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110-444: Billy Bright ( Dick Van Dyke ), a silent-era film comedian , narrates this film which begins at his character's funeral in 1969 and tells his life story in flashbacks , unable to see his own faults and morosely (and incorrectly) blaming others for anything that has gone wrong. Headstrong and talented, vaudeville clown Bright arrives on his first California film location insisting that he will perform his bit role only if he can wear

220-587: A Royal Variety Performance in front of King George VI and his consort Queen Elizabeth in London. The success of the tour led them to spend the next seven years touring the UK and Europe. Around this time, Laurel found out that he had diabetes, so he encouraged Hardy to find solo projects, which he did, taking parts in John Wayne and Bing Crosby films. In 1950, Laurel and Hardy were invited to France to make

330-642: A Tony Award . In 1961 he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance in Bye Bye Birdie . In 1964 he won a Grammy Award for Best Children's Album for Mary Poppins . Nominated for 10 Primetime Emmy Awards , Van Dyke received four awards for his work on The Dick Van Dyke Show and Van Dyke and Company . In 1998, Van Dyke was honored by the Walt Disney Company with their Disney Legends award. He became

440-580: A 1925 production called Yes, Yes, Nanette (in which Oliver Hardy had a part under the name "Babe" Hardy). It had been his intention to work primarily as a writer and director. The same year, Hardy, a member of the Hal Roach Studios Comedy All Star players, was injured in a kitchen mishap and hospitalised. Because he was unable to work on the scheduled film, Get 'Em Young , Laurel was asked to return to acting to fill in. Starting early in 1927, Laurel and Hardy began sharing

550-544: A Comedy Series , and the series received four Emmy Awards as Outstanding Comedy Series . The Dick Van Dyke Show received positive reviews from its start, with The Hollywood Reporter praising Van Dyke's comedic performance writing, "Sure to catch on as a new personality is Dick Van Dyke who, though he can play it straight when need be, proves a master of the double take, juicing up to solid laughs what would possibly be just amusing lines with his physical reactions. Yet, he doesn't over-mug. In this one, his "drunk husband" bit

660-531: A Happy Face " from Bye Bye Birdie . Aaron Tveit sang "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" with Pentatonix . In 2024, at the age of 98, Van Dyke received the award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series at the 51st Daytime Emmy Awards for his performance on Days of Our Lives , becoming the oldest person to win a Daytime Emmy and the oldest to be nominated for one. Stan Laurel Stan Laurel ( / ˈ l ɒr ə l / , LORR -əl ; born Arthur Stanley Jefferson ; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965)

770-470: A Man (1925). Laurel was credited for directing or co-directing ten silent shorts (between 1925 and 1927), but appeared in none of these. Laurel's future partner Hardy, however, did appear in three of the shorts directed by Laurel: Yes, Yes, Nanette ! (1925), Wandering Papas (1926) and Madame Mystery (1926). Laurel next signed with the Hal Roach studio, where he began directing films, including

880-648: A Primetime Emmy, the program was roundly panned by critics. In 2006 he guest-starred as college professor Dr. Jonathan Maxwell for a series of Murder 101 mystery films on the Hallmark Channel . Van Dyke returned to motion pictures in 2006 with Curious George as Mr. Bloomsberry and as villain Cecil Fredericks in the Ben Stiller film Night at the Museum . He reprised the role in

990-443: A VHS edition the same year ( ISBN   0800132823 ), and a DVD edition in 2013 ( ASIN   B00F1FVLPM ). The film was also released on Laserdisc by Image Entertainment. Dick Van Dyke Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925) is an American actor, entertainer and comedian. His work spans screen and stage, and his accolades include a Golden Globe Award , a Tony Award , and six Emmy Awards . Inducted into

1100-742: A cameo for the sequel, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), but it was cut from the film. It can be found in the special features on the DVD release. He also played the character again in the third film, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014). In 2010, Van Dyke appeared on a children's album titled Rhythm Train, with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and singer Leslie Bixler. Van Dyke raps on one of

1210-569: A civic reception at the Coronation Hall and Laurel was presented with a copy of his birth certificate on the hall's balcony, watched on by hundreds of fans. Laurel and Hardy then visited 3 Argyle Street for a tour of Laurel's former home, posing for the North West Evening Mail 's photographer as they emerged from the house, crowded by fans and well-wishers. The comedy duo were appearing at Morecambe 's Winter Gardens at

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1320-613: A comedy double act known as the Barto Bros. Their act, which involved them dressing as Romans, finished when Laurel was offered a spot in an American touring troupe. After Laurel left England for America the pair maintained a life-long friendship, sending letters and photos that documented Laurel's rise from an unknown British comedy actor in 1913 to one of the biggest names in Hollywood in the 1950s. The correspondence, spanning around 50 years and including photos of them being reunited in

1430-465: A couple of days before his new marriage. The new marriage was very volatile, and Illeana accused him of trying to bury her alive in the back yard of their San Fernando Valley home. He and Illeana separated in 1939 and divorced in 1940, with Illeana surrendering all claim to the Laurel surname on 1 February 1940 in exchange for $ 6,500. In 1941, Laurel remarried Virginia Ruth Rogers; they were divorced for

