When Mary Tyler Moore first locked eyes with Robert Levine, she wasn't looking for a third husband. Honestly, she was just trying to get her mother some medical help. It was 1982. Mary’s mother, Marjorie, was suffering from a nasty case of bronchitis, and the family’s regular doctor was nowhere to be found.
Enter the "on-call" guy.
Dr. Robert Levine, a young, serious cardiologist, showed up to treat her mother. He was 15 years younger than Mary. To him, she wasn't the woman who "turned the world on with her smile"—she was just a worried daughter in a New York City apartment. By the end of the house call, something had shifted. Robert told her to call him if there was an emergency. Mary, with that signature sharp wit, looked at him and asked, "Does acute loneliness count?"
He said yes. And a few days later, at 3 a.m., she actually called him.
The Relationship Between Mary Tyler Moore and Robert Levine
They weren't exactly a matched set on paper. Mary was a Hollywood legend, an Oscar nominee, and a woman who had already lived through two marriages and the devastating loss of her only son, Richie, just two years prior. Robert was a faculty member at Mount Sinai, a man deeply entrenched in the world of science and medicine.
People whispered about the age gap. They wondered what a cardiologist and a sitcom icon could possibly talk about over dinner. But the truth is, Robert became the anchor she never had. He wasn't intimidated by her fame because he didn't really "get" it at first—he famously admitted he knew her more from a lyric in a Weezer song than from The Dick Van Dyke Show.
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They married on Thanksgiving Eve in 1983. It was a New York wedding, and yes, the whole gang from the Mary Tyler Moore Show made the trip. Mary even designed her own dress using vintage lace. For the next 33 years, they were basically inseparable.
A Partnership Built on More Than Just Romance
The real story of Mary Tyler Moore and Robert Levine isn't just about red carpets. It’s about the grueling, day-to-day reality of Type 1 diabetes. Mary had been diagnosed at age 33, and by the time she met Robert, the disease was starting to take its toll.
Robert didn't just love her; he managed her care with a level of devotion that most friends say extended her life by at least a decade. He was the one who understood the science of her struggle. Together, they transformed their private battle into a public crusade.
They weren't just a couple; they were a powerhouse duo for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). While Mary provided the face and the voice, Robert provided the strategic medical oversight. He helped grow the JDRF research budget from a modest $10 million to over $100 million annually. They even co-authored chapters in medical textbooks together. Imagine that—the woman who made us laugh at Chuckles the Clown’s funeral writing about the "Essentials of Stem Cell Biology."
The Hard Years and the End
By the late 2000s, things got tough. Really tough.
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Diabetes is a thief. It stole Mary’s vision first. By the time her old friend Carl Reiner visited her toward the end, she couldn't see him standing right in front of her. She recognized him only when he spoke. She spent nearly two years in hospice care, according to some reports, battling the complications of pneumonia and cardiopulmonary arrest.
Robert never left.
When she passed away in January 2017 at the age of 80, Robert’s grief was visceral. He released a statement calling her "my life, my light, my love." He described her as a force of nature who fiercely defended her autonomy even when her body was failing her.
What Robert Levine Is Doing Now
Many celebrity widowers fade into the background. Robert did the opposite. He’s spent the years since 2017 ensuring that Mary’s "unfinished business" gets finished.
He launched the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. The goal? To make sure no one else has to lose their sight to diabetes like Mary did. He’s not just a figurehead; he’s the CEO. He spends his days collaborating with the University of Michigan and various tech firms to develop new ways to restore vision.
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In late 2025, on what would have been their 42nd wedding anniversary, Robert was still talking about her. He recently sifted through their home, auctioning off some of her belongings to fund research, but keeping the things that mattered—like the vintage lace wedding dress she made.
Lessons from a 33-Year Marriage
If you're looking for the "secret sauce" of their relationship, it seems to be a mix of humor and absolute transparency. Mary once said she felt "most adored" while eating a tuna sandwich that Robert made for her in the middle of the night. It wasn't about the grand gestures; it was about the 3 a.m. phone calls and the willingness to face a chronic illness as a team.
Here is what we can actually take away from their story:
- Support is a Verb: Robert didn't just "feel sorry" for Mary's health issues; he educated himself and became her primary advocate.
- Purpose Outlasts Life: Their joint work for diabetes research continues to impact millions, proving a marriage can be a legacy-building machine.
- Age is a Distraction: The 15-year gap meant nothing compared to their shared intellectual curiosity and mutual respect.
Mary Tyler Moore and Robert Levine proved that even in the cynical world of celebrity, a "third time's a charm" marriage can be the most profound chapter of a person's life.
To honor Mary's legacy, consider supporting the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative or Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF). You can also watch the 2023 documentary Being Mary Tyler Moore, which Robert executive produced, to see rare footage of their life together and understand the woman behind the iconic hat-toss.