Mary Tyler Moore married cardiologist Robert Levine in 1983. They remained married until her death on January 25, 2017—a relationship TIME described as lasting more than 33 years. Levine later recalled that their connection began with an unexpected call in the middle of the night.
How Mary Tyler Moore met Robert Levine
Levine was on call to treat Moore’s mother when he met Moore, according to his account in a TODAY interview reproduced by the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. The circumstances brought the celebrated actor and the cardiologist together through a family medical call, rather than through the entertainment world.
The interview excerpt does not date that first encounter. Accounts differ: Inside Edition gives 1980, while another surfaced summary gives 1982. The available account from Levine does not resolve the discrepancy, so the exact year is uncertain.
The 3 a.m. call that became part of their story
Levine recalled that after they met, Moore called him late at night. In the interview account, he remembered her asking, “Is acute loneliness a good enough reason to call?” He said he replied, “I can’t think of a better reason to be calling at 3 a.m. And so in fact, a couple of days later, at 3 a.m., she called me.” These are words Levine recalled in the interview, not independently verified dialogue.
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He also described the ease he felt on their first date: “In that first moment, I recognized it was different and certainly our first date… it was so easy.” The quoted recollections offer a glimpse of how Levine understood their early connection; they are not a complete account of the relationship.
A marriage that lasted until Moore’s death
Moore and Levine married in 1983. The marriage lasted until Moore died at age 80 on January 25, 2017. TIME called Levine her husband of more than 33 years, a duration that reflects their marriage from 1983 through 2017 rather than a precise anniversary count.
Rank #2
Before marrying Levine, Moore had been married to Richard Meeker from 1955 to 1961 and television executive Grant Tinker from 1962 to 1981, according to Biography.com. That context situates her third marriage in her life, but does not establish that earlier relationships caused or defined her bond with Levine.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Moore’s memoirs offer more of her own life story
Readers interested in Moore’s perspective can turn to her memoirs, After All and Growing Up Again: Life, Loves, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes, both named by TIME. They are accounts of her life; the available source does not characterize either book as a memoir focused on Levine or their marriage.
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