A Typical Week at Sound Stage 2, CBS Studio Center
Here is the basic schedule of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" for the seven long and rewarding seasons it was on the air. Preparing an entire show in five days was certainly not a trivial process, and today it seems no less than remarkable that the cast and crew turned out hardly a dud show in all that time. And what's more, they managed to have a lot of fun in the process. On certain days they'd go for lunch and hit Baskin Robbins' Ice Cream stores for cones on the way back to the studio. Mary would have her dance lessons once or twice a week. Betty White, Mary, and Georgia Engel would do needlepoint. Valerie Harper would work on new approaches to Rhoda. Cloris Leachman would come in on her off days/off weeks and watch everyone else work.
Monday: Actors gather around a table to read over the script. Producers, Director, Story Consultant and Script Supervisor are also present. Small changes made at the recommendation of all involved. Line memorization begins.
Tuesday: Small changes, then progressively larger ones, in the script continue to be made. Line memorization continues, along with planning of how each actor will, literally, act and react.
Wednesday: Major rewrite day. Run-through of entire show, with major changes made afterwards/during the rehearsal.
Thursday: Actors are given the final version of the script after the "mimeo" (mimeograph) department has processed it. More rehearsals and blocking with sound, camera, and lighting technicians.
Friday: More run-throughs of individual scenes up to 4:00 pm deadline. No changes made after 4:00. Final run-through from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. 6:00 pm: actors have a snack and get into makeup and costumes. 7:30 pm filming in front of audience. Pick-ups are done after the studio audience leaves. A "pick-up" could be a part of a scene that didn't quite go as planned, and the director makes sure it's polished up before going to the film editing department...and into viewers' homes!
Below are four pages from an MTMS script. This script was the one for the (hysterical!) episode "Rhoda's Sister Gets Married", which aired early in the fourth season, written by Karyl Geld.
TITLE PAGE
CAST LISTING/SETS (note that some of the roles hadn't yet been cast). Of course, Nancy Walker and Harold Gould would play Ida and Martin Morgenstern; Liberty Williams would be cast as Debbie and Brett Somers would play Aunt Rose.
ACT ONE, PAGE 1. This opening teaser would eventually be reworked into the ending of the episode!
Here's a page from the middle of the script. Changes are pencilled in early on and eventually the actors are given copies of the completely re-worked script. Note that the dialogue in the first half of this page is retained; the speech of Rhoda's was eliminated.
Here's the dialogue that actually appears in the filmed version of the episode:
IDA: Well, you know. Her younger sister getting married and all, that's tough, but Martin and I are glad that you, her best friend, are going to be here to support her in her time of real hurt.
MARY: No, no. Mrs. Morgenstern, Rhoda isn't hurt that Debbie is getting married. Can't you see how happy she is?
IDA: She covers up. She's unhappy because she thinks that I think that Rhoda should be getting married.
MARY: That is not true.
IDA: Yes, it is true. I do think Rhoda should be married. Rhoda knows me. She knows there's a pain in my heart this weekend because she isn't getting married. And it's hard to convince Rhoda that the pain is not there. Because there isn't anyone on this block who doesn't know that that pain is there.
MARY: But...
IDA: That's why we've decided not to talk about the wedding or dwell on it.
MARTIN: You see, Mary, we'll just play down the whole thing. It'll be a Sunday just like any other Sunday, except there will be a little ceremony that we don't usually go to. Three hundred fifty people will be coming to dinner, that's all.
IDA: That's the best way to handle it!
MARY: Mrs. Morgenstern, listen to me because I'm going to tell you the truth. Rhoda is delighted that Debbie is getting married. She is delighted. It never even entered her mind to be upset because Rhoda is very happy with her life. So, Mrs. Morgenstern, I am telling you, as Rhoda's best friend, who knows her better than anyone else, she is thrilled that Debbie is getting married, okay?
IDA: (deadpan) Mary....butt out.
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