MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, THE: MY BROTHER'S KEEPER (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about Mary Richards, a single career woman working in a television newsroom.
In this episode, Mary tells her workmates that she is throwing a party "just for fun" and is then visited by Phyllis, who excitedly reveals that her brother Ben is in town and asks to bring him over to Mary's, clearly intent on a fix-up. That evening, Mary meets Ben and Phyllis talks all about his musical talents. However, he turns down her "spontaneous" suggestion that they all attend dinner and a concert together. Later, however, Ben returns and apologizes to Mary, noting that Phyllis is overly eager for them to be together; they end up sitting down together for dinner and conversation. Rhoda then arrives, however, and Ben hits it off with her far more successfully and ends up asking her to the concert. In the morning, Phyllis arrives at Mary's in a state of shock, having spotted Ben at the theater with Rhoda instead of Mary.
Later, Mary helps Rhoda to cook a "gourmet feast" for Ben, and Phyllis laments that Rhoda has "cast a spell" on him. Mary urges Phyllis not to overreact to the budding relationship. Phyllis is still highly upset when she arrives at Mary's party, and she ends up confiding in Georgette after being ignored by Lou. Rhoda and Ben arrive together and Phyllis demands the truth about their romance; Rhoda, exasperated, tells her that they have gotten engaged. Ted attempts to revive the dying party with a game, but Phyllis' histrionics bring everyone down and people begin to leave. Rhoda assures Phyllis that she was joking and that she and Ben are not planning to marry, finally informing Phyllis that her brother is in fact gay. Though stunned, Phyllis is greatly relieved by the news. Ben gives in to her nagging and sits down at the piano for a song. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: January 13, 1973 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:34
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:65061
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; LGBTQ+ Collection - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1970-1977
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- James L. Brooks … Executive Producer, Created by
- Allan Burns … Executive Producer, Created by
- Ed. Weinberger … Producer
- Lionel A. Ephraim … Associate Producer
- Jay Sandrich … Director
- Jenna McMahon … Writer
- Dick Clair … Writer
- Pat Williams … Music by
- Sonny Curtis … Theme Music by
- Mary Tyler Moore … Cast, Mary Richards
- Edward Asner … Cast, Lou Grant
- Valerie Harper … Cast, Rhoda Morgenstern
- Gavin MacLeod … Cast, Murray Slaughter
- Ted Knight … Cast, Ted Baxter
- Cloris Leachman … Cast, Phyllis Lindstrom
- Georgia Engel … Cast, Georgette Franklin
- Robert Moore … Cast, Ben Sutherland