Dick Van Dyke Turns 100! What are Some of His Best Roles?
What an amazing life Dick Van Dyke has had! As he turns 100 on December 13th, let’s take a look at his incredible work, his most memorable characters, and some of his accomplishments. We don’t get a lot of people living to the ripe old age of a centenarian, so it’s pretty cool when somebody lives this long. And best yet, Van Dyke has an upcoming project – more on that later!
Dick Van Dyke’s Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born in Missouri, Van Dyke became interested in acting from a young age. He had several parts in theatrical productions, but his stage performance in “Bye Bye Birdie” earned him a Tony Award. Several years later, he appeared in the movie version.
The trajectory from his triple talent of singing, dancing, and acting led him toward bigger and better projects within a few years. Shortly after “Bye Bye Birdie,” he scored the part of Bert, Mary Poppins’ pal, in “Mary Poppins.”
Dick Van Dyke’s Best 3 Movie Roles
A highly versatile actor, Van Dyke has appeared in over 80 projects. More recently, he is known for playing Cecil in the “Night at the Museum” series. Here are a few roles that showed off his immense talent when he was first starting out in the entertainment industry.
Bert (and Mr. Dawes) in “Mary Poppins”
This movie was influential for films like “Mrs. Doubtfire” and even shows like “The Nanny.” Van Dyke played Bert, who was Mary’s trusted friend. Although his attempted Cockney accent was awful, his performance scored major points all across the globe, endearing him even more to audiences. Fun fact: according to CNN, Van Dyke later said he actually paid Disney to have the role of Mr Dawes.
Caratacus Potts in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”
Weird name, right? Here, Van Dyke portrays an eccentric inventor who fixes up a Grand Prix car for his kids. They go off on quite an adventure to rescue the grandfather from a far-off fantasy land. This musical, fantasy, adventure/comedy film inspired many others, such as “Herbie” and “Back to the Future,” to name a few.
Reverend Clayton Brooks in “Cold Turkey”
In one of his lesser-known roles, Van Dyke was easily able to slip into a dark comedic role. Here, he plays a reverend bent on destroying a tobacco company. This Norman Lear-directed gem is a worthwhile watch – especially as it addresses many layers of social commentary, from tobacco companies, organized religion, and, of course, politics.
Dick Van Dyke’s 3 Best TV Roles
Although Van Dyke has played varied parts in movies, he is best known for several sitcoms, including “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and cozy crime mysteries. He is the king of the TV movie, starring in dozens of them. As a television star, he is known for and clearly loved in “Diagnosis Murder” and the “Murder 101” projects.
Rob in “The Dick Van Dyke Show”
Even though this show was named after him, he went by Rob Petrie on the show, playing against Mary Tyler Moore‘s character, Laura. The highly successful show examined the life of a television writer, both in the office and at his home. Note: There was also another show like this, called “The New Dick Van Dyke Show,” which didn’t stay on the air as long. He played a different character in it.
Dr. Mark Sloan on “Diagnosis Murder”
This highly successful cozy crime procedural ended up having multiple TV movies as well. Here we have Van Dyke as Dr. Sloan, a physician who specializes in (sometimes accidentally) solving crimes. He works alongside Steve, his detective son, played by his real-life son, Barry Van Dyke. The beloved series was on for eight seasons and had four companion movies.
Dr. Jonathan Maxwell on “Murder 101”
From a physician to a criminology professor, Van Dyke perfectly pivots in another cozy mystery. Here he is paired with Mike, a private detective (played by his son, Barry Van Dyke), to suss out the suspects in assorted crimes. Joining him in the last couple of these TV movies are his grandsons.
More recently, Van Dyke has done voice work, guested in numerous TV shows, and had a four-episode arc in the soap “Days of Our Lives.” He has one upcoming project entitled “Capture the Flag.” This is a comedy about several retired veterans who want to bring the flag back to their retirement community.
A Few Last Thoughts
Dick Van Dyke has brought so many characters to life throughout his nearly seven-decade career! He is one of the best-known actors from sitcoms and television movies. His kids and grandchildren are involved in the industry. We definitely hope to see Van Dyke gracing our screens again soon. Happy 100th Birthday!