1540-522: A dramatically and critically successful performance of The Gin Game , produced for television in 2003 that reunited him with Mary Tyler Moore . In 2003, he portrayed Doctor Doug Townshend on Scrubs . A 2004 special of The Dick Van Dyke Show titled The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited was heavily promoted as the first new episode of the classic series to be shown in 38 years. Van Dyke and his surviving cast members recreated their roles; although nominated for

1650-512: A feature film. The film was a disaster, a Franco-Italian co-production titled Atoll K . (The film was entitled Utopia in the US and Robinson Crusoeland in the UK.) Both stars were noticeably ill during the filming. Upon returning to the United States, they spent most of their time recovering. In 1952, Laurel and Hardy toured Europe successfully, and they returned in 1953 for another tour of

1760-623: A friend from the Army was working as an executive for CBS television and recommended Van Dyke to that network. Out of this came a seven-year contract with the network. During an interview on NPR 's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! program, Van Dyke said he was the anchorman for the CBS Morning Show during this period with Walter Cronkite as his newsman. In November 1959, Van Dyke made his Broadway debut in The Girls Against

1870-643: A group called " Dick Van Dyke and The Vantastix " since September 2000. The quartet has performed several times in Los Angeles as well as on Larry King Live , The First Annual TV Land Awards , and sang the national anthem at three Los Angeles Lakers games including a nationally televised NBA Finals performance on NBC. Van Dyke was made an honorary member of the Barbershop Harmony Society in 1999. Van Dyke continued to find television work after Diagnosis: Murder ended, including

1980-483: A huge body of short films, including The Battle of the Century , Should Married Men Go Home? , Two Tars , Be Big! , Big Business and many others. Laurel and Hardy successfully made the transition to talking films with the short Unaccustomed As We Are in 1929. They also appeared in their first feature in one of the revue sequences of The Hollywood Revue of 1929 , and the following year they appeared as

2090-440: A lengthy standing ovation from the audience and judges. Before departing the stage, Van Dyke sang as an encore of his part in the song " Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious " from Mary Poppins , in which he starred. At age 97, Van Dyke became the oldest person ever to compete on the series. In April of the same year, it was announced Van Dyke would guest-appear on Days of Our Lives for several episodes. On December 21, 2023, he

2200-535: A local television talk show host. Although the series was developed by Carl Reiner and starred Hope Lange as his wife, and he received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance, the show was less successful than its predecessor, and Van Dyke pulled the plug on the show after just three seasons. In 1973, Van Dyke voiced his animated likeness for the October 27, 1973, installment of Hanna-Barbera 's The New Scooby-Doo Movies , "Scooby-Doo Meets Dick Van Dyke",

2310-575: A long face, I'll never speak to him again." He is interred at Forest Lawn–Hollywood Hills Cemetery . Laurel and Hardy are featured on the cover of the Beatles ' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band . In 1989, a statue of Laurel was erected in Dockwray Square, North Shields , Tyne and Wear , England, where he lived at No. 8 from 1897 to 1902. The steps down from the Square to

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2420-458: A major film comedy star in the 1910s and '20s, the silent picture era of Buster Keaton , Harold Lloyd , Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel . Bright steals his leading lady, Mary ( Michele Lee ), and is beaten up by the director, whom she's been dating. The two increasingly popular performers marry, starting their own production company together. As early as her pregnancy, she begins to suspect his adultery ; when she confronts him, he tries to turn

2530-458: A major stroke on 14 September 1956 and was unable to return to acting. When Oliver Hardy died on 7 August 1957, Laurel was devastated and never fully recovered from the loss. He was in fact too ill to attend Hardy's funeral and said, "Babe would understand". Although he continued to socialise with his fans, he refused to perform on stage or act in another film from then on, as he had no interest in working without Hardy, turning down every offer he

2640-439: A neurological disorder, in which he felt a pounding in his head whenever he lay down, but despite his undergoing tests, no diagnosis had been made. He had to cancel scheduled appearances owing to fatigue from lack of sleep because of the medical condition. In May 2013, he tweeted that it seemed his titanium dental implants may be responsible. Van Dyke has received various awards, including a Grammy Award , six Emmy Awards , and

2750-470: A production it's neither fish fowl nor good musical comedy. It needs work." Despite this, the musical won four Tony awards, including for Van Dyke, who won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in 1961. Van Dyke began his film career by playing the role of Albert J. Peterson in the film version of Bye Bye Birdie (1963). Despite his unhappiness with the adaptation—its focus differed from

2860-523: A rod to Ulverston's canal, learning from his uncle John Shaw. His favourite place was beyond the old North Lonsdale Iron and Steel Company Ltd, close to his home in Argyle Street. Just behind him was the viaduct carrying the railway from Carnforth . Laurel in later years would recall swinging on a pair of lock gates on the canal as he waited for a bite on his line. During these fishing expeditions, Laurel would have passed Ulverston's cemetery, where he

2970-829: A role which earned him the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical . Carl Reiner then cast him as Rob Petrie on the CBS television sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show from 1961 to 1966, which made him a household name. He went on to star in the movie musicals Bye Bye Birdie (1963), Mary Poppins (1964), and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), and he starred in the comedy-drama The Comic (1969). Van Dyke also made guest appearances on television programs Columbo (1974) and The Carol Burnett Show (1977), and he starred in The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971–74), Diagnosis: Murder (1993–2001), and Murder 101 (2006–08). Van Dyke has also made appearances in

