Hats off to 'Mary Richards'

By Stephen M. Silverman

09/17/1997 at 12:00 AM EDT

Looks like she's going to make it after all . . . Mary Richards, the career-minded protagonist of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," will be immortalized in bronze on the very spot in Minneapolis where the character threw her hat in the air in the show's famous opening sequence. TV Land, the cable channel that airs classic TV shows, and the City of Minneapolis plan on dedicating the life-sized sculpture of the American icon this fall. It will grace the sidewalk on the Nicollet Mall between 7th and 8th Streets in downtown Minneapolis. "Mary Richards is an American icon who captured the hearts of millions while playing an enormous role in redefining women in the workplace," said Larry W. Jones, executive vice president and general manager of TV Land. "By bestowing a sculpture of Mary to the residents of Minneapolis, TV Land can help ensure that the social and comic value of 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' is felt for generations to come." The network has also paid homage to Ralph Kramden of "The Honeymooners" with a bronze statue that now adorns the entrance to New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal.