Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > Dick Van Dyke
Dick Van Dyke Facts
| Sign | Sagittarius |
| Born |
Dec 13, 1925 West Plains, MO |
| Age | 100 |
| Total Facts | 84 |
Buster Keaton and Stan Laurel were two of his comedy idols. Both became fans of Dick's classic TV series.
According to his book "Those Funny Kids: A Treasury of Classroom Laughter", by age 11 he had grown to 6'1".
Actively campaigned in Democrat Pierre Salinger's losing 1964 fight for senator against Republican George Murphy.
Almost graduated from Danville High School in Danville, Illinois, in 1944.
Although he had light brown hair when he was in his 30s and 40s, he had blonde hair as a child.
Although highly praised for his dancing in Mary Poppins (1964) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), Van Dyke was never trained as a dancer and did not begin dancing until he was in his thirties.
Although Van Dyke is now a committed non-smoker, he admits that he used to smoke 60 cigarettes a day.
At the beginning of the third season, "The New Dick Van Dyke Show" (1971) had moved production from Phoenix to Hollywood, where the change made a big improvement in the ratings, but was canceled because he no longer enjoyed working away from his home and did not want to continue the show without Carl Reiner.
Beat out Johnny Carson for the role of Rob Petrie on what later became "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961) .
Became a great-grandfather on July 26, 2001, when his grandson Carey Van Dyke (Barry Van Dyke's oldest child) and his wife Anne Van Dyke had a baby girl named Ava Van Dyke.
Before he was a successful actor and a comedian, he did everything from working in an advertising agency to becoming a disc jockey.
Before he was a successful actor, he used to work in a hotel.
Best known by the public for his starring roles as Rob Petrie on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961) and as Dr. Mark Sloan on "Diagnosis Murder" (1993).
By the late 1980s it seemed that Van Dyke's career was over. However, his acclaimed performance as the District Attorney in Dick Tracy (1990) led to "Diagnosis Murder" (1993), which proved to be a big television comeback for the 67-year-old star.
Children: Christian Van Dyke, Barry Van Dyke, Stacy Van Dyke and Carrie Beth van Dyke. Grandchildren: Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke, Wes Van Dyke and Taryn Van Dyke. Great-granddaughter: Ava Van Dyke.
Created most of his own comedy routines and physical schticks on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961).
Dabbled in computer animation since the 1980s. Using Newtek's Lightwave 3D from home, he created and animated a CG version of himself that he danced with on The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited (2004) (TV).
Daughter Stacy Van Dyke guest starred on "Diagnosis Murder" (1993), in "Diagnosis Murder: Murder in the Family (#4.12)" (1996). Grandson Shane Van Dyke guest-starred in 14 episodes of "Diagnosis Murder" (1993).
Did not appear in his first movie until he was 36.
Didn't start dancing until he was 34.
Father Loren was a salesman of Dutch descent and mother Hazel was of Scottish stock. The family moved from Missouri to Danville, Illinois when Dick was quite young.
Formed a night club stand-up comedy act in the late 1940s with his pal from Danville, Phil Erickson. They toured the country as the slapstick, lip-synching "Merry Mutes". The act eventually broke up in 1954 and Dick went solo, finding work on New Orleans local TV.
Got the lead role of Rob Petrie on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961), after producer Sheldon Leonard was so impressed with Van Dyke's performance in the stage production of "Bye, Bye Birdie.".
Grew up in Danville, Illinois, with brother Jerry Van Dyke and fellow celebrities Gene Hackman and Bobby Short. Was a graduate of Danville High School, where he was in the drama club.
Had a brief stint as a TV weatherman in New Orleans.
He and his wife Margie married on the radio show "Bride and Groom" because the show paid for the wedding rings, a honeymoon and household appliances. After their wedding, the Van Dykes were so poor that they had to live in their car for a while.
He enlisted to be a pilot in the Army Air Corps during WWII, but initially did not make the cut because he did not meet the weight requirement, as he was underweight. He tried 3 times to enlist, before barely making the cut. He actually served as a radio announcer during the war, and he did not leave the United States.
He finally received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1992. But when the star was unveiled, his name was misspelled on the star as "VANDYKE". Being a good sport he laughed, took a pen and drew a slash between "VAN" and "DYKE". The star was corrected soon after.
He threatened to leave his role on "Diagnosis Murder" (1993), at the end of the second season, but CBS insisted that he came back, which fortunately he did, and stayed on the show, for the next six seasons.
He was also a two-time children's host, before he became a successful comedian and an actor.
He was nearly cast as Fagin in Oliver! (1968) since the Columbia producers felt that Ron Moody, who had played the part in the London stage version, wasn't famous enough to attract movie audiences. Van Dyke ultimately chose to star in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) instead.
Helped his ex-"The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961) co-star, Mary Tyler Moore get her own sitcom, in the 1970s.
His "Diagnosis Murder" (1993) co-star, Charlie Schlatter, would reprise his role on an episode of "The Sopranos" (1999), in 2000.
His album "Songs I Like By Dick Van Dyke" (Command Records, 1963), released at the height of his TV success and just before the release of Mary Poppins (1964), was actually a best-seller, remaining on Billboard's top-40 albums chart for several weeks in late 1963-early 1964.
His cockney accent in Mary Poppins (1964) was so heavily criticized that it may have cost him a Best Leading Actor Academy Award nomination the following year.
His comic inspiration was Stan Laurel. He says he was able to find him by looking up his name in the phone book in Santa Monica, California, where Laurel lived. He called and Laurel invited him over. The two became good friends. When Laurel died, Van Dyke delivered his eulogy at the funeral.
His favorite episode of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961) is "Where Did I Come From?".
His future "Diagnosis Murder" (1993) co-star and son, Barry Van Dyke, is associated with his father's productions, and other shows. He began working alongside his father, since he was 10.
His mother, Hazel McCord Van Dyke, died at age 95, in 1992.
His mother, Hazel Voice McCord was a Sunday School teacher (before her son) and a housewife, and his father, Loren Van Dyke, was a baseball player for the Terre Haute Huts, and tenor saxophonist for the Danville Schoenbeck Orchestra.
His show "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961) was based on the series, "Head of the Family.".
In 1968 he left Hollywood and bought a ranch in Arizona.
In Britain, his attempt at a Cockney accent in Mary Poppins (1964) is so notorious that a "Dick Van Dyke accent" is an accepted slang term for an American's unsuccessful attempt at a British accent. Despite that, he is quite popular in Britain.
In his 30s and 40s he had a talent for playing crotchety, eccentric old men. He played this kind of role in Mary Poppins (1964) as "Mr. Dawes Sr." and in a "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961) episode where he played one of Rob Petrie's elderly relatives.
In July 1999 he was made an honorary life member of The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA), Inc. at their annual International Convention in Anaheim, California. He has sung in an a cappella quartet called "The Vantastix" since 2000. The group released a children's album in 2008.
Is a close friend of his "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961) co-star Mary Tyler Moore.
Is a huge fan of Barbra Streisand.
Is a staunch Democrat and a vocal supporter of gun control. Attended some fundraisers for Eugene McCarthy in the 1968 Democratic primaries.
Is ambidextrous.
Is friends with: Michele Lee, Andy Griffith, Michael Landon, Dick Martin, Tim Conway, Carl Reiner, Rosie O'Donnell and his brother Jerry Van Dyke.