During the 1976-1977 season, Nancy Walker starred in her own Norman Lear sitcom, "The Nancy Walker Show." On Rhoda, her disappearance was explained by having her and her husband take a road trip through the United States. "The Nancy Walker Show " was cancelled after one seaaon, and Walker returned to Rhoda.
The producers tried to spin-off Carlton into his own animated show. A pilot called "Carlton Your Doorman (1980)" was produced but not picked up. The show aired as a onetime special presentation and won a 1980 Emmy award for Outstanding Animated Program.
Robert Moore (no relation to Mary Tyler Moore) who appeared as Ben, Phyllis' brother in the Mary Tyler Moore show's "Her Brother's Keeper" episode, and who also dated Rhoda/Valerie Harper in that episode, would go on to direct Valerie in "Rhoda," the spinoff of M.T.M. Moore was the subject of Rhoda's famous "He's gay!" punchline, the first time it had ever been said on television. Moore didn't mind because he is gay in real life. Moore went on to be the lead director of Rhoda.
Mary and Rhoda was a TV Movie that was produced and aired in 2000; featuring the Mary Richards and Rhoda Morganstern characters; but nobody else from the original cast. Cloris Leachman (AKA Phyllis) was offended that she was not invited to participate in any way; and she picketed the production during shooting days.
Mary Tyler Moore (Mary Richards) and Cloris Leachman (Phyllis Lindstrom) are the only actors to play the same character in The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970), Rhoda (1974) and Phyllis (1975).