Throughout his 100 years, Dick Van Dyke has enjoyed nearly eight decades in show business. He began his career on radio in Illinois, which propelled him to Broadway, television, and film. In each medium, he demonstrated talent across comedy, drama, and musical performance. Julie Andrews, his friend and “Mary Poppins” co-star, observed, “He is an all-round performer. I cannot name one of his talents that is better than the next.”
Although he is best remembered for “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “Mary Poppins,” his body of work encompasses both celebrated classics and lesser-known roles, all of which reveal the breadth of his abilities. Here are ten defining performances from Van Dyke’s illustrious career.
1. “The Dick Van Dyke Show” (1961–1966)
Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, and Larry Mathews on the set of “The Dick Van Dyke Show”
“The Dick Van Dyke Show,” which ran for five seasons on CBS, remains the defining work of Van Dyke’s career. He starred as Rob Petrie, a comedy writer whose home life with Mary Tyler Moore’s character, Laura Petrie, was the heart of the series. Supported by Morey Amsterdam, Rose Marie, and young Larry Mathews as the Petries’ son, Ritchie, the ensemble created a warm and clever sitcom that quickly became a classic.
Ironically, the series was not originally written for Van Dyke. Carl Reiner had created and starred in an earlier pilot, “Head of the Family,” but after it failed to land, Reiner and director Sheldon Leonard searched for a new lead. When Leonard saw Van Dyke on Broadway in “Bye Bye Birdie,” he knew immediately that he was the right choice.
Van Dyke often said he was essentially playing himself, bringing to the role, as Carol Burnett describes it, a “supple” physicality influenced by silent-film heroes such as Laurel and Hardy and Buster Keaton. The camaraderie among the cast made those five years some of the happiest of his life. More than half a century later, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” remains one of the most beloved sitcoms in television history.
2. “Bye Bye Birdie” (1963)
As a child in Illinois, Van Dyke spent countless Saturdays in movie theaters, captivated by the magic of film and hoping that one day he too would be a movie star. It is fitting that his first film role was one he had already made famous on Broadway, playing Albert Peterson in “Bye Bye Birdie,” a performance that earned him a Tony Award.
Albert Peterson is a poet and once-aspiring English teacher who is drawn into the music industry after writing a hit song for teen idol Conrad Birdie. Janet Leigh played his loyal secretary and longtime girlfriend, Rosie DeLeon. Ann-Margret appeared as Kim MacAfee, a high school student and devoted fan of Conrad Birdie. The original stage production was loosely inspired by Elvis Presley’s 1958 draft.
“Bye Bye Birdie” marked an impressive film debut for Van Dyke and was both a critical and commercial success, finishing as the eighth highest-grossing movie of 1963.
3. “Mary Poppins” (1964)
Dick Van Dyke in “Mary Poppins” (1964).
For decades, Van Dyke had been enthralled by Disney films and dreamed of appearing in one. That dream came true when Walt Disney asked him to play Bert in “Mary Poppins,” starring Julie Andrews. The role of Bert, a cheerful jack of all trades, allowed Van Dyke to showcase his singing, dancing, and comedic gifts in numbers like “Step in Time” and the legendary “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”
Van Dyke also lobbied to play the elderly Mr. Dawes Senior, a performance so convincing that Karen Dotrice, who played Jane Banks, later admitted she did not realize it was him beneath the makeup. Although Van Dyke was unhappy with his Cockney accent, Andrews reassured him that no single version of the accent was considered definitively correct.
Despite any reservations he may have had about his own performance, “Mary Poppins” became a landmark success, loved by audiences and critics alike. Van Dyke has often said he considers it “the perfect Walt Disney movie,” a testament to the joy that defined the film and his performance.
4. “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968)
As a father of four young children in the 1960s, Van Dyke preferred to make films his family could enjoy together, a commitment that continued with his role as Caractacus Potts in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” Based on the book by Ian Fleming and adapted by Roald Dahl and Ken Hughes, the film tells the story of an unlucky inventor who transforms an old Grand Prix car into a magical vehicle that can fly and float, taking his children on a fantastical adventure.
The movie features the bright and memorable title song, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” Although it was not a major box office success upon release, it steadily grew in popularity and is now regarded as a beloved classic treasured across generations.
5. “The Comic” (1969)
Like many actors, Van Dyke wanted to broaden his range and take on a more dramatic role, and he did so in “The Comic,” playing Billy Bright, a silent film star. In a compelling narrative structure, the film opens with Bright’s funeral and unfolds through a series of flashbacks as he narrates the story of his own life. Viewers see both his triumphs and the self-destructive behavior that ultimately leads to his downfall. Van Dyke also portrays Bright’s son, Billy Jr.
