I find it fascinating that today Dick Van Dyke celebrates his 100th birthday with none other than Taylor Swift. While it is common for celebrities to have the same birthday, both Van Dyke and Swift have done so much for their respective mediums.
Van Dyke was already a legend back in 1989 when Swift was born, even though it might not seem like that long ago. Born and raised in the Midwestern states of Missouri and Illinois, Van Dyke has become a rarity. To call him a legend is an understatement because he basically helped pioneer entertainment in the latter half of the 20th Century. It just shows some people seem to come about at the right time.
Staring in The Dick Van Dyke show created by his late long-time friend/collaborate Carl Reiner, he became one of the kings of comedy helping turning a sitcom about the head writer of a variety show into a classic. While most people might only remember the show for Van Dyke tripping over an ottoman, the show was very innovative for the time. The show premiered in the 1961-1962 following a painfully criticized 1960-1961 TV season that was later called by Time magazine as one of the worst.
During the third season, the episode flashback “That’s My Boy?” had Van Dyke’s Rob and his wife, Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) thinking they might have brought home the wrong baby from the hospital. When they invite the other couple over, they are surprised it’s a black couple played by Greg Morris and Mimi Dillard. They are also the Peters as contrast to Rob and Laura who are the Petries.
The scene is a classic play on catching an audience by surprise as well as the characters themselves and there’s a feeling that all the actors are doing their best not to break character as they incorporate their laughs into the scene. This show aired as the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing and two months before President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
Despite his friendship and business association with Reiner and Mel Brooks, Van Dyke often kept his humor clean. He would go on to appear in movies like Bye Bye Birdie and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang showcasing his abilities to sing as well as act and make people laugh. However, we can all agree that his cockney accent in Mary Poppins isn’t the best.
As the Hays Code ended and comedians, like George Carlin and Richard Pryor, pushed the envelope along with filmmakers and TV show creators, it seemed Van Dyke would be in trouble. He stayed mostly on TV where he continued to appear in shows such as the long-running Diagnosis: Murder. He did appear alongside Al Pacino and Warren Beatty among others in the 1990 live-action Dick Tracy. He also appeared in Night at the Museum as well as a cameo in the Mary Poppins sequel.
But it wasn’t always easy. Van Dyke struggled with alcoholism for years before getting clean and sober in the 1970s. During this decade he separated from his long-time wife, Margie Willett, and began a relationship with Michelle Triola Marvin that last more than 30 years until her death in 2009. His niece, Kelly Jean Van Dyke, got involved in the adult film industry as well as struggled with substance abuse. She committed suicide in 1991.
But despite these personal issues, Van Dyke continues remain active in all media. In 2024, he made headlines as the oldest person to receive a Daytime Emmy for his guest spot on Days of our Lives. That was until it was broken by David Attenborough this past year.
Even though he was a heavy smoker, he has long given that up and focused more on his health. I think it’s his good nature and perseverance that has helped him reach this milestone. He’s reached the point in his career that any appearance on stage or screen commands applause and cheers.
That’s what most entertainers want.
And who knows, we might get a duet of him and Swife singing “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”
Happy Birthday, Mr. Van Dyke
Zane Says 