Dick Van Dyke turns 79
Written by Al Barger
Published December 13, 2004

Born December 13, 1925 in Missouri, today is Dick Van Dyke's 79th. Happy Birthday!

Of course, he's best known as Rob Petrie, titular star of one of the half dozen consistently best written sitcoms in the history of television. Credit must also be given for his role as Bert the chimney sweep in Mary Poppins. Then of course, there was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Diagnosis Murder, among other entries in a long career.

One minor bio-fact on him of some interest: As a good church going Christian, he was an elder in his church and taught Sunday school for the children right through the height of his popularity, while the Dick Van Dyke show was in production.

That probably wasn't that big a deal 40-odd years ago, but could you imagine Raymond or Seinfeld teaching Sunday school? Bernie Mac, maybe.

Unreformed hawkish Hoosier hillbilly and sometimes candidate Al Barger runs the still squeezin' down the psychodelic Kentucky moonshine at MoreThings.com, what with the paranoid religious visions and the Pentacostal music and visions of God and anarchy running amok and such. Somebody oughta call the cops to report his out of control freedom of conscience. Till they come to take him away somewhere where he can't hurt anyone else, you can check out his weekly column of NEW ALBUM RELEASES.
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Dick Van Dyke turns 79
Published: December 13, 2004
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Section: Video
Writer: Al Barger
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Comments

#1 — December 13, 2004 @ 15:38PM — Voxxy

Al, it's 79 years since 1925.

#2 — December 13, 2004 @ 15:41PM — Eric Olsen

damn math majors

#3 — December 13, 2004 @ 16:37PM — Jim Carruthers [URL]

What I've really appreciated most about the original Dick Van Dyke Show was the recursiveness. It was a comedy about a writer on teevee comedy show. Favourite ep is the one where aliens steal everybody's thumbs.

My favourite of his movie roles is his lead in "Cold Turkey", about a town which tries to win a contest for everyone to give up smoking. And a title song by Randy Newman.

#4 — December 13, 2004 @ 16:37PM — Al Barger [URL]

You're right. I'm already done with this year, and thinking it's '05. I'll revise and extend my remarks.

#5 — December 13, 2004 @ 17:20PM — Jim Carruthers [URL]

You've started a trend! 79 is the new 80!

What I've just realized is how much of my ideation of what cities and suburbs are come from the Dick Van Dyke Show. And watching the first season DVD set, how great the supporting cast were except for the kid. The most special part of the DVD set is the pilot with Carl Reiner playing Rob Petrie.

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