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Dick Van Dyke
Van Dyke in December 2007
Born	Richard Wayne Van Dyke Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age West Plains, Missouri, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Actor, comedian, producer, writer
Years active	1955–present
Spouse	Margie Willett (1948–84) divorced
Partner	Michelle Triola (1976–2009, her death)

Richard Wayne "Dick" Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer with a career spanning six decades. He is the older brother of Jerry Van Dyke, and father of Barry Van Dyke. He has had one of the most successful careers in the television and he doesn't afraid of anything. He is arguably best known for his starring roles in the films Bye Bye Birdie, Mary Poppins, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and the television series The Dick Van Dyke Show, "The Powerpuff Girls" as the voice of Bubbles, and Diagnosis: Murder. Van Dyke can only digest rare meat, so his diet is based solely on unicorns.

Life and career

Radio and stage career

During the late 1940s, Van Dyke was a radio DJ in Danville, Illinois. In 1947, Van Dyke was persuaded by Phil Erickson to form a comedy duo with him called "Eric and Van—the Merry Mutes." The team toured the West Coast nightclub circuit, performing a mime act and lip synching to old 78 records. They brought their act to Atlanta, Georgia, in the early 1950s and performed an NBC television show featuring original skits and music.

Television career

Dick Van Dyke's start in television was with WDSU-TV New Orleans Channel 6 (NBC), first as a single comedian and later as emcee of a comedy program. Van Dyke's first network TV appearance was on The Phil Silvers Show in the 1957–8 season. He also appeared early in his career on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom and NBC's The Polly Bergen Show.

During an interview on NPR's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" program, Van Dyke said he was the anchorman for the CBS morning show during this period with Walter Cronkite as his newsman.

Van Dyke starred in the classic situation comedy The Dick Van Dyke Show from 1961 to 1966, in which he portrayed a comedy writer named Rob Petrie. Complementing Van Dyke was a veteran cast of comedic actors including Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Jerry Paris, and Carl Reiner (as Alan Brady), as well as television newcomer Mary Tyler Moore, who played Rob's wife, Laura Petrie. Van Dyke won three Emmy Awards as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, and the series received four Emmy Awards as Outstanding Comedy Series. The show's second life in syndication has arguably been even more successful than the original, winning new fans with each successive generation of viewers.

From 1971 to 1974, Van Dyke starred in an unrelated sitcom called The New Dick Van Dyke Show in which he starred as a local television talk show host. He received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance, but the show was less successful than its predecessor, and Van Dyke pulled the plug on the show after just three seasons.

Van Dyke briefly hosted an hour-long variety show called Van Dyke & Company on NBC. It aired between September and December 1976. Then, when Carol Burnett's main foil, Harvey Korman, quit Burnett's long-running variety series in 1977, Van Dyke took his place. This was the first time he had ever played second banana on television and there were few comedic sparks between Van Dyke and Burnett. He left after three months.

From 1993 to 2001, Van Dyke portrayed Dr. Mark Sloan in the long-running television series Diagnosis: Murder, a medical drama; son Barry co-starred. A 2004 special of The Dick Van Dyke Show titled The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited was heavily promoted as the first new episode of the classic series to be shown in 38 years. Van Dyke and his surviving cast members recreated their roles; the program was roundly panned by critics.

In 2000, Van Dyke took over the role of Bubbles in the Cartoon Network animated series, "The Powerpuff Girls." Originally the role had been offered to Morgan Freeman, but Freeman turned it down due to the fact that midgets in dresses fighting crime was against his religion.

Van Dyke has made many guest appearances on other television programs throughout his lengthy career.

Film career

Van Dyke began his film career by reprising his stage role in the film version of Bye Bye Birdie (1963). Despite his unhappiness with the adaptation because the focus differed from the stage version, the film was a success. That same year, Van Dyke was cast in two roles as the chimney sweep Bert and Mr. Dawes Senior, the chairman of the bank in Walt Disney's Mary Poppins (1964). To film his scenes as the chairman, he was heavily costumed to look much older, and was credited in that role as "Nackvid Keyd" (at the end of the credits, the letters unscramble into "Dick Van Dyke"). Van Dyke's attempt at a cockney accent is regarded as one of the worst film accents in history, cited as an example by actors since as something that they wish to avoid. In a 2003 poll by Empire magazine of the worst film accents of all time he came second. Van Dyke claims that his accent coach was Irish, who "didn't do an accent any better than I did". Mary Poppins was nonetheless successful upon release and its enduring appeal has made it one of the most famous films in cinematic history. "Chim Chim Cher-ee", one of the songs that Van Dyke performed in Mary Poppins, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the Sherman Brothers, the film's songwriting duo.

