upworthy

dick van dyke

Television

Watch Mary Tyler Moore sink a tricky pool shot, shocking everyone on set, including herself

How she and Dick Van Dyke managed to stay in character is remarkable.

FilmRise Television/YouTube (Public Domain)

This miraculous moment happened in Season 2, Episode 5 of The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Most of us have had moments where something completely unlikely happened that we wish had been caught on film. Have you ever dropped something in the bathroom, and when you tried to catch it, it bounced off your hand, onto the sink, into the wall, then right into the toilet? You couldn't replicate something like that even if you tried. All you can do is look around and ask, "Did anyone else see that?"

One of those seemingly impossible moments happened to Mary Tyler Moore while filming an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show in 1962, but luckily, it was caught on film. The scene she and Dick Van Dyke were filming involved a tricky pool shot in which Mary Tyler Moore's character was supposed to hit three balls into three different pockets at once. The plan for the scene was to film Moore taking the shot, then cut to a shot of just the table where a professional pool player would actually make the shot, then cut back to Moore. But they didn't end up needing the pro player at all, much to everyone's surprise–including Moore herself.

@didyoucatchthis

The Unscripted Magic of Mary Tyler Moore on The Dick Van Dyke Show In a memorable 1962 episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show, a seemingly routine scene turned into an unforgettable moment of unscripted brilliance. In the episode, Laura Petrie, played by the iconic Mary Tyler Moore, wants to quit a game of pool to watch her favorite movie on TV. Her husband, Rob Petrie, played by Dick Van Dyke, convinces her to finish the game. Laura agrees, setting up for what was intended to be a clever camera trick. The plan was simple: the scene would cut away to a professional pool player making a difficult shot, then cut back to Laura as if she had made it herself. But then something incredible happened. Instead of relying on the professional, Mary Tyler Moore nailed the shot herself, completely unplanned. The genuine surprise and delight in her reaction—and Dick Van Dyke’s—made the moment feel all the more authentic and endearing. This unscripted success is a perfect example of the magic that made The Dick Van Dyke Show so special, blending impeccable acting, humor, and spontaneous brilliance into TV history.

The look on Moore's face says it all, but the fact that the two actors otherwise stayed in character is even more remarkable. Van Dyke didn't even flinch. Absolute legend. And shout out to the camera crew as well. The professionalism all around in that moment is a testament to everyone on set.

According to Slash Film, the show's editor, Bud Molin, explained in Vince Waldron's The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book how the shot came to be. The shot was set up ahead of time, of course, but she was just supposed to make the balls go the right way. No one expected her to actually sink any of them, much less all three.

"We had it rigged so that she just had to hit the balls in the right general direction," Molin said. "It was just luck. She hit it, and she dropped every ball!"

Everyone was wowed, including Moore herself. She quickly picked her jaw up off the table, though, saving the scene so that the footage would be usable. And indeed, that take ended up being the one that made it into the "Hustling the Hustler" episode.

Watch the full scene from the beginning here (and note Van Dyke's unflappable reaction):

- YouTube youtu.be

The irony of the way the scene panned out is that Moore's character was supposed to surprise her husband and the audience with her pool prowess—just a little ol' housewife besting a man at a man's sport. The fact that she actually did it makes it all the better.

The Dick Van Dyke Show still ranks among the best sitcoms of all time, even seven decades after it aired.

More fun facts about The Dick Van Dyke Show

- The show aired for five seasons, from 1961 to 1966, and won a whopping 15 Emmy Awards.

- It was considered a pioneer in the sitcom genre, incorporating complexities of real life like parenting, sex, and societal issues in ways that previous sitcoms had not explored.

- Johnny Carson was among those in the running for the lead role that ultimately went to Dick Van Dyke due to his better name recognition at the time. Carson would become The Tonight Show host in 1962, a year after The Dick Van Dyke Show premiered.

johnny carson, the tonight show, dick van dyke show, talk show, television Johnny Carson was one of two finalists for Dick Van Dyke's role. Giphy

- Mary Tyler Moore had to fight to wear capri pants as the wardrobe choice made the network and advertisers nervous. However, she insisted that her character wear them and succeeded in shifting norms and expectations around women's clothing.

- Part of the show's success after it's second season (which almost didn't happen due to low ratings in the beginning) was the revolutionary idea to play reruns of the show during the summer. "That was one of the most creative things I ever did," said Carl Reiner, the show's director, according to John Kiesewetter. "Repeats back then were not a big thing. But I said, 'The people who have seen Perry Como will have a chance to sample us.' And it worked!"