3080-583: A six-week tour of the United Kingdom performing in variety shows . Mobbed wherever they went, Laurel's homecoming to Ulverston took place in May, and the duo were greeted by thousands of fans outside the Coronation Hall. The Evening Mail noted: "Oliver Hardy remarked to our reporter that Stan had talked about Ulverston for the past 22 years and he thought he had to see it." The tour included

3190-716: A small-town minister who leads his Iowa town to quit smoking for 30 days to win $ 25 million (equal to $ 207,713,249 today) from a tobacco company in Cold Turkey , although that film was not released until 1971. In 1970, he published Faith, Hope and Hilarity: A Child's Eye View of Religion a book of humorous anecdotes based largely on his experiences as a Sunday School teacher. Van Dyke was principal in "KXIV Inc." and owned 1400 AM KXIV in Phoenix from 1965 to 1982. From 1971 to 1974, Van Dyke starred in an unrelated sitcom called The New Dick Van Dyke Show in which he portrayed

3300-664: A theatre in London 's Leicester Square , he said: Looks great but kind of wasteful, but you should see the lighthouse in the graveyard at Ulverston in Lancashire where I was born. They put it up when I was a kid, a tombstone with a light on top. It was the Eighth Wonder of the World to me. Ever since then it's been my ambition to have a tombstone like that. Laurel went on frequent excursions from Ulverston railway station into

3410-460: A version of Laurel as well. Dick Van Dyke told a similar story. When he was just starting his career, he looked up Laurel's phone number, called him, and then visited him at his home. Van Dyke played Laurel on "The Sam Pomerantz Scandals" episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show . Director Stanley Kramer offered Laurel a cameo role in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) alongside Buster Keaton and

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3520-407: Is a Dutch surname, although he also has English , Irish , and Scottish ancestry. His family line traces back to Mayflower passenger John Alden . Van Dyke attended Danville High School in 1944, where he participated in the a cappella choir and dramatic club. His involvement in the drama program convinced him to become a professional entertainer, although he also considered a career in

3630-454: Is a detergent commercial . The denouement of Bright's life, and the film, finds him in and out of the hospital and visited by his now-grown son Billy Jr. (also played by Van Dyke in a dual role), reduced to setting the alarm in his dingy two-room apartment, and catching airings of him and his former wife's old comedies at odd hours on TV — which he watches without a hint of a smile. In his autobiography, Carl Reiner said that he wrote

3740-539: Is close to Argyle Street and is where his parents were married. He was fond of Beer's treacle toffee from Gillam's general store on Market Street. Laurel remembered the treat in later life, writing to family in England in January 1950: I used to go shopping on Market Street with Grandma Metcalfe -- that was a big treat for me. Beers Treacle toffee, it sure was good! Laurel, who had a lifelong love of fishing, used to take

3850-482: Is his old screen sidekick and only friend, Cockeye ( Mickey Rooney ). A late-1960s talk show host ( Steve Allen as himself) has the faded star on in an effort to revive Bright's career, and the elderly comedian proves capable — if somewhat pathetically to the groovy stars of the day on the couch alongside him — of recreating his old pratfall schtick. The pitch works, but this time the only vehicle that will allow him to run through his preferred brand of slapstick

3960-554: The 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries . In July 2016, while campaigning for Sanders, Van Dyke said of Donald Trump , "I haven't been this scared since the Cuban Missile Crisis . I think the human race is hanging in a delicate balance right now, and I'm just so afraid he will put us in a war. He scares me." Van Dyke again endorsed and campaigned for Sanders in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries . He has also endorsed Kamala Harris for president in

4070-567: The 2024 United States presidential election . Van Dyke is sober after struggling with alcoholism for years, and he checked in to a hospital for three weeks in 1972 to be treated for his addiction. Van Dyke was a heavy smoker for most of his adult life. In a January 2013 interview with the London The Daily Telegraph , he said he had been using Nicorette gum for the past decade. In April 2013, Van Dyke revealed that for seven years he had been experiencing symptoms of

4180-523: The 33rd Academy Awards , Laurel was given an Academy Honorary Award for his pioneering work in comedy, and he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard. Laurel and Hardy were ranked top among best double acts and seventh overall in a 2005 UK poll to find the Comedians' Comedian . In 2019, Laurel topped a list of the greatest British comedians compiled by a panel on

4290-625: The Lake District with his cousins, grandparents and sometimes his parents. They visited his aunt and uncle John and Nant Shaw when they ran grocery shops, first at Flookburgh , and later Sawrey . Another favourite place to visit was the lake at Windermere . Laurel had his first taste of the theatre in Ulverston. The Hippodrome theatre, known as Spencer's Gaff, was just across the road from his home, in Lightburn Park. The theatre

4400-728: The Television Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993, he was also honored with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2013, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2020, and was recognized as a Disney Legend in 1998. Van Dyke began his career as an entertainer on radio and television, in nightclubs, and on the Broadway stage. In 1960, he starred in the original production of Bye Bye Birdie ,

4510-472: The Three Stooges , but Laurel declined. He reportedly said he did not want to be seen on screen in his old age, especially without Hardy. It appears, however, his involvement reached the stage of filming a background matching shot of his old time convertible, with a stand-in seated at the wheel, donning a derby hat. The cameo appearance was then given to Jack Benny , who wore Laurel's signature derby in

