Final Years: MacLeod served as a goodwill ambassador for Princess Cruises and, alongside his wife Patti, became a prominent figure in Christian broadcasting, hosting the show *Back on Course*.
• Cloris Leachman (Phyllis Lindstrom): Played Mary’s self-absorbed and nosy landlady.
  • Born: April 30, 1926, in Des Moines, Iowa.
  • Died: January 27, 2021, in Encinitas, California, at age 94.
  • Legacy: An Oscar winner (*The Last Picture Show*) and an eight-time Primetime Emmy winner, making her one of the most decorated performers in history. Her role as Phyllis led to the spin-off *Phyllis*.
  • Final Years: Leachman was known for her incredible versatility and continued working into her 90s, including a memorable run on *Dancing with the Stars* at age 82.
• Georgia Engel (Georgette Franklin Baxter): Played the sweet, soft-spoken wife of Ted Baxter.
  • Born: July 28, 1948, in Washington, D.C.
  • Died: April 12, 2019, in Princeton, New Jersey, at age 70.
  • Legacy: A five-time Emmy nominee, beloved for her distinctive, gentle voice and comedic timing.
  • Final Years: Engel had a successful stage career and later received three Emmy nominations for her recurring role on *Everybody Loves Raymond*.

The One Who Was Missing: Ted Knight’s Enduring Presence

The reunion special was a bittersweet event even in 1991, as one major star was already gone. Ted Knight, who played the famously vain and incompetent news anchor Ted Baxter, had passed away from cancer in 1986, five years before the anniversary show aired. His absence was keenly felt by the cast and viewers alike, but the special ensured his character's legacy was honored through a generous selection of classic clips and bloopers. This inclusion of archive footage was a testament to the fact that no reunion of the WJM news team could ever be complete without the man who made the phrase "A little news, a little weather, and a lot of Ted" a cultural touchstone.

Knight's portrayal of Ted Baxter, a character whose buffoonery was only surpassed by his inflated ego, was a masterclass in comedic timing. After *The Mary Tyler Moore Show*, Knight went on to star in the sitcom *Too Close for Comfort*. His on-screen presence in the 1991 special, though archival, reminded fans of the irreplaceable chemistry and comedic genius that made the original series a timeless classic.

Beyond the Reunion: The Show's Unbreakable Bond and Lasting Impact

The Mary Tyler Moore Show was not just a hit sitcom; it was a cultural phenomenon that pioneered the way for female-led television and ensemble comedy. The 1991 reunion special, and a later 2002 reunion, highlighted a key element often cited by the cast: their genuine, off-screen friendship.

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The special, which aired in the early 90s, came at a time when many of the cast members were still highly active. Betty White was already a massive star on *The Golden Girls*, Ed Asner was busy with various film and TV projects, and Gavin MacLeod had just concluded his decade-long run on *The Love Boat*. The special served as a powerful reminder that their shared history on *The Mary Tyler Moore Show* was the foundation for their individual successes.

The show's groundbreaking nature—featuring an unmarried, independent woman focused on her career in a major city—continues to be analyzed and celebrated by television historians. The chemistry between Mary, Lou, Murray, and Ted, and the dynamic between Mary, Rhoda, and Phyllis, set a standard for workplace and friendship-based comedies that is still unmatched. While the WJM newsroom's lights have dimmed with the passing of all its stars, the 1991 20th Anniversary Show remains a precious document of a legendary cast celebrating their golden years together.