Here's the original, first-run airing of The Mary Tyler Moore Show's series finale, aptly titled "The Last Show," as broadcast over WBBM Channel 2. The ending credit sequence of this was presented in a way that would not be reflected in the show's subsequent life in syndication. (see below for more detail on that)
Includes:
"Silver Rotating in Space" WBBM Channel 2 animated station ID (voiceover by Jerry Harper)
Show opening titles (brief; as shown on syndicated episodes originating from 1974-75 season)
Commercials for:
Aviance perfume by Prince Matchabelli (not Machiavelli)
Amana refrigerators (with Barbara Hale and a young girl with a dog)
Act I of episode
Commercials for:
Volkswagen Rabbit (a woman test drives car on racetrack)
Nature Valley Granola Bars (in Honey 'n' Oats, Coconut and Cinammon flavors) - "Snack Goes Granola"
Act II of episode (and the last one to turn off the lights . . . )
Promo for "The Wizard of Oz" for Sunday at 7pm (6pm Central) (voiceover by Alan Berns)
"Mary Tyler Moore" bumper
Commercials for:
Improved Gravy Train dog food (with June Lockhart) - "A Big Improvement in Taste"
Avon - "You Never Looked So Good"
Ending segment and credits, the sequence as follows (and thus, no CBS staff announcer voiceover):
Shot of studio audience assembled at the CBS Studio Center (where the series was filmed throughout its 7-year run), standing up and applauding, with unnamed voiceover introducing Mary "for the last time"; she comes out and, in a still shaky voice, introduces "the best cast ever" who, one by one, then join her on stage in the WJM newsroom set: Ed Asner (Lou Grant, who would carry on to an entirely different, i.e. dramatic, series that would run through 1982), Ted Knight (Ted Baxter), Gavin MacLeod (Murray Slaughter), Betty White (Sue Ann Nivens), Georgia Engel (Georgette Franklin Baxter), Valerie Harper (Rhoda Morgenstern Gerard; her own show would last one more season after this), and Cloris Leachman (Phyllis Lindstrom; her own spin-off series would also reach the end of its run after this season).
[Not included in that final curtain call, but who are listed onscreen, are Vincent Gardenia (station manager Frank Coleman, who fired everyone but Ted) and Robbie Rist (David Baxter).]
Followed by MTM Enterprises' cat Mimsie meowing on this show for the last time
Promo slide for Loves Me, Loves Me Not (to come after Bing Crosby special) (voiceover by Pat Connell)
Promo for "Bing!" (see aforementioned clip link for description and significance of this show) (ending voiceover with animated 'Fire and Sparks' CBS 'Eye-D' by Pat Connell)
Commercial: The Northern Trust Bank - "Bring Your Future to Us"
Animated "Fire and Sparks" WBBM-TV / CBS station ID (voiceover by Ed Roberts)
This was followed by the "You're Having My Hartley" episode of The Bob Newhart Show (posted separately here: https://youtu.be/jmWVEdMAI0I), and likewise presented in a manner different from what it would eventually be represented in repeats and syndication. How? See the video description of that clip for more information.
This aired on local Chicago TV on Saturday, March 19th 1977 during the 7:00pm to 7:30pm timeframe.
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to DVD, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!
