In a new revelation, Mary Tyler Moore’s widower candidly shared insights into their remarkable three-decade-long marriage. As he gears up to unveil a new documentary, Being Mary Tyler Moore, which chronicles the life of the beloved comedian, Dr. Robert Levine confessed that he initially had no idea that she was a renowned star actress when they first crossed paths.
During a recent interview on The Today Show, Levine revealed that he still loves his wife even though she is late. “She’s with me every day,” the 68-year-old confessed. “The pain of her loss is unreconciled, but I feel her love all around me.”
Dr. Robert Levine shares details of how he met Mary Tyler Moore
Levine disclosed an intriguing anecdote about their unplanned encounter when Moore’s mother, Marjorie Hackett Moore, fell ill and urgently required medical attention. Coincidentally, he happened to be the doctor on call at that moment. “When I was about to leave, I said what you would expect a doctor to say, ‘Mary, if you have concerns or any further questions, just give me a call,’” he admitted. “And she turns to me and says, ‘Is acute loneliness a good enough reason to call?’”
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He further explained that he was surprised when Moore reached out to him a few days later. “And I said, ‘I can’t think of a better reason to be calling at 3 a.m. And so, in fact, a couple of days later,” Levine confessed, “at 3 a.m., she called me.”
Dr. Robert Levine gives hints about Mary Tyler Moore’s upcoming documentary
While on the show, Levine, who also serves as an executive producer, discussed the new documentary, Being Mary Tyler Moore which gives fans the opportunity to see deep into the life of the late icon by featuring a private collection of photographs and videos discovered in Moore’s basement. “I suggested we call the film, ‘Being Mary Tyler Moore,’” he stated. “The thing about it was, being Mary, because everything Mary did, she was authentic. She was being herself.”
January 28, 2007 Los Angeles, CA
Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash
He also revealed that even though Moore battled her own demons, which included a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis, alcohol abuse, and the demise of Richie Meeker, her only son at the age of 24 in 1980, the three-time Golden Globe winner still retained her good nature. “If you look at her from physical challenges, from health challenges, but also from emotional, she never shied,” Levine confessed. “I wanted to reflect on what Mary’s life was, remind people of her importance and her impact, and encourage them to be a Mary too. To stand up for what you believe and to always present the world with a smile, but to not be shy from the battle.”