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4620-414: The sketch comedy show Van Dyke and Company , on which Andy Kaufman made his prime time debut. Despite being canceled after three months, the show won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety Series. After a few guest appearances on the long-running comedy-variety series The Carol Burnett Show , Van Dyke became a regular on the show, in the fall of 1977. However, he appeared in only half of

4730-471: The 2018 film Stan & Ollie , Steve Coogan portrayed Laurel (a performance which saw him nominated for the BAFTA for Best Actor in a Leading Role ) and John C. Reilly played Hardy. Developed by BBC Films , the film is set in the twilight of their careers, and focuses on their farewell tour of Britain and Ireland's variety halls in 1953. In 2019 Laurel was voted the greatest ever British comedian by

4840-814: The Boys which ran at the Alvin Theatre . The production was a revue in two acts and featured performances from Van Dyke, Shelley Berman , Bert Lahr , Nancy Walker among many others. The production ran on Broadway for sixteen performances from November 2 to November 14, 1959. He played the lead role of Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie , which ran from April 14, 1960, to October 7, 1961. Van Dyke starred alongside Chita Rivera , Barbara Doherty, and Paul Lynde . The production received mixed reviews from critics, such as from Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times , who praised Van Dyke as "likable" but opined, "As

4950-644: The CBS sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show , in which he portrayed a comedy writer named Rob Petrie . Carl Reiner conceived the program and cast himself as the lead in the pilot, but CBS insisted on recasting, and Reiner chose Van Dyke to replace him in the role. Complementing Van Dyke was a veteran cast of comic actors including Rose Marie , Morey Amsterdam , Jerry Paris , Ann Morgan Guilbert , Richard Deacon , and Carl Reiner (as Alan Brady), as well as 24-year-old Mary Tyler Moore , who played Rob's wife Laura Petrie . Van Dyke won three Emmy Awards as Outstanding Lead Actor in

5060-520: The Chapman Park Hotel on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles , he and the former Margerie Willett were married on the radio show Bride and Groom . They had four children: Christian, Barry, Stacy and Carrie Beth. They divorced in 1984 after a long separation. In 1976, Van Dyke began his relationship with longtime companion Michelle Triola Marvin . They lived together for more than 30 years, until her death in 2009. On February 29, 2012, at

5170-473: The English setting) in the successful musical version of Ian Fleming 's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), which co-starred Sally Ann Howes and featured the same songwriters (The Sherman Brothers) and choreographers ( Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood) as Mary Poppins . In 1968, it was reported that Albert R. Broccoli had offered Van Dyke the chance to replace Sean Connery as James Bond . Van Dyke declined

5280-489: The Fatman , then in a series of TV movies on CBS that became the foundation for his popular television drama Diagnosis: Murder . The series ran from 1993 to 2001 with son Barry Van Dyke co-starring in the role of Dr. Sloan's son Lieutenant Detective Steve Sloan . Also starring on the same show was daytime soap actress Victoria Rowell as Dr. Sloan's pathologist/medical partner, Dr. Amanda Bentley , and Charlie Schlatter in

5390-731: The North Shields Fish Quay were said to have inspired the piano-moving scene in The Music Box . In a 2005 UK poll, Comedians' Comedian , Laurel and Hardy were ranked top double act and seventh overall. Along with Hardy, Laurel was inducted into the Grand Order of Water Rats . Neil Brand wrote a radio play entitled Stan , broadcast in 2004 on BBC Radio 4 and subsequently on BBC Radio 4 Extra , starring Tom Courtenay as Stan Laurel, in which Stan visits Oliver Hardy after Hardy has had his stroke and tries to say

5500-656: The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz . Twenty-one years later in 1990, Van Dyke, whose usual role had been the amiable hero, took a small but villainous turn as crooked DA Fletcher in Warren Beatty 's film Dick Tracy . Van Dyke's film work affected his TV career: the reviews he received for his role as D.A. Fletcher in Dick Tracy led him to star as the character Dr. Mark Sloan first in an episode of Jake and

5610-529: The Stan Jefferson Trio. Amongst other performers, Laurel worked briefly alongside Oliver Hardy in the silent film short The Lucky Dog (1921), before the two were a team. It was around this time that Laurel met actress Mae Dahlberg . Around the same time, he adopted the stage name of Laurel at Dahlberg's suggestion that his stage name Stan Jefferson was unlucky, due to it having thirteen letters. The pair were performing together when Laurel

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5720-525: The US, was put up for auction by Desmond's grandson, Geoffrey Nolan, in 2018. Laurel joined Fred Karno 's troupe of actors in 1910 with the stage name of "Stan Jefferson"; the troupe also included a young Charlie Chaplin . The music hall nurtured him, and he acted as Chaplin's understudy for some time. Karno was a pioneer of slapstick , and in his biography Laurel stated, "Fred Karno didn't teach Charlie [Chaplin] and me all we know about comedy. He just taught us most of it". Chaplin and Laurel arrived in

5830-782: The United States on the same ship from Britain with the Karno troupe and toured the country. During the First World War , Laurel registered for military service in America on 5 June 1917, as required under the Selective Service Act . He was not called up; his registration card states his status as resident alien and his deafness as exemptions. The Karno troupe broke up in the spring of 1914. Stan joined with two other former Karno performers, Edgar Hurley and his wife Ethel (known as "Wren") to form "The Three Comiques". On

