About
"It was an impossible dream to think of ever actually going into show business. There was no television, so you had a choice between Vaudeville and movies. I didn't really think that it would ever happen."
In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Dick Van Dyke describes starting on Broadway, working into television, and the immediate success of The Dick Van Dyke Show, as well as The New Dick Van Dyke Show, regular appearances on The Carol Burnett Show, and his then-current hit Diagnosis Murder. Lee Goldberg conducted the interview on January 8, 1998 in Santa Monica, CA.
Highlights
Dick Van Dyke on how The Dick Van Dyke Show came about, originally written for and by and starring Carl Reiner
Dick Van Dyke on the physical comedy aspect on the Dick Van Dyke Show ; the pratfalls
Dick Van Dyke on making the transition from comedy to drama with Diagnosis Murde r, and playing "a 65-year old Rob Petrie"
Dick Van Dyke on the "thrill" of working in live television
Dick Van Dyke on how The Dick Van Dyke show impacted television
Dick Van Dyke on learning from Phil Silvers and discovering his love of comedy and his "funny bone"
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood in Illinois; early influence from physical comedians such as Laurel & Hardy; on his military service and learning about acting and performing while there;
On early jobs in Radio and advertising; on teaming up with Phil Erickson for the comedy team the Merry Mutes; later "Erik and Van";
On filling an hour of live television at his first job as host of a morning television show The Merry Mutes and The Music Shop in Atlanta; on getting hired as the host of The Morning Show on CBS in New York; the Hollywood Blacklist; working on CBS' Cartoon Theater
Chapter 2
On the CBS Cartoon Theater; on live television in the 1950s; on leaving CBS; working on Broadway
On guest-starring on television variety shows with Pat Boone and Andy Williams; appearing on the Phil Silvers Show, The Trouble with Richard, and discovering his comedic talents; working with Carol Burnett and Mike Nichols; on the U.S. Steel Hour with George C. Scott; Bye Bye Birdie;
On being approached by Sheldon Leonard and Carl Reiner to do The Dick Van Dyke show after they saw him in "Bye Bye Birdie" on Broadway
Chapter 3
On The Dick Van Dyke Show; the pilot; working with Carl Reiner and Sheldon Leonard
On the process of writing for The Dick Van Dyke Show; on interference from the network; on the show's writers; on the cast -Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam;
On Mary Poppins and working with Julie Andrews; his British accent
Chapter 4
On working on Mary Poppins while still starring in the Dick Van Dyke show; on the specials he did with much of the crew and cast from that show
On The New Dick Van Dyke show and how that came about; on his movie career
On the series Jake and the Fatman; he played a doctor who solves crimes
Chapter 5
On Diagnosis Murder; working with his son Barry Van Dyke; Fred Silverman; Tim Conway and Harvey Korman; on changes in the television industry
On how The Dick Van Dyke show impacted television; on being inducted into the Television Hall of Fame; on working with Garry Moore, Gower Champion, Sheldon Leonard, Carl Reiner, Danny Thomas, and more
Chapter 6
On Bud Yorkin, Norman Lear; Carol Burnett; Julie Andrews; Stan Laurel; his family
Shows
Diagnosis Murder
Dick Van Dyke on making the transition from comedy to drama with Diagnosis Murde r, and playing "a 65-year old Rob Petrie"
Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Dick Van Dyke on how he was approached by Sheldon Leonard and Carl Reiner to star in what became The Dick Van Dyke Show, formerly called Head of the Family starring Reiner
Dick Van Dyke on how The Dick Van Dyke Show came about, originally written for and by and starring Carl Reiner
Dick Van Dyke on the physical comedy aspect on the Dick Van Dyke Show ; the pratfalls
Dick Van Dyke on the only script he didn't like "Art v. Baloney"
