TV icon Mary Tyler Moore dies

Legendary actress Mary Tyler Moore, who broke barriers with her iconic portrayal of a single career woman, died yesterday after years of ill health.

She was 80.

Moore's eponymous sitcom ran for seven seasons in the 1970s and was named by Time magazine as one of 17 shows that "changed television".

She died in hospital after battling diabetes for years and undergoing brain surgery in 2011.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show was radical for its time - featuring a single woman living on her own and chasing her dream as a television reporter.

It spawned spin-offs for its supporting cast of quirkycharacters and launched Moore's behind-the-scenes career.

Actor Michael Keaton described her as "iconic, my boss, castmate and a friend".

Talk show host and actress Ellen DeGeneres said Moore "changed the world for all women". - AFP