Legendary actor Dick Van Dyke turns 100 years old on Saturday, Dec. 13, and created an endless amount of memories for fans of his work on film and television.
Born Richard Wayne Van Dyke in West Plains, Mo, on Dec. 13, 1925, the actor’s screen career began with a guest role as an emcee on the pilot episode of the short-lived CBS sitcom Joe & Mabel in 1956. After that, Van Dyke appeared in a pair of guest turns on The Phil Silvers Show in 1957 and 1958 and continued to turn up in guest roles on shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents for the next five years.
The actor’s breakthrough role came in the eponymously titled The Dick Van Dyke Show on CBS in 1961, where he and Mary Tyler Moore starred as Rob and Laura Petrie for 158 episodes through 1966.
Van Dyke also embarked on a big-screen career amid the success of The Dick Van Dyke Show, starring in the movie classics Bye Bye Birdie in 1963 and Mary Poppins opposite Julie Andrews in 1964. After The Dick Van Dyke Show, the actor starred in yet another big-screen classic in 1968’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Van Dyke to date has amassed more than 80 roles in his film and television career, which includes starring roles in the classic CBS drama Diagnosis Murder from 1993 to 2001, as well as two Diagnosis Murder TV movies in 2002.
In addition, Van Dyke starred as Cecil Fredericks, one of the three-night security guards at the Museum of Natural History in the Ben Stiller adventure comedies Night at the Museum (2006) and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014). In 2018, Van Dyke starred in a key supporting role in Mary Poppins Returns, where he played Mr. Dawes Jr., the son of his character Mr. Dawes Sr. in Mary Poppins in 1964.
As Van Dyke prepares to celebrate his 100th birthday on Saturday, take a look below at photos of his life and career in showbiz.
In additon to making his screen debut on Joe & Mabel in 1956, Dick Van Dyke worked as a TV host for such programs as CBS’ Good Morning! with Will Rogers Jr. from 1954-55, CBS Cartoon Theatre in 1956 and NBC’s Laugh Line in 1959.
The Dick Van Dyke Show premiered on CBS on Oct. 3, 1961. In addition to Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore, the series starred Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam.
Dick Van Dyke starred opposite Janet Leigh in the movie musical Bye Bye Birdie in 1963. The film also stared Ann-Margret, Maureen Stapleton, Bobby Rydell, Jesse Pearson and Paul Lynde.
Dick Van Dyke starred as Burt/Mr. Dawes Sr. opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie musical Mary Poppins in 1964. The film was nominated for 13 Oscars and won five, including Best Actress for Andrews and Best Original Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.
Dick Van Dyke starred opposite Heather Ripley, Adrian Hall and Sally Ann Howes in the 1968 family movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which follows the adventures of a magical car.
Dick Van Dyke returned to episodic televsion with The New Dick Van Dyke Show on CBS in 1971. Starring Van Dyke and Hope Lange as Dick and Jenny Preston, the series ran for 72 episodes from 1971 to 1973.
Dick Van Dyke was also a cast member on The Carol Burnett Show on CBS in 1977. Van Dyke appeared on 11 episodes of the sketch comedy show opposite the likes of Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman and Vicki Lawrence.
Dick Van Dyke reunited with his Dick Van Dyke Show co-star for a photo in the 1980s.
Dick Van Dyke starred opposite his son Barry Van Dyke in The Van Dyke Show, which ran for 10 episodes on CBS in 1988.
Dick Van Dyke played Dr. Mark Sloan on the CBS mystery drama Diagnosis Murder for 178 episodes from 1993 to 2001, and reprised the role for two Diagnosis Murder TV movies in 2002. In addition, Van Dyke starred in three Murder 101 TV movies for the Hallmark Channel in 2007 and 2008.
Dick Van Dyke reunited with his fellow Mary Poppins star Julie Andrews to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the classic musical in 2004 with the release of the film on DVD.
Ben Stiller and his Dick Van Dyke clown around with a photo of their Night at the Museum co-star Ricky Gervais in 2006.
Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews reunited again in 2007, when Van Dyke presented Andrews with the Screen Actors Guild’s Life Achievement Award.
Dick Van Dyke also presented his fellow Dick Van Dyke Show star Mary Tyler Moore with the Screen Actors Guild’s Life Achievement Award in 2012.
Dick Van Dyke and his brother, Jerry Van Dyke, guest-starred in a episode of the ABC sitcom The Middle in 2015.n
Dick Van Dyke starred opposite Lin-Manuel Miranda and Emily Blunt in the Mary Poppins sequel, Mary Poppins Returns in 2018.
Lady Gaga joined Dick Van Dyke and Emily Blunt for a photo at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards in 2019.
Dick Van Dyke starred in a guest role in Peacock’s Days of Our Lives in 2023, which earned him an Outstanding Guest Actor Daytime Emmy Award in 2024. Van Dyke has won three Daytime Emmys and four Primetime Emmys throughout his illustrious career.
Dick Van Dyke turns 100 on Saturday.
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