5940-642: The advice of booking agent Gordon Bostock, they called themselves "the Keystone Trio". Stan started to do his character as an imitation of Charlie Chaplin, and the Hurleys began to do their parts as silent comedians Chester Conklin and Mabel Normand . They played successfully from February through October 1915, until the Hurleys and Stan parted ways. Between 1916 and 1918, he teamed up with Alice Cooke and Baldwin Cooke , who became his lifelong friends, to form

6050-450: The age of 86, Van Dyke married 40-year-old make-up artist Arlene Silver. They had met six years earlier at the SAG awards . Van Dyke included his children and grandchildren in his TV shows. Son Barry Van Dyke, grandsons Shane Van Dyke and Carey Van Dyke and other Van Dyke grandchildren and relatives appeared in episodes of Diagnosis: Murder . Van Dyke has seven grandchildren. His son Chris

6160-428: The album's tracks. In 2017, Van Dyke released his first solo album since 1963's Songs I Like . The album, Step (Back) In Time , was produced by Bill Bixler (who also played sax), with arrangements by Dave Enos (who also played bass) and features noted musicians John Ferraro (drums), Tony Guerrero (trumpet & vocal duet), Mark LeBrun (piano), Charley Pollard (trombone) and Leslie Bixler (vocals). Step (Back) In Time

6270-566: The comedy films Van Dyke starred in throughout the 1960s were relatively unsuccessful at the box office, including What a Way to Go! with Shirley MacLaine , Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. , Fitzwilly , The Art of Love with James Garner and Elke Sommer , Some Kind of a Nut , Never a Dull Moment with Edward G. Robinson , and Divorce American Style with Debbie Reynolds and Jean Simmons . But he also starred as Caractacus Potts (with his native accent, at his own insistence, despite

6380-472: The comic relief in the lavish all-colour (in Technicolor ) musical feature The Rogue Song . Their first starring feature Pardon Us was released in 1931. They continued to make both features and shorts until 1935, including their 1932 three-reeler The Music Box , which won an Academy Award for Best Short Subject . During the 1930s, Laurel was involved in a dispute with Hal Roach which resulted in

6490-439: The continent. During this tour, Laurel fell ill and was unable to perform for several weeks. In May 1954, Hardy had a heart attack and cancelled the tour. In 1955, they were planning to do a television series called Laurel and Hardy's Fabulous Fables based on children's stories. The plans were delayed after Laurel had a stroke on 25 April 1955, from which he recovered. But as the team was planning to get back to work, Hardy had

6600-460: The end of Laurel's time with Oliver Hardy , and no attempt was made to legally stop them from imitating Laurel and his friend Hardy or even copying his face, which in part inspired this film. Years later, Van Dyke said of The Comic : "very few people saw that movie, but we were proud of it." The Comic was released on VHS by RCA / Columbia Pictures Home Video in 1986 ( OCLC   17939307 ). Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment also released

6710-558: The episodes of the final season. In 1980, Van Dyke appeared in the title role in a United States tour and Broadway revival of The Music Man . For the next decade he appeared mostly in TV movies, including a made-for-cable remake of The Country Girl (1982) with Faye Dunaway . One atypical role was as a murdering judge on the second episode of the TV series Matlock in 1986 starring Andy Griffith . In 1987, he guest-starred in an episode of Airwolf , with his son Barry Van Dyke , who

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6820-501: The experiences of silent comedians Harry Langdon and Harold Lloyd , as well as the film's co-star Mickey Rooney. The film did poorly at the box office upon its release, but it was appreciated later as a movie about one silent star's rise and fall, patterned after the many silent stars who tried to make it and failed in later years. Among the exceptions were silent and sound film star Stan Laurel , whom Dick Van Dyke idolized. Van Dyke later learned that many imitators came and went since

6930-495: The film as a vehicle for Van Dyke, who had often expressed the wish on the set of their TV show The Dick Van Dyke Show that he had been working at the same time as comedy legends such as his hero Stan Laurel . Reiner loosely patterned the story of Bright's career downfall on the real-life travails of a number of early film actors, primarily Buster Keaton , who likewise saw his Hollywood success falter as filmgoers' tastes changed and he fell into alcoholism. Some details parallel

7040-669: The films Dick Tracy (1990), Curious George (2006), Night at the Museum (2006), its 2014 sequel , and Mary Poppins Returns (2018). Richard Wayne Van Dyke was born on December 13, 1925, in West Plains, Missouri to Hazel Victoria (née McCord), a stenographer, and Loren Wayne "Cookie" Van Dyke, a salesman. He grew up in Danville, Illinois . He is the older brother of actor Jerry Van Dyke , who appeared as his brother in The Dick Van Dyke Show . Van Dyke

7150-631: The late 1940s, Van Dyke was a radio DJ on WDAN in Danville, Illinois . In 1947, Van Dyke was persuaded by pantomime performer Phil Erickson to form a comedy duo called "Eric and Van—the Merry Mutes." The team toured the West Coast nightclub circuit, performing a mime act and lip synching to 78 rpm records . They moved to Atlanta , Georgia, in the early 1950s and performed on a local television show featuring original skits and music called "The Merry Mutes". Van Dyke's start in television