Partly inspired by the life of one of Van Dyke’s idols, Buster Keaton, the film was written, directed, and produced by Carl Reiner. Although “The Comic” remains one of Van Dyke’s lesser-known projects, he was very proud of the film. It demonstrated that he could make an audience laugh, cry, and reflect on life’s complexities.
6. “Van Dyke and Company” (1976)
During the 1970s, variety shows like “The Carol Burnett Show” and “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour” dominated television, even as the genre began to fade later in the decade. Undeterred, Van Dyke decided to launch his own comedy-variety series, “Van Dyke and Company.”
He brought in friends such as Sid Caesar and Lucille Ball, along with rising talent like Chevy Chase, and approached the hour-long program as a “pretty loose affair,” giving himself room to experiment. Its most memorable moment was an entirely improvised ten-minute pantomime fight between Van Dyke and Carol Burnett, which she later called “one of my favorite things I have ever done.”
Although “Van Dyke and Company” lasted only one season, it earned the Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series.
7. “The Morning After” (1974)
For many actors, certain roles resonate on a personal level, and for Van Dyke, the ABC television movie “The Morning After” was one of them. He portrayed Charlie Lester, a successful public relations speechwriter with a loving family who appears to have everything, yet he is quietly battling alcoholism.
As Charlie’s drinking spirals out of control, the film follows his decline from a tense fight with his wife after a Christmas party to a mental health facility, offering Van Dyke a powerful, dramatic role far removed from the Rob Petrie image. At the same time, Van Dyke publicly acknowledged his own struggle with alcoholism, which was a courageous act for a major entertainer in the 1970s.
He earned an Emmy nomination for the performance, and for years, “The Morning After” was shown in treatment centers for its honest portrayal of addiction.
8. “Diagnosis: Murder” (1993–2001)
By the time he reached his late sixties, Van Dyke did not expect another long-running television role, but CBS changed that when it cast him as Dr. Mark Sloan in “Diagnosis: Murder.” The series followed Sloan, a physician who solves crimes with his son Steve, played by Van Dyke’s real-life son Barry. Throughout the run of the series, other Van Dyke family members, including his brother Jerry, daughter Stacy, and several grandchildren, also made guest appearances.
Although television had evolved significantly since his early sitcom days, Van Dyke insisted the show avoid gore or excessive violence so families could watch together. The series proved a success, running for eight seasons.
9. “Days of Our Lives” (2023)
Audiences likely did not expect a 97-year-old Van Dyke, best known for his comedic work, to appear on the long-running daytime soap opera “Days of Our Lives.” Yet in 2023, he surprised viewers with a pivotal guest role. He played the “Mystery Man,” an elderly hospital patient with amnesia who is eventually revealed to be Timothy Robicheaux, the long-lost father of John Black, portrayed by Drake Hogestyn.
Van Dyke and Hogestyn were friends at their local gym, and when Van Dyke casually mentioned he would enjoy appearing on the show, the opportunity quickly materialized. He appeared in four episodes. In 2024, at age 98, Van Dyke made history by winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Daytime Drama, becoming the oldest recipient of the honor.
10. “All My Love” – Coldplay music video (2024)
Even as he neared his ninety-ninth birthday, Van Dyke kept embracing new opportunities that connected him with younger audiences. In 2024, he opened his Malibu home to the band Coldplay so they could film the music video for their song “All My Love.” The video was produced by Van Dyke and his wife, Arlene Silver.
The video begins with Van Dyke walking onto his back patio, where Coldplay’s Chris Martin is seated at the piano. Throughout the piece, scenes from Van Dyke’s life and extraordinary career are interlaced. In one touching moment, Van Dyke talks openly about growing older, expressing gratitude for his life and peace about the future. Yet, true to form, he radiates that ever-present joy by dancing as Martin plays.
Across his long and celebrated career, Van Dyke has given all his love to his craft and to his audience, and this video serves as a reminder that his fans have consistently given that love back.
***
From his impeccable comic timing in “The Dick Van Dyke Show” to his powerful dramatic turn in “The Morning After” and his joyful dancing at nearly 100 years old in Coldplay’s “All My Love,” Dick Van Dyke has repeatedly shown that there is little he cannot do. He once said, “I had no career plan… I just took what came,” and what came was a lifetime of opportunities he transformed into decades of unforgettable entertainment. Audiences across generations remain captivated by his talent, warmth, and enduring spirit of joy.
