Earlier this year, I discovered I could access lots of old TV shows via my Amazon Prime subscription. And I mean old shows—almost from the beginning of television. So, for the past few months, I’ve watched an episode or two of The Dick Van Dyke Show each evening, in all its black and white glory, instead of the depressing news. The only downside is going to bed with that theme song stuck in your head and nearly tripping over something as a result.
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| Dick Van Dyke & Mary Tyler Moore |
The Dick Van Dyke Show ran for five seasons, from 1961-1966. I’m old enough to vaguely recollect the program and too young to remember any of its story lines. With a total of 158 half-hour episodes, that’s more than 30 shows per season. Nowadays, a season can consist of as few as eight episodes. In 2002, the series ranked number 13 on TV Guide’s list of greatest TV shows of all time.
It’s been great fun to revisit. Sure, Hubby and I shake our heads at the corny acting and some of the impossibly sexist situations deemed acceptable back then. But we haven’t watched an episode yet that didn’t result in at least one genuine laugh. If nothing else, the chemistry between Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore, their unbelievably good looks, rubber band flexibility, and comedic timing make for a far more uplifting thirty minutes than watching the nightly news.
Creator Carl Reiner modeled the character of Rob Petrie after himself and portrayed Rob in the original pilot, called “Head of the Family.” Reiner proved his genius by recasting the role with 36-year-old Van Dyke, who had already gained a bit of recognition on radio and Broadway, and 23-year-old Mary Tyler Moore—a virtually unknown dancer who’d never done comedy. Larry Mathews as their young son Ritchie, Rose Marie, and Morey Amsterdam rounded out the cast. Reiner played the role of Alan Brady but kept his face hidden whenever he appeared in the first three seasons. Of these six, only Larry Mathews (age 65) and Dick Van Dyke (now 95) are still alive. While Mathews quit acting after the final season, Van Dyke went on to star in numerous movies and stage productions. Mary Tyler Moore, of course, landed her own show in the seventies. She died in 2017 and Carl Reiner passed away last summer.
Perhaps these old shows appeal to me simply because I’m old. But they also contain elements of innocence and positivity that add energy and humor to life during these dark days. As a child, Dick Van Dyke often thought of becoming a minister. In his memoir, My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business, he wrote, “I suppose that I never completely gave up my childhood idea of being a minister. Only the medium and the message changed. I have still endeavored to touch people’s souls, to raise their spirits and put smiles on their faces.” He continued to teach Sunday School and serve as an elder in his Presbyterian Church even after his entertainment career took off.
Like many Hollywood legends, Van Dyke went through a divorce and struggled with alcoholism. But he’s one of those rare ones who sought help, conquered his addiction, and continues to generously bless people with his talents and resources wherever he can. For 20 years, he volunteered at a shelter mission and just last month he was spotted in his car, handing out wads of cash to job seekers waiting in line outside a Los Angeles labor exchange.
At 95 or any age, I’d say that definitely beats sitting at home, watching the news.
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