On The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Treva Silverman's writing stood out. So much so that she became the first woman to ever win an Emmy for comedy writing without the help of a male partner. On the show, she wrote some of the most memorable female-driven storylines, and while TV legends like Mary Tyler Moore and Valerie Harper were the ones making us laugh onscreen, it was really Silverman's pen poking us in our sides.

In the video above, Silverman relives the moment that changed her life forever, when she got a phone call that said: "We just got the go-ahead for Mary Tyler Moore Show ... and we’d like you to write as many as you would like."

At the time when she got that call, she'd been performing at a piano in nightclubs, uncertain how her future would play out. That's why she has this powerful advice for anyone looking to grow in their craft, "... Hang out with people who are as smart or smarter than you. It’s best to be with people who you can learn from."

Watch the video for more words of wisdom from the award-winning screenwriter:

Submit a Story