THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW 1971 Cast Signed Autograph Original Script

Description

THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW celebrated it's 50th anniversary this past year, and this iconic and influential classic comedy still sets the standard today for excellent writing for a comedy series.  During it's 7 year run in the 1970's, the series earned the best writing Emmy a total of 5 times.  Mary Tyler Moore has long been recognized for the impact of her role on her namesake show that portrayed an empowered and successful single woman in her 30's embracing her independence.
Original cast signed scripts from this era are exceptionally rare as they weren't as commonly signed as many were in the years to come.  Over 30 years of collecting, the only cast signed scripts I've seen from this show are typically the last two seasons.  This is the earliest one I have ever seen for this series and is signed by all 5 of the primary original cast (note Cloris Leachman only appeared periodically and not in this episode).  With the passing now of Ed Asner, the entire original cast is gone, but leaves behind very cherished work.
Offered here is an original script to the final episode of the second season, HIS TWO RIGHT ARMS.  It is a notable one for many reasons.  Mary Tyler Moore and husband Grant Tinker created MTM Enterprises originally to produce her own show.  Realizing they had the makings of a company, additional series were created under the MTM banner, the first of which after Mary's was THE BOB NEWHART SHOW.  This MTM episode was actually written and produced as a back door pilot to a potential show from MTM studios.  Although no series ever came of it, it is notable as Bill Daily guest starred as the key character that this proposed series would have been centered around, however, with it not moving forward, the timing coincides with him being noticed by MTM studios and ultimately cast in his successful and memorable role as Howard on Newhart's show.  Additionally, Isabel Sanford appears, and at this stage, she had only made a couple of initial appearances on ALL IN THE FAMILY.  This also coincides with the explosion in popularity of that show that started her down the path to her own successful spinoff series, THE JEFFERSONS.
The script is a first draft dated November 17,1971.  It was signed in that era by Mary Tyler Moore, Ed Asner, Valerie Harper, Ted Knight, and Gavin MacLeod.  Note that Cloris Leachman as Phyllis did not appear in the episode, which would explain her not having signed it.