7260-616: The ministry. Van Dyke left high school during his senior year to join the United States Army Air Forces for pilot training during World War II . Denied enlistment several times for being underweight, he was eventually accepted for service as a radio announcer before transferring to the Special Services and entertaining troops in the continental United States . He was discharged in 1946. Van Dyke received his high school diploma in 2004. During

7370-521: The offer, asking Broccoli: "Have you heard my British accent?". In 1969, Van Dyke appeared in the comedy-drama The Comic , written and directed by Carl Reiner. Van Dyke portrayed a self-destructive silent film era comedian who struggles with alcoholism , depression , and his own rampant ego. Reiner wrote the film especially for Van Dyke, who often spoke of his admiration for silent film era comedians such as Charlie Chaplin and his hero Stan Laurel . Also in 1969, Van Dyke played Rev. Clayton Brooks,

7480-540: The oldest living Disney Legend following the death of Glynis Johns . In 2013, Van Dyke received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award . In 2021, he was honored with the Kennedy Center Honors , where he was given tribute by Julie Andrews , Steve Martin , Chita Rivera , Bryan Cranston , and Lin-Manuel Miranda . Laura Osnes sang " Jolly Holiday ", and Derek Hough performed " Step in Time " both from Mary Poppins (1964). Together Hough and Osnes performed " Put on

7590-521: The original film. For the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series, WandaVision , Van Dyke was consulted by the producers on how to emulate The Dick Van Dyke Show . In 2023, Van Dyke competed in season nine of The Masked Singer as "Gnome" and was the first to be eliminated. The episode had been promoted as "the most legendary, decorated and beloved unmasking in history". After Van Dyke revealed his identity, he received

7700-431: The outrageous costume and makeup of the character he has been known for on the stage. The director ( Cornel Wilde ) refuses and Bright begins to storm off, but when his car rolls off a cliff he is forced to accept the terms. As soon as the cameras are rolling, however, he improvises (and sabotages) his way to becoming the hero of the scenario. His combination of acquiescence and audacity pays off, and before long he has become

7810-404: The past — will accept it on no other terms than those he had been accustomed to, adamantly refusing the studio's offer to star him in a talkie , and storming out on his agent ( Carl Reiner ). Like the film industry, people are moving along without Billy, including his wife, who rebuffs his attempt to win her back. The one constant in his life, other than his decreasingly appealing sense of identity,

7920-443: The role of Dr. Sloan's student, Dr. Jesse Travis . Van Dyke became a computer animation enthusiast after purchasing an Amiga in 1991. He is credited with the creation of 3D-rendered effects used on Diagnosis: Murder and The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited . Van Dyke has displayed his computer-generated imagery work at SIGGRAPH , and continues to work with LightWave 3D . As an a cappella enthusiast, Van Dyke has sung in

8030-437: The scene. Laurel and Mae Dahlberg never married but lived together as common-law husband and wife from 1919 to 1925, before Dahlberg accepted a one-way ticket from Joe Rock to go back to her native Australia. In November 1937, Dahlberg was back in the US and sued Laurel for financial support. At the time, Laurel's second marriage was in the process of a divorce, with Dahlberg's legal suit adding to Laurel's woes. The matter

8140-457: The screen in several short films, including Duck Soup , Slipping Wives and With Love and Hisses . The two became friends and their comic chemistry soon became obvious. Roach Studios' supervising director Leo McCarey noticed the audience reaction to them and began teaming them, leading to the creation of the Laurel and Hardy series later that year. Together, the two men began producing

8250-417: The second time in early 1946. On 6 May 1946, he married Ida Kitaeva Raphael to whom he remained married until his death. In January 1965, he underwent a series of X-rays for an infection on the roof of his mouth. He died on 23 February 1965, aged 74, in his apartment, four days following a heart attack. Minutes before his death, he told his nurse that he would not mind going skiing, and she replied that she

8360-476: The series' final first-run episode. In 1974, he received an Emmy Award nomination for his role as an alcoholic businessman in the television movie The Morning After (1974). Van Dyke revealed after its release that he had recently overcome a real-life drinking problem ; he admits he was an alcoholic for 25 years. That same year he guest-starred as a murderous photographer on an episode of Columbo , Negative Reaction . Van Dyke returned to comedy in 1976 with

8470-413: The stage version in that the story now centered on a previously supporting character —the film was a success. The film starred Ann-Margret , Janet Leigh , and Maureen Stapleton with Van Dyke and Lynde reprising their roles. Variety wrote of Van Dyke's performance, "Van Dyke displays a showbiz knowhow far more extensive than his television outings communicate". From 1961 to 1966, Van Dyke starred in

8580-544: The staging, writing, or editing of the productions. When the films proved very successful, Laurel and Hardy were granted more freedom and gradually added more of their own material. They had made six Fox features when the studio suddenly abandoned B-picture production in December 1944. The team signed another contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1942, resulting in two more features. Revisiting his music hall days, Laurel returned to England in 1947 when he and Hardy went on

8690-491: The tables and shame her into apologizing for the accusation. But at the height of their fame and fortune, he is served with papers naming him in a Hollywood power couple's divorce filing. Mary leaves him, taking their young son and the couple's palatial estate. Bright sinks into despair and alcoholism , also leaving the country to film in Europe for four years. He sobers up and attempts a comeback in Hollywood but — ever living in

