Television

As the GOP prepares to gather in the Twin Cities, we can't help but think of the greatest TV show that was set in that locale. Here are five things you may not have known about The Mary Tyler Moore Show (no, none of them has anything to do with the Republican Party platform, and no, we're not going to speculate whether her character today might be a closet Republican).

• Gavin MacLeod first auditioned for the part of Lou Grant. Edward Asner gave a terrible reading at his first audition and insisted on a second chance. Jack Cassidy was considered for the role of Ted Baxter. Cassidy later guest-starred as Ted's brother.

• When casting the part of Sue Ann Nivens, producers were stumped for an actress to take the role. They wanted "someone like Betty White." Eventually, someone asked, "Why not cast Betty White?"

• Moore wore a wig for the first season of the show, to make her appear less like Laura Petrie (her character on The Dick Van Dyke Show). When it was discarded, the change in her hairstyle (including her much lighter hair color) was never commented on in the show itself.

• The shot in the opening credits where Mary throws her hat into the air was filmed at the corner of Seventh Street and Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. In May 2002, TV Land erected a statue of her at that spot. And some time back, an article (perhaps an obituary) was written about the woman who was shown staring at Moore in that final frame.

• The show's memorable theme song was written and sung by Sonny Curtis, who also wrote the Everly Brothers' "Walk Right Back" and the Bobby Fuller Four's "I Fought the Law" (later covered by the Clash).