Dick Van Dyke on how The Dick Van Dyke show impacted television
Jake and the Fatman
Dick Van Dyke on Jake and the Fatman, where he played "Mark Sloan" a detective
Mike Stokey's Pantomime Quiz aka Stump the Stars
Dick Van Dyke on appearing on Mike Stokey's Pantomime Quiz with Carol Burnett
Morning Show, The
Dick Van Dyke on hosting The Morning Show, a daytime show on CBS, pitched by Byron Paul (then a director at CBS) in 1955
Phil Silvers Show, The aka You'll Never Get Rich aka Sergeant Bilko
Dick Van Dyke on working on The Sgt. Bilko show with Phil Silvers and learning from watching the other performers
United States Steel Hour, The
Dick Van Dyke on appearing on The U.S. Steel Hour with George C. Scott
Van Dyke and Company
Dick Van Dyke on how Van Dyke and Company came about
Topics
Bloopers
Dick Van Dyke on some mishaps on the early days on television involving sled dogs
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Dick Van Dyke on being influenced by the physical comedy of Laurel & Hardy, and Buster Keaton
Emmy Awards
Dick Van Dyke on winning an Emmy award in 1963
Pivotal Career Moments
Dick Van Dyke on being influenced by the physical comedy of Laurel & Hardy, and Buster Keaton
TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)
Dick Van Dyke on the early days of television
Dick Van Dyke recalls the first time he appeared on television
Professions
Comedian
Dick Van Dyke on learning from Phil Silvers and discovering his love of comedy and his "funny bone"
Genres
Comedy Series
Dick Van Dyke on why The Dick Van Dyke show was filmed in front of a live audience and why he prefers it for comedies
Dick Van Dyke on the advice Sheldon Leonard gave him about acting on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Drama Series
Dick Van Dyke on the differences between working on comedy and drama
People
Morey Amsterdam
Dick Van Dyke on Morey Amsterdam- the happiest guy you'll ever meet
Julie Andrews
Dick Van Dyke on working with Julie Andrews
Carol Burnett
Dick Van Dyke on working with Carol Burnett
Sid Caesar
Dick Van Dyke on getting to work with Sid Caeasar, and early comedic hero, on his variety show
Tim Conway
Dick Van Dyke on working with Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Diagnosis Murder; and other guest-stars
Merv Griffin
Dick Van Dyke on Merv Griffin being a regular and one-time standin host on The Morning Show which Van Dyke hosted, on CBS
Oliver Hardy
Dick Van Dyke on being influenced by the physical comedy of Laurel & Hardy
Harvey Korman
Dick Van Dyke on working with Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Diagnosis Murder; and other guest-stars
Stan Laurel
Dick Van Dyke on being influenced by the physical comedy of Laurel & Hardy
Dick Van Dyke on how he met Stan Laurel; he got his name out of the phone book
Sheldon Leonard
Dick Van Dyke on his impression of Sheldon Leonard, who could be intimidating
Dick Van Dyke on Sheldon Leonard
Rose Marie
Dick Van Dyke on what he learned from working with Rose Marie, and Morey Amsterdam
Steve Martin
Dick Van Dyke on working with Steve Martin on his variety show
Garry Moore
Dick Van Dyke on why he owes so much to Garry Moore
Mary Tyler Moore
Dick Van Dyke on the initial chemistry between himself and Mary Tyler Moore, on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Dick Van Dyke on his relationship with Mary Tyler Moore
Bill Persky
Dick Van Dyke on Bill Persky
Carl Reiner
Dick Van Dyke on his first impression of Carl Reiner
Dick Van Dyke on the talents of Carl Reiner; writing to actors' strengths
Dick Van Dyke on Carl Reiner
John Rich
Dick Van Dyke on one of the best comedy directors-- John Rich
Fred Silverman
Dick Van Dyke on working with executive Fred Silverman on Diagnosis Murder;
Phil Silvers
Dick Van Dyke on working on The Sgt. Bilko show with Phil Silvers and learning from watching the other performers
Dick Van Dyke on what he learned from Phil Silvers: timing
Andy Williams
Dick Van Dyke on working with Andy Williams on his variety show