LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Dick Van Dyke, winner, poses at the 51st annual Daytime Emmys Awards at The … [+]
Today we celebrate the legendary Dick Van Dyke, who turns 99 years old!
From Mary Poppins, Bye Bye Birdie and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to The Dick Van Dyke Show, Diagnosis: Murder and his recent Daytime Emmy Award win for Days of Our Lives, beloved Dick Van Dyke has been performing for over seven decades. His accolades include six Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award. Additionally, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1993, and was honored with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2013, and by the Kennedy Center Honors in 2020.
Naturally, classic The Dick Van Dyke Show cemented Mr. Van Dyke as one of the country’s top physical comedians. But his exceptional comedic timing, versatility as an actor, iconic roles in beloved family-friendly films, and the ability to seamlessly transition between comedic and dramatic roles is the secret sauce behind his durability.
In honor of Dick Van Dyke, here are 12 notable tidbits about from his career:
1) During the late 1940s, Dick Van Dyke was a radio DJ on WDAN in Danville, Illinois. In 1947, he was persuaded by pantomime performer Phil Erikson to form a comedy duo called “Eric and Van—the Merry Mutes.”
2) Van Dyke’s first TV appearance was in an obscure short-lived comedy called Joe & Mabel, the tale of a big city cab driver (Larry Blyden) and his steady gal (Nita Talbot).
LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 21: Nita Talbot (as Mabel Spooner) and Larry Blyden (as Joe Sparten). They … [+]
3) Next on the small screen for Van Dyke was a guest shot on two episodes of comedy The Phil Silvers Show as Private Hank Lumpkin.
4) In November 1959, Van Dyke made his Broadway debut in The Girls Against the Boys. The production was a revue in two acts and also featured Shelly Berman, Bert Lahr (The Wizard of Oz) and Nancy Walker (Rhoda, McMillan & Wife).
5) Van Dyke began his film career by playing the role of Albert J. Peterson in the film version of Bye Bye Birdie (which he had appeared earlier on stage in). It also featured Ann-Margret, Janet Leigh and Maureen Stapleton.
1963: Singer Bobby Rydell and actors Janet Leigh and Dick Van Dyke in a scene from movie “Bye Bye … [+]
6) The Dick Van Dyke Show, which premiered on October 3, 1961, won 15 Emmy Awards across its five seasons. Dick Van Dyke won three times for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Series, and Mary Tyler Moore won twice for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series. Creator Carl Reiner, meanwhile, took home three trophies for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy.
Cast of the Dick Van Dyke Show, circa 1965.
7) Five years after The New Dick Van Dyke Show came sitcom The New Dick Van Dyke Show, which ran from 1971 to 1974 on CBS. It co-starred Hope Lange, Marty Brill, Nancy Dussault and Fannie Flagg.
LOS ANGELES – “The New Dick Van Dyke Show”: Originally broadcast November 27, 1971. Pictured from … [+]
8) In 1976, Van Dyke attempted his own NBC sketch variety series, Van Dyke and Company. Andy Kaufman (pre-Taxi) made his primetime debut on the show, which only lasted for 11 episodes. Despite its short tenure, Van Dyke and Company won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series.
Canadian television writer Allan Blye, Dick Van Dyke, and American television writer Bob Einstein at … [+]
9) Van Dyke joined the cast of CBS sketch comedy The Carol Burnett Show in the 11th (and final) season in 1977. But he exited midway through the season because he felt the writers were still writing for departed cast member Harvey Korman.
LOS ANGELES – APRIL 6: Cast portrait of THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW from left: Tim Conway, Dick Van Dyke, … [+]
10) He made one final attempt to find a hit sitcom care of The Van Dyke Show on CBS in the fall of 1988. The series centered on Matt Burgess (Barry Van Dyke, his real life son), who ran a small regional theater in Pennsylvania, and his father Dick Burgess (Dick Van Dyke), a Broadway musical star. But it was canceled after just 10 episodes were produced (and only six aired).
LOS ANGELES – OCTOBER 26: The Van Dyke Show. A CBS television comedy series. Premiere episode … [+]
11) Switching from comedy to crime solving, Van Dyke debuted as Dr. Mark Sloane in the mystery medical detective drama Diagnosis: Murder in May 2011. Spun-off from William Conrad crime drama Jake and the Fatman, Diagnosis: Murder ran for eight seasons and also featured Barry Van Dyke.
LOS ANGELES: Dick Van Dyke, right, and Barry Van Dyke star on DIAGNOSIS MURDER. (Photo by CBS via … [+]
12) Van Dyke’s comic inspiration was Stan Laurel, who of course was one half of the legendary comedy team Laurel and Hardy. The two ultimately became good friends and Van Dyke delivered a eulogy at Laurel’s funeral in 1965.
circa 1964: Dick Van Dyke and Stan Laurel of the Laurel and Hardy comic team, together at the Oceana … [+]
Once again, we wish Dick Van Dyke a Happy Birthday. And in honor of the occasion, all together now…Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee!
