Sue Ann Nivens
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Sue Ann Nivens was a fictional character on the long-running situation comedy, Mary Tyler Moore. She was played by television perennial Betty White.
[edit] The Happy Homemaker/Homewrecker
Sue Ann was the host of a women's show on fictional television station, WJM-TV, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, called the "Happy Homemaker". Her show had been on the air since July 1963, and it had ludicrous themes called "What's all this fuss about famine?" and "A salute to Fruit". It was from "What's all this fuss about famine" that she gave Mary Richards a mobile with floating fruit. She suggested hanging it in her bedroom to relieve the tedium. (Mutual friend Georgette Baxter suggested they send it to a mobile home.)
Although on the outside, she seemed to be sweet, in reality, Sue Ann was a very sardonic and sex-obsessed woman. She could also be somewhat cruel, and extremely snide towards people she didn't like, or felt threatened by.
Sue Ann was a 1970's version of a Martha Stewart, and her perfectionism was relentless. She explained she would rather flush her Veal Prince Orloff down a toilet than serve it reheated. She was consumed with helpful hints for all occasions that at times can be heartless. Such as her suggestion of buying colorful, happy Goldfish as companions for the infirm as the soon dead Goldfish can be used as Fertilizer for houseplants. (Murray overheard this and asked, "Does anyone want the rest of this tuna sandwich?")
Her first appearance was at one of Mary's usually disastrous parties. She had gotten a ride from said party by the never-seen Lars Lindstrom, the husband of Mary's friend and landlady, Phyllis Lindstrom. When Lars didn't arrive home when he was supposed to, Phyllis was appalled. She realized that Lars and Sue Ann were having an affair because Lars came home with cleaner clothes that when he left. Phyllis goes down to the station to confront Sue Ann.
Sue Ann was working on some needlepoint, while a chocolate soufflé was baking. The angry Phyllis demanded some satisfaction about the affair, and got some by slamming the oven door, causing Sue Ann's precious soufflé to fall. In a very classic piece of comedy timing, Sue Ann had her hands full with a chocolate soufflé, and Phyllis proceeded to slam the oven door with her knee causing the soufflé to fall. Sue Ann responded by asking "Now what did that soufflé ever do to you?" (Betty White described the situation perfectly in her book, Here We Go Again) Phyllis then asked Sue Ann if she knew how to get out chocolate stains. Sue Ann responded yes and Phyllis then flung chocolate all over Sue Ann's white blouse.
Mary wound up putting a stop to the confrontation by telling Sue Ann to make up with Phyllis and explain things to her satisfaction, for if she didn't, her reputation would be tarnished, not that it wasn't already; and added to that, she would see to it that she would lose her job. Sue Ann did as was advised. This helped bring her into the family.
Later on, though, she and Mary became good friends. She often called Mary, "dear, sweet naive Mary", and she, along with Georgette Franklin, helped fill the void that Phyllis and Rhoda had left when they moved out. Nonetheless, Sue Ann's relationship with Mary could be competitive, as Mary, who was younger and more attractive, more easily attracted the attention of men (such as a group of undertakers the two women met at a broadcasters' convention, whom Mary was definitely not interested in, but Sue Ann was).
She also often sparred with news writer Murray Slaughter, of whom she often made snide remarks about his baldness.
She was also "very close" to WJM's children's television show host, Chuckles the Clown, baking the first custard pie he ever sat in.
The one man she wanted to bed was Lou Grant. She nearly succeeded in that, but was shown to be more bluster than anything.
The thing was, Sue Ann was very lonely, and that made her to be who she was. She lived in a house with a real interesting bedroom. It was full of frills and softness, (in contrast with her hidden stiletto underneath her sweet exterior) which was centered around a huge vibrating bed. This bed was what she wanted to bed Lou on.
Sue Ann also had a younger sister named Lila (played by Pat Priest) with whom she had a very rivalrous relationship, and which also caused Sue Ann a lot of grief, especially when Lila had made overtures to take over Sue Ann's role as the happy homemaker.
By the series end, Sue Ann had lost her show due to bad ratings, and intended to sweat out the remainder of her contract, to the management's discomfort, doing voiceovers and promos, before Mary offered her a job in the news room. In the last episode, she, along with Lou, Mary, and Murray, lost their jobs in an effort to boost the newscast's eternally sagging ratings. Ironically, the one person who was spared the purge was Ted Baxter, who was often the primary reason why the news ratings for WJM were so low. Upon hearing that she had been fired, she decided to gather some references, and true to form, she asked where the 81st Air Force division was bivouacked.
| Mary Tyler Moore | |
|---|---|
| Main characters | Ted Baxter | Georgette Franklin Baxter | Lou Grant Phyllis Lindstrom | Rhoda Morgenstern | Sue Ann Nivens Mary Richards | Murray Slaughter |
| Recurring characters | David Baxter | Edie Grant | Gordy Howard | Bess Lindstrom Flo Meredith | Ida Morgenstern | Martin Morgenstern Dottie Richards | Walter Richards | Marie Slaughter |
| Spin-offs | Rhoda (1974-1978) | Phyllis (1975-1977) Lou Grant (1977-1982) |
| TV specials | Mary Tyler Moore: The 20th Anniversary Show (1991) The Mary Tyler Moore Reunion (2002) |
| Other | Episodes | DVDs | Mary and Rhoda (TV movie) |
