Happy 99th
Posted: 13 Dec 2024 13:40 pm
To Dick Van Dyke, born Dec 13, 1925.
When I lived in L.A., Dick was scheduled to do a week of one-man shows about his amazing career at the David Geffen Center, but had to cancel when, just days before opening night, he blew out his Achilles. Still sharp of wit, he told a reporter --- who was clearly a fan of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" --- "A stray ottoman is suspected."
Dick was starring on Broadway in "Bye Bye Birdie" when he was asked to audition to replace Carl Reiner in the poorly-reviewed CBS sitcom pilot for "Head of the Family". Reiner was criticized as "too Jewish, too Noo Yawkish". Dick got the role, then they screen-tested him with Mary Tyler Moore --- then best-known for her legs and voice, since her face was never shown, as the sexy switchboard operator on David Janssen's "Richard Diamond: Private Detective". They clicked, the series was retitled "The Dick Van Dyke Show", Reiner was recast (in his own show) as Alan Brady, and NYC disc jockey/(later) "Match Game" host Gene Rayburn replaced Dick as Conrad Birdie on Broadway.
Around age 88 Dick became a fan of the wonderful folk-bluegrass-zydeco band Dustbowl Revival, whose concerts I hosted twice in northern AZ, led by the absolutely adorable girly-girl Liz Beebe --- who undressed and dressed for the show right in front of me
when I was backstage with the band before the second show.Dick and his wife shared this delightful music video with Dustbowl Revival (Liz is no longer with the band) at his home in Cave Creek AZ: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10154566185527527