- The catchy Dick Van Dyke Show theme song was an instrumental, but it actually had lyrics written by co-star of the show Morey Amsterdam. Watch Dick Van Dyke sing it in a 2011 interview onThe Rachael Ray Show :

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Reruns of The Dick Van Dyke Show can be found on various streaming services, and some full episodes that are in the public domain can be found on YouTube.

From Your Site Articles
television
TelevisionPop Culture
Pop Culture

Dick Van Dyke's stunning reveal as 'The Masked Singer' brought a judge to tears

The legendary showman shared, "It was the weirdest thing I've ever done."

Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons

Dick Van Dyke in 2017, showing off his signature grin.

Few people manage to achieve the status of both Hollywood legend and human legend, but Dick Van Dyke is definitely one of them.

The 97-year-old actor, dancer, singer and all-around showman blew away the audience and judges of "The Masked Singer" when he was revealed as the voice behind the enigmatic "Gnome" in the show's ninth season opener. Judge Nicole Scherzinger found herself crying at witnessing the reveal.

"I love you so much. We love you so much. The whole world loves you so much," she said through tears. "I'm trying to, like, play it cool, but you look so gorgeous! You look so handsome!"

Indeed, Van Dyke looks remarkably good for being three years shy of 100, and the fact that he's still got the energy to do a wild reality show is a testament to his vitality. He truly is #aginggoals personified.

Van Dyke sang "When You're Smiling" by Frank Sinatra while disguised as a giant woodland gnome on the show. The judges were stumped. Who would guess a 97-year-old would come on "The Masked Singer"?

As he shared with Entertainment Weekly, Van Dyke had a blast filming the show, despite having never seen it before being asked to participate.

"I looked at it on the air and it looked like fun," he told EW. "And I was so positive that nobody would ever guess it was me"

He was tickled that people thought he might be Robert DeNiro and flattered that some thought he could be Tony Bennett.

"But I knew that they couldn't guess who I was," he said. "I don't think they expected anybody from my generation to be on that show. So I knew I was gonna fool them. They were so surprised. I stepped out and everybody's mouths dropped open. I think some people thought I was dead."

He even did a brief "old man" bit, showing he's still got those physical comedy chops.

Watch the reveal:

What a night for everyone involved, especially since very few people knew who was behind the Gnome costume.

"The experience was weird, because they have to keep it a secret from the crew," Van Dyke told EW. "So I walked around with my head covered with people leading me. They've got a nice crew, but I never got to meet any of them!"

"I would say it's the weirdest thing I've ever done," he added. He also said he'd love to go back and "hang out" with the crew he worked with on the show that he didn't get to see. No doubt those crew members would be thrilled with the opportunity to spend time with such an iconic entertainer.

What a gift that we're still getting to see Dick Van Dyke's bright-eyed smile and signature humor. May we all maintain such vibrancy, positivity and zest for life through our senior years.

From Your Site Articles
dick van dyke
Pop CultureCelebrity
Pop Culture

98-year-old Dick Van Dyke just won an Emmy and celebrted with an epic red carpet dance for the ages

"This is his world and we're just living in it."

Photo credit: Public Domain (left), Gage Skidmore (right)

Dick Van Dyke's career has been going strong for 80 years.

Most people today will never even reach age 98, much less see themselves win an award for work they did at that age. But Dick Van Dyke has done both, making history as the oldest Daytime Emmy winner for his role on an episode of "Days of Our Lives" at 18 months shy of 100. He took home the 2024 award for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Drama Series for playing Timothy Robicheaux, an amnesiac "mystery man" on the long-running soap opera.

As impressive as that achievement is, it's Van Dyke's jaunt down the red carpet at the awards show that has people cheering.

He didn't just walk the carpet. He practically danced down it.

His hair and beard may be snowy white and he may use a cane to help him get around, but there's no mistaking the signature pep in his step. As the "Put the Telly On" X account shared, "Dick Van Dyke, 98, is going to live until he's 180. This is his world and we're just living in it."

Watch:

Van Dyke is no stranger to awards for his television work, having won four Primetime Emmys for "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and the "Van Dyke and Company" variety show. This is his second Daytime Emmy win—he won his last one 40 years ago.

“I don’t believe this. I feel like a spy from nighttime television,” he said. “I’m 98 years old. Can you believe it? This really tops off a lifetime of 80 years in the business. If I had known I would have lived this long I would’ve taken better care of myself.”

