Mary Tyler Moore was primarily known for her cheery characters and peppy roles. During the 1960's, she starred in a variety of films that mostly mirrored her roles on television. After the end of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mary decided to look for a film project that would provide her with a clean break from her past. She found it in 1980's Ordinary People.
Mary starred as a distant, judgmental mother who was a far cry from Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show. Ordinary People was a peek into a disintegrating family whose matriarch was trying to keep up appearances. Audiences were enthralled by Mary's performance and she won Best Actress at the 1981 Golden Globes ceremony.
While she was nominated for an Oscar, she lost to Sissy Spacek for Coal Miner's Daughter, though her performance propelled Ordinary People to a win for Best Picture. Mary had successfully shed her goody goody image in a riveting performance.