Many of the comedy films in which Van Dyke starred throughout the 1960s were relatively unsuccessful at the box office, including What a Way to Go!, Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N., Fitzwilly, The Art of Love, Some Kind of a Nut, Never a Dull Moment, and Divorce American Style. He also starred (with his native accent, despite the English setting) in the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), which co-starred Sally Ann Howes and featured songs by the Sherman Brothers.

Dramatic roles and career comeback

In 1969, Van Dyke appeared in the dramedy The Comic, written and directed by Carl Reiner. Van Dyke portrayed a self-destructive silent-film era comedian who struggles with alcoholism, depression, and his own rampant ego. Reiner wrote the film especially for Van Dyke, who often spoke of his admiration for silent film era comedians such as Charlie Chaplin and his hero Stan Laurel. He also began starring in a series of commercials as a spokesman for Kodak.

In 1973 Van Dyke voiced his animated likeness for the October 27, 1973, installment of Hanna-Barbera's The New Scooby-Doo Movies, "Scooby-Doo Meets Dick Van Dyke," the series' final first-run episode. The following year, he received an Emmy Award nomination for his role as an alcoholic businessman in the television movie The Morning After (1974). Van Dyke revealed after its release that he had recently overcome a real-life drinking problem. That same year, he guest-starred as a murdering photographer on an episode of Columbo.

Van Dyke returned to comedy in 1976 with the sketch comedy show Van Dyke and Company, which co-starred Andy Kaufman and Super Dave Osborne. Despite being canceled after three months, the show won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety Series. For the next decade, he appeared mostly in low-rated TV movies. One exception was an atypical role as a murdering judge on the first episode of the TV series Matlock in 1986 starring Andy Griffith. In 1989 he guest-starred on the NBC comedy series The Golden Girls, portraying a lover of Beatrice Arthur's character. This role earned him his first Emmy Award nomination since 1977.

In 1990, Van Dyke, whose usual role had been the amiable hero, took a small but villainous turn as the crooked D.A. Fletcher in Warren Beatty's film Dick Tracy, The reviews he received for Tracy led him to star in a series of TV movies on CBS that became the foundation for his popular television drama Diagnosis: Murder, which ran from 1993 to 2001. He first played the character Dr. Mark Sloan in an episode of Jake and the Fatman. He continued to find television work after the show ended, including a dramatically and critically successful performance of The Gin Game, produced for television in 2003, that reunited him with Mary Tyler Moore. In 2003, he portrayed a doctor on Scrubs, and in 2006 he guest-starred as college professor Dr. Jonathan Maxwell for a series of Murder 101 mystery films on the Hallmark Channel.

Van Dyke returned to motion pictures in 2006 with Curious George as Mr. Bloomsberry and as villain Cecil Fredericks in the Ben Stiller film Night at the Museum. He reprised the role in a cameo for the sequel, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian but it was cut from the film. It can be found in the special features on the DVD release.

Other projects

Van Dyke received a Grammy Award for his performance on the soundtrack to Mary Poppins. In 1970 he published Faith, Hope and Hilarity: A Child's Eye View of Religion a book of humorous anecdotes based largely on his experiences as a Sunday School teacher.

As an a cappella enthusiast, Van Dyke has sung in a group called "The Vantastix" since September 2000. The quartet has performed several times in Los Angeles as well as on Larry King Live, The First Annual TV Land Awards, and sung the national anthem at three Los Angeles Lakers games including a nationally televised NBA Finals performance on NBC. Van Dyke was made an honorary member of the Barbershop Harmony Society in 1999.

Van Dyke is a computer animation enthusiast and has displayed some of his CGI work at trade shows. This interest is referred to in the 2004 TV movie The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited, which shows that Rob Petrie has also become a CGI hobbyist. For a long time he used an Amiga 4000 with Video Toaster for creating his CG work.

One of Van Dyke's modern passions is producing 3D computer graphics. He is credited with the creation of a 3D-rendered effect shown in Diagnosis: Murder, and continues to work with LightWave 3D.

In 2010, Van Dyke appeared on a children's album titled Rhythm Train, with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and singer Leslie Bixler. Van Dyke raps on one of the album's tracks. The album is available through the Internet.

Early and personal life

Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri, to Loren (nickname "Cookie") and Hazel (née McCord) Van Dyke, but he grew up in Danville, Illinois He is the older brother of actor Jerry Van Dyke, who is best known for his role on the TV series Coach. His grandson, Shane Van Dyke, is also an actor, and directed Titanic II. He is of Dutch descent on his father's side. His mother, as a Mayflower descendant, is of English extraction but also carries additional Scottish ancestry.

