Rhoda
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Rhoda was an American situation comedy and a television spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Valerie Harper played the lead role of Rhoda Morgenstern Gerard. The show ran on CBS from 1974 to 1978.
Rhoda Morgenstern, recently departed from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, had moved back home to New York City from Minneapolis and she quickly met her soon-to-be husband, Joe Gerard. They married in an hour-long special, "Rhoda's Wedding" that was one of the highest rated television episodes of the 1974-75 season. The marriage did not last long, however. Realizing the Rhoda character's charm and humor came from her status as an insecure single woman, the producers had her and Joe separate toward the middle of the second season, with their divorce following by season's end. The show's remaining seasons were centered on Rhoda's role as a 30-something divorcée.
Rhoda also starred David Groh (as Joe), Nancy Walker (as Rhoda's mother), Harold Gould (as Rhoda's father) and Julie Kavner (as Rhoda's sister Brenda).
One of the recurring characters was Carlton, played by Lorenzo Music, who was the doorman in Rhoda's building. He was often heard on the intercom, but was never seen.
Rhoda is also the series responsible for launching the career of actor Ron Silver. Silver played Rhoda's neighbor Gary Levy, with whom Rhoda swapped apartments following her split with Joe.
Quotes
"My name is Rhoda Morgenstern. I was born in the Bronx, New York in December, 1941. I've always felt responsible for World War II. The first thing I remember liking that liked me back was food. I had a bad puberty; it lasted 17 years. I'm a high school graduate. I went to art school. My entrance exam was on a book of matches. I decided to move out of the house when I was 24; my mother still refers to this as the time I ran away from home. Eventually I ran to Minneapolis, where it's cold, and I figured I'd keep better. Now I'm back in Manhattan. New York, this is your last chance!"
-- From the program opener, during the first season. (MP3 file: [1])