No, Dick Van Dyke was not the greatest actor of his time. He wasn’t the greatest dancer of his time. As for singing, no, again. As for being a clown, not his specialty, as he did not have that one clown look that you knew was him. Some had multiple ones, like Red Skeleton, our greatest clown of my time. And for actor clowns, the greatest will always be Buster Keaton, not Charlie Chaplin, a close second. He was not noted for being a director, like Keaton or Chaplin, either. Not even in the same class, historically, as those two. But Mr. Van Dyke will tell you that he was a clown first, second, and always.
But when all things are said and done, Mr. Dick Van Dyke will go down in history as an entertainer extraordinaire. Of my time, to 60 years in the past, he is more than just another guy who makes us laugh. He is one of the very few talents in the “making people feel good” classification who is a national treasure. And now, after 100 years on this earth, he still tops anyone’s list as being a loved person in the business. Tony Bennett, rest his soul, was one like Van Dyke. So was the singer Toby Keith. World world-class human being does not due him justice. It tells you who he is.
My first remembrance of Van Dyke was viewing his “Dick Van Dyke Show” with Mary Tyler Moore and that wonderful cast. It was groundbreaking, some are saying today. Here is what is being said about his and MTM’s show:
“The Dick Van Dyke Show” is often regarded as a ground-breaking sitcom due to its innovative approach to comedy and its lasting impact on the genre. Here are some of the show’s key contributions:
Yes, all of the above. I never missed this program during its run. From the archives: an American sitcom created by Carl Reiner that initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961, to June 1, 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. I was eight when it started and 13 when it was taken off the air. The Dick Van Dyke Show was nominated for 25 Primetime Emmy Awards and won 15. It was TV at its best. And the actors were as good as it gets, also.
I wasn’t as much a fan of Van Dyke as a movie actor. From my pre-teens through college years, his films were not what I liked at the time, yet I can understand why he was so good in his performances. In “Mary Poppins” with Julie Andrews, a major film that he will always be noted for, Van Dyke was multi-faceted, singing and dancing while being charming in a polished Fred Astaire-like presentation. One of the most popular films of all time for families with children, it was superlative. As much as I love “The Sound Of Music” more than “Mary Poppins,” I get it. I especially “got it” once I had my own children and watched their eyes light up when they viewed it with my wife and me. For his performance, he owned it, just as Andrews did in the titular role. Thank god that Andrews was passed over by Audrey Hepburn for “My Fair Lady,” as it opened up “Mary Poppins” for Andrews. And Van Dyke and Andrews were the perfect pair for the film. They are alike, as Andrews is also one our our “national treasures, in many facets of the entertainment business. Life has been good, for me, and for the stars, Andrews and Van Dyke.
Now 100, what is striking about Dick Van Dyke in the year 2025 is easy to find. Just listen to him in an interview, or watch his old but sturdy legs dance, even today. He might be 100 but his mind and brain are those of a twenty-five year old, in delivery and in thought. He is not old in the usual way of body and mind going away. I am sure he will pass in a few years, but who knows. He could live another five, ten year. And i can tell you that when he does, that mental side of him will still be crisp and fresh, and I suspect, like another actor on his death bed, Yule Brenner, he will go out with a big smile oand loving words for those around him
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