Most people would agree that he seems to have taken quite good care of himself considering how vital he still is at age 98. He has credited his wife, Arlene, his positive attitude and his habits of movement for his aging so well.

And he's still not done. He told Entertainment Tonight that he's still on a mission to win an Oscar so he can claim the coveted EGOT status, winning an Emmy, a Grammy, and Oscar and Tony award. But even if he doesn't get there, three out of the four most prestigious awards is an incredible feat for one career.

Dick Van Dyke chats with ET's Deidre Behar after winning Outstanding Guest on a Daytime Drama Series for 'Days of Our Lives' at the 51st Daytime Emmy Awards....


From Your Site Articles
dick van dyke
Pop CultureCelebrity
Pop Culture

18 months shy of 100, Dick Van Dyke has big plans that don’t include retirement

The unstoppable legend is still excited about what’s next.

Gage Skidmore

Dick Van Dyke is the epitome of aging goals.

If there's any Hollywood star that embodies agelessness, positivity and good old-fashioned fun, it's Dick Van Dyke. The legendary comedic actor has had a 70-year long career in film, television and stage productions and he shows no signs of stopping.

In fact, at 98-years-old, he says he'd love to take a one-man show on the road.

“Cary Grant did it,” Van Dyke told Deadline. “And Gregory Peck. Went on the road and talked about their careers. I think it’d be fun.”

The man behind the iconic dance scenes in “Mary Poppins” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” has always shown off his seemingly endless energy in his physical performances, but the fact that he’s still going strong at 18 months shy of 100 is genuinely impressive.

His secret? “Genuinely enjoying myself,” he said. He insists his success isn’t due to any particular ambition or drive, but rather that he sees his work as play. “I always loved what I was doing. If it had felt like work, I probably would have stopped it a long time ago, but I just loved it."

And it wasn’t that he was specifically trained for the work. He started at 17 as a radio announcer and then joined a comedy troupe, in fact, he’d never even had a dance lesson before he landed some of his most well-known roles.

“I was always pretty light footed,” Van Dyke told Entertainment Weekly. “When I auditioned for Bye Bye Birdie, [director] Gower Champion said, ‘You have the part.’ And I said, ‘Mr. Champion, I don't dance.’ He said, ‘I'll show you.’ And he did. He saw that I had the physical ability to do it, and it was like learning to fly.”

As is typical for his age, Van Dyke’s long-term memories are sharp while he forgets things like what he ate for breakfast. But his wife, Arlene, whom he’s been married to for 12 years, helps keep him going.

“She keeps me in shape, feeds me and I love her more everyday,” he told Forbes. “We’re just getting closer and closer.”

Arlene (52) also shared with Forbes how Van Dyke has made her a better person, reinforcing that his loveable, jolly demeanor is just who he is.

“I was very cynical, I think, when I first met him,” she said. “He’s such a great human being and he’s so pure in his thoughts and his heart, that it’s rubbed off on me. Just all the wholesome things of life—that’s what he has and he’s just made me a better person.”

Van Dyke doesn't see himself the way the rest of us do, as a legend and an icon. “It’s a little hard for me to get my brain around that,” he told Deadline. “I don’t see myself that way and I can’t comprehend myself as that."

However, the recent CBS television special that showcased his life and career in a variety show, "Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic" made it clear that his legendary status is solidly understood. Between the joy his performances have brought to children and adults alike, the positivity he exudes on screen and off, the longevity and vitality he displays on every level, he's proven himself to be entertainment and aging goals personified.

With age comes a lot of loss, however, and Van Dyke admits there's a bit of sadness in seeing his career being showcased, as most of the people he's worked with have passed. He told Deadline that Carl Reiner's death hit him particularly hard.

"“I think I learned more from Carl Reiner than anyone else,” he said. “He understood comedy. He understood drama. He had a sense of timing like nobody else. And he was just so sharp and bright and a philosopher on top of it. He was the finest human being I ever knew.”

But regardless of age, Van Dyke has no plans to retire, ever. He just did his first soap opera spot on "Days of Our Lives," and he delights in seeing how his work—his "play"—continues to make an impact.

“I’m on my third generation now of kids who are writing to me," he told Deadline. "And I’m getting wonderful mail from their parents thanking me for providing good entertainment for their kids. They’re so kind about it. That I really appreciate. I’m so lucky.”

From Your Site Articles
dick van dyke
Pop CultureCelebrity
Trending Stories