Sue Ann's Sister Lila

Just watched this yesterday. Hadn't seen this episode in a long time and I forgot how funny it was. Mary Tyler Moore sure didn't hog all the scripts for herself. It's nice to see the star give the other actors a big story of their own.

Sue Ann's sister Lila visits. All of Sue Ann's insecurities concerning her younger, vivacious and beautiful sister come bubbling to the surface.

It was a nice change of pace for the normally caustic, self assured Sue Ann to admit that she does have some vulnerabilities. Everyone at the station came to her aid, at the prodding of Mary of course.

I wondered a few things about Lila though. For instance, why did she have a Southern accent? I know they said she lived in Atlanta, or Dixie. Ted said that he "uses their cups". LOL Was Sue Ann originally from the south and did what a lot of TV performers do? Namely, did she ditch her regional accent?

And did they cast Pat Priest in order to make Sue Ann seem younger than the actress's real age? I mean, Sue Ann told Mary about their rivalry and how her sister would steal her boyfriends. That would hardly be likely as Pat Priest is fourteen years younger than Betty White. Hard to believe that a four year old would steal her teen-age sister's boyfriend! LOL

But Sue Ann said they were five years apart. I think they wanted everyone to think her as being forty-ish. Just a thought.