Back here, I wrote that I do not believe that it was ever a close contest between Dick Van Dyke and Johnny Carson as to which of them would star in what was eventually called The Dick Van Dyke Show. This prompted a note from my pal Vince Waldron, author of a great book on that series…
I enjoyed your post about the mistaken impression in some circles that Johnny Carson had ever been a serious contender for the role of Rob Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show, which — as you correctly surmised — he most certainly was not. When I asked Carl about his search to find a leading man for the show, he noted that Johnny Carson’s name was briefly floated in one very early conversation. “But,” Carl was quick to add, “that was just a passing idea.”
In fact, Carl’s producing partner on the project, Sheldon Leonard, had pretty much made his mind up to offer the role to Dick Van Dyke from the minute he read Carl’s first script. Sheldon had first spotted Dick in the 1959 Broadway revue The Girls Against the Boys, where the lanky comic actor so impressed the producer that Sheldon resolved then and there to find a television project worthy of Dick’s considerable talents. When Carl’s script about a witty TV comedy writer named Rob Petrie landed on his desk a year or so later, Sheldon knew exactly who he wanted to play the leading role. “There’s a guy in New York,” Sheldon told Carl. “He’s doing Bye Bye Birdie on Broadway. His name is Dick Van Dyke.”
And a fine choice it was. One of the many things that went right on that show is that it was so expertly cast. Everyone was so right for their parts and if they weren’t when the show first went into production, Mr. Reiner made them right in a hurry. I remember him saying that when they cast Mary Tyler Moore, they never imagined she’d blossom into such a strong comedic performer.
I can’t think of too many women on situation comedies then (or even much later) who proved able to handle so much funny dialogue and action; not unless like Lucille Ball or Joan Davis, the show was built around them. Usually, wives in supporting roles didn’t so much more than tell their husbands about the problems their kids were having or causing.
By the way: Recently here, I was skeptical that one of the dancers in a Jimmy Durante clip was, as some thought, Mary Tyler Moore. I have been convinced that it was and in the next day or two, I’ll run the e-mail from a friend who convinced me.
0 Comments