The cast of 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show.' From left: Ted Knight, Georgia Engel, Ed Asner, Mary Tyler Moore, Gavin MacLeod and Betty White in 1974 ...

He told PEOPLE in 1978 he didn’t spend time feeling sad about his old job being over ... He did reprise his role, in a way, in a series of regional commercials, and starred in the short-lived The Ted ...