8800-458: The television channel Gold . In 2009, a bronze statue of the duo was unveiled in Laurel's hometown of Ulverston . Arthur Stanley Jefferson was born on 16 June 1890 in his grandparents' house in Ulverston , Lancashire , to Arthur J. Jefferson, an actor and theatre manager from Bishop Auckland , and Margaret (née Metcalfe), an actress from Ulverston. He was one of five children. One of them

8910-402: The termination of his contract. Roach maintained separate contracts for Laurel and Hardy that expired at different times, so Hardy remained at the studio and was "teamed" with Harry Langdon for the 1939 film Zenobia . The studio discussed a series of films co-starring Hardy with Patsy Kelly to be called "The Hardy Family". But Laurel sued Roach over the contract dispute. Eventually, the case

9020-540: The things to his dying friend and partner that have been left unsaid. In 2006, BBC Four showed a drama called Stan , based on Brand's radio play, in which Laurel meets Hardy on his deathbed and reminisces about their career. A plaque on the Bull Inn, Bottesford, Leicestershire , England, marks Laurel and Hardy appearing in Nottingham over Easter 1952 and Christmas 1953, and staying with Laurel's sister, Olga, who

9130-708: The time. Later, Laurel spent much time living with his maternal grandmother, Sarah Metcalfe in North Shields . He attended school at King James I Grammar School in Bishop Auckland , County Durham , and the King's School in Tynemouth , Northumberland . He moved with his parents to Glasgow , Scotland, where he completed his education at Stonelaw Public School . His father managed Glasgow's Metropole Theatre , where Laurel first worked. His boyhood hero

9240-463: The town of Harlem, and the other is a private museum owned and operated by Gary Russeth, a Harlem resident. Jefferson Drive in Ulverston is named after Laurel. In 2013 Gail Louw and Jeffrey Holland debuted a short one-man play "...And this is my friend Mr Laurel" at the Camden Fringe festival. The play, starring Holland as Laurel, was taken on tour of the UK in 2014 until June 2015. In

9350-597: The workplace sitcom with the domestic sitcom so seamlessly. The episodes themselves move with the same smoothness and grace that Van Dyke and Moore did, whether the Petries were clowning, dancing, or romancing". The series had a reunion in 2004 and was aired on CBS as The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited with Ray Romano serving as host and Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore , Rose Marie , Jerry Van Dyke and Carl Reiner returning. Morey Amsterdam and Richard Deacon appeared in archival footage, both having died. In 1964, Van Dyke

9460-691: Was Dan Leno , considered one of the greatest English music hall comedians. With a natural affinity for the theatre, Laurel gave his first professional performance on stage at the Panopticon in Glasgow at the age of sixteen, where he polished his skills at pantomime and music hall sketches. It was the music hall from where he drew his standard comic devices, including his bowler hat and nonsensical understatement. In 1912 Laurel worked together with Ted Desmond on tour in Netherlands and Belgium as

9570-543: Was district attorney for Marion County, Oregon , in the 1980s and prosecuted the I-5 Killer, Randall Woodfield . In 1987, Van Dyke's granddaughter, Jessica Van Dyke, died from Reye syndrome , which led him to do a series of commercials to raise public awareness of the danger of aspirin to children. Throughout his acting career he continued to teach Sunday school in the Presbyterian Church where he

9680-431: Was Edward, an actor who appeared in four of Stan's shorts. His parents were very active in the theatre, frequently travelling around the country. Consequently, Laurel, who was too young to travel, lived in Ulverston with his grandparents, George and Sarah Metcalfe, for the first seven years of his life. He became very familiar with Ulverston. He attended services with his religious grandparents at Holy Trinity Church, which

9790-420: Was a masterpiece of timing and ingenuity." Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly reviewed the series following its Blu-ray boxset release in 2012 writing, "The Dick Van Dyke Show certainly wasn't the first sitcom featuring a lead character who presided over a TV-show-within-the-TV-show — Jack Benny 's The Jack Benny Program , among others, had beaten Van Dyke to that. But this was the first sitcom to meld

9900-544: Was a member of " Fred Karno 's Army", where he was Charlie Chaplin 's understudy. He and Chaplin arrived in the United States on the same ship from the United Kingdom with the Karno troupe. Laurel began his film career in 1917 and made his final appearance in 1951. He appeared with his comic partner Oliver Hardy in the film short The Lucky Dog in 1921, although they did not become an official team until late 1927. He then appeared exclusively with Hardy until retiring after his comedy partner's death in 1957. In April 1961, at

10010-465: Was an English comic actor, director and writer who was one half of the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy . He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy in 107 short films, feature films and cameo roles. Laurel began his career in music hall , where he developed a number of his standard comic devices, including the bowler hat , the deep comic gravity and the nonsensical understatement, and developed his skills in pantomime and music hall sketches. He

10120-591: Was an elder, and he continued to read such theologians as Martin Buber , Paul Tillich , and Dietrich Bonhoeffer . On August 19, 2013, it was reported that the 87-year-old Van Dyke was rescued from his Jaguar by a passerby after the car had caught fire on the US 101 freeway in Calabasas , Los Angeles County . He was not injured in the fire, although the car burned down to its frame. Van Dyke endorsed Bernie Sanders in

