Van Dyke, Dick (1925-…), is a popular American comedian and actor who gained success both on television and in motion pictures, usually playing likable characters. He first became widely known as television writer Rob Petrie in the TV series “The Dick Van Dyke Show” (1961-1966), which is considered one of the classics of television comedy. From 1993 to 2001, he starred as the crime-solving physician Mark Sloan in the detective series “Diagnosis Murder.”
Richard Wayne Van Dyke was born on Dec. 13, 1925, in West Plains, Missouri. He started his show business career in nightclubs and on some local and network TV shows. Van Dyke made his Broadway debut in the revue (theatrical variety show) The Girls Against the Boys (1959). He became a star in 1960 as the lead in the hit musical Bye Bye Birdie. Van Dyke left the show in 1961 for “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” He won three consecutive Emmy Awards in 1964, 1965, and 1966 for his role in the series. Van Dyke starred in a second TV comedy series, “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” (1971-1974). He has also appeared on many television specials and as guest star in numerous TV series.
Van Dyke made his motion-picture debut repeating his stage role in the film version of Bye Bye Birdie (1963). He was featured in the popular motion-picture fantasy Mary Poppins (1964) and in the children’s film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). Van Dyke’s other movies include Divorce American Style (1967), The Comic (1969), The Runner Stumbles (1979), Dick Tracy (1990), Night at the Museum (2006), and Mary Poppins Returns (2018). He also has appeared in a number of movies made for television.
Van Dyke wrote the children’s books Altar Egos (1967), Faith, Hope, and Hilarity (1970), and Those Funny Kids! (1975). He also wrote the memoir My Lucky Life in and out of Show Business (2011). Van Dyke was named a 2020 Kennedy Center honoree in recognition of his contributions to American culture through the performing arts.