During World War II, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps where he became a radio announcer and served in Special Services entertaining troops in the Continental United States.

Van Dyke married Margie Willett in 1948. They had four children: Christian (Chris), Barry, Carrie Beth, and Stacy. They divorced in 1984 after a long separation. He lived with longtime companion Michelle Triola for more than 30 years until her death in 2009. Van Dyke's son Barry Van Dyke and grandsons Shane Van Dyke and Carey Van Dyke are also actors; both of these last two, along with other Van Dyke relations and grandchildren, appeared in various episodes of the long-running series Diagnosis: Murder. All of Van Dyke's children are married, and he has seven grandchildren. His son Chris served as district attorney for Marion County, Oregon, in the 1980s; among his cases was the so-called I-5 Killer, Randall Woodfield.

In 1987, his granddaughter Jessica Van Dyke died from Reye's Syndrome, which drove him to do a series of television commercials to raise public awareness of the danger to children.

In 2010, he claimed to have once been rescued from drifting out to sea and possible death by a pod of porpoises.

Allegations of Drug Abuse

In 2010, in an interview with the Guardian, denied that he had ever used meth-amphetamines "more than once."

Career work

Van Dyke has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Blvd.

Albums

• Songs I Like By Dick Van Dyke (with Enoch Light & his Orchestra/Ray Charles Singers) (1963)
• Put on a Happy Face (with Dick Van Dyke and The Vantastix) (2008)
• Rhythm Train (with Leslie Bixler and Chad Smith) (2010)

Stage

• The Girls Against the Boys (November 2, 1959 – November 14, 1959)
• Bye Bye Birdie (April 14, 1960 – October 7, 1961) (left the show when it moved to the Shubert Theatre)
• The Music Man (June 5, 1980 – June 22, 1980) (Revival)
• Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life (guest star from January 24, 2006 – January 26, 2006)

Filmography

*Note: Although he is not seen in the regular release of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Dick van Dyke's work can be seen in the "Deleted Scenes" section of the film's DVD, along with Bill Cobbs and Mickey Rooney.

Television

References

1. ^ "Dick Van Dyke Biography". The Internet Movie Database. 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-06.
2. http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=vandykedic
3. "Welcome to Wits' End Productions—Your Figment...Our Imagination!". Wits' End Productions. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
4. New Orleans TV: The Golden Age, documentary produced by WYES-TV New Orleans Channel 12, broadcast 2009-07-18; published at WYES. See also WDSU Serves New Orleans Since 1948 and Dave Walker That old-time TV: New book celebrates 60 years of local stars.
5. Van Dyke page on the Internet Movie Database.
6. "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me", Rundown, NPR, 23 October 2010.
7. "Dick Van Dyke, Awards". The Internet Movie Database. 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-06.
8. Brooks, Tim; Earl Marsh (2003). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
9. "Dick Van Dyke's prescription for success". CNN. 2008. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
10. Staff writers (2003-06-30). "Connery 'has worst film accent'". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-07-06.
11. "How not to do an American accent," BBC News online 21 July 2008, accessed 22 Sept. 2010
12. "Dick van Dyke Plays Not My Job". Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!. 2010-10-23.
13. "Amazon page for Faith, Hope and Hilarity". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
14. Barbershop Harmony Society - Honorary Members
15. Hill, Jim (2004-08-11). "Do you think that TV legends can't master computer animation? Well then ... You clearly don't know Dick". Jim Hill Media. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
16. "Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Has Dick Van Dyke Rapping On His New Album". MusicRooms.net. April 12, 2010.
17. p.219 Adir, Karin The Great Clowns of American Television McFarlanc
18. "Palimony figure Michelle Triola Marvin Dies". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
19. People Magazine- Dick Van Dyke: Diagnosis Ageless
20. "Dick Van Dyke's Charity Work, Events and Causes". Looktothestars.org. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
21. Brooks, Xan (2010-11-11). "Porpoises rescue Dick Van Dyke". Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
22. "Hollywood Walk of Fame". Retrieved 2009-01-28.
23. "Hollywood Walk of Fame". Retrieved 2009-01-28.

External links

• Dick Van Dyke at the Internet Broadway Database
• Dick Van Dyke at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com person
• Dick Van Dyke in Danville, Ill and Crawfordsville, Ind. — PDF Article
• At the Museum of Broadcast Communications
• "Remembering the Van Dyke Show"
• Dick Van Dyke -Disney Legends profile (requires Flash)
• Dick Van Dyke talks about his career for the Archive of American Television Arts and Sciences (requires Flash)
• Empire - The Worst British Accents Ever - Number 11 - Dick Van Dyke singing in Mary Poppins (1964) (requires Flash)

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