10230-518: Was born two months premature in May 1930, but died after nine days. Laurel and Neilson divorced in December 1934. Their daughter Lois died on ( 2017-07-27 ) 27 July 2017 aged 89. In 1935, Laurel married Virginia Ruth Rogers (known as Ruth). In 1937, he filed for divorce, confessing that he was not over his ex-wife Lois, but Lois decided against a reconciliation. On New Year's Day 1938, Laurel married Vera Ivanova Shuvalova (known as Illeana); Ruth accused him of bigamy, but their divorce had been finalised

10340-462: Was cast in two roles in Walt Disney 's Mary Poppins : as Bert, a man who goes through multiple odd jobs, ultimately and memorably becoming a chimney sweep ; and as bank chairman Mr. Dawes Senior. For his scenes as the chairman, he was heavily costumed to look much older and was credited in that role as "Navckid Keyd". At the end of the credits, the letters unscramble into "Dick Van Dyke", which

10450-429: Was dropped and Laurel returned to Roach. The first film that Laurel and Hardy made after Laurel returned was A Chump at Oxford . Subsequently, they made Saps at Sea , which was their last film for Roach. In 1941, Laurel and Hardy signed a contract at 20th Century-Fox to make ten films over five years. Laurel found, to his shock, that he and Hardy were hired only as actors, and were not expected to contribute to

10560-619: Was during the production. Still, Mary Poppins was successful on release and its appeal has endured. " Chim Chim Cher-ee ", one of the songs that Van Dyke performed in Mary Poppins , won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the Sherman Brothers , the film's songwriting duo. Van Dyke received a Grammy Award in 1964, along with Julie Andrews , for his performance on the soundtrack to Mary Poppins . Many of

10670-564: Was given for a public appearance. In 1961, Stan Laurel was given an Academy Honorary Award "for his creative pioneering in the field of cinema comedy". Laurel was introduced by Bob Hope, and the award was accepted by Danny Kaye . Laurel had achieved his lifelong dream as a comedian and had been involved in nearly 190 films. He lived his final years in a small flat in the Oceana Apartments in Santa Monica, California . Laurel

10780-412: Was gracious to fans and spent much time answering fan mail. His phone number was also listed in the telephone directory and he would take calls from fans. Jerry Lewis was among the comedians to visit Laurel, and Lewis received suggestions from him for the production of The Bellboy (1960). Lewis paid tribute to Laurel by naming his main character Stanley in the film, and having Bill Richmond play

10890-552: Was honored with a CBS special, Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic , celebrating his 98th birthday. Van Dyke has often cited Stan Laurel , Buster Keaton , and Carl Reiner as his comedy influences and idols. Van Dyke stated on Conan that he called Laurel and admitted to him that he had stolen from him over the years, and Laurel replied, "Yes, I know". Entertainers who have cited Van Dyke as an influence include Steve Martin , Chevy Chase , Conan O'Brien , Jim Carrey , and Bryan Cranston . On February 12, 1948, while appearing at

11000-403: Was impressed by a miniature lighthouse memorial built in memory of Dr Thomas Watkins Wilson. The lighthouse memorial, which is still there today, had a light at the top that was once lit 24 hours a day. The lighthouse memorial was designated as a Grade II listed building in 1996. In 1932, Laurel was being interviewed by a Daily Herald reporter and as they looked up at his name in lights above

11110-505: Was like a giant tent, made from wood with a canvas roof. Laurel's parents both trod the boards here and his father A. J. developed some of the plays he would later become known for here. The Hippodrome burnt down in 1910, the year Laurel sailed for America with the Fred Karno troupe. Laurel visited Ulverston with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy on Tuesday 27 May 1947 at the invitation of the town's urban council. The comedians were given

11220-586: Was not aware that he was a skier. "I'm not," said Laurel, "I'd rather be doing that than getting all these needles stuck in me!" A few minutes later he died quietly in his armchair. At his funeral service at Church of the Hills, Buster Keaton said, " Chaplin wasn't the funniest. I wasn't the funniest; this man was the funniest." Dick Van Dyke gave the eulogy as a friend, protégé and occasional impressionist of Laurel during his later years; he read The Clown's Prayer . Laurel had quipped, "If anyone at my funeral has

11330-705: Was not to appear in any of the films. Rock thought that her temperament was hindering Laurel's career. In 1925, she started interfering with Laurel's work, so Rock offered her a cash settlement and a one-way ticket back to her native Australia , which she accepted. The 12 two-reel comedies were Mandarin Mix-Up (1924), Detained (1924), Monsieur Don't Care (1924), West of Hot Dog (1924), Somewhere in Wrong (1925), Twins (1925), Pie-Eyed (1925), The Snow Hawk (1925), Navy Blue Days (1925), The Sleuth (1925), Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde (1925) and Half

11440-484: Was offered $ 75 a week to star in two-reel comedies. After making his first film Nuts in May , Universal offered him a contract. The contract was soon cancelled during a reorganisation at the studio. Among the films in which Dahlberg and Laurel appeared together was the 1922 parody Mud and Sand . By 1924, Laurel had given up the stage for full-time film work, under contract with Joe Rock for 12 two-reel comedies. The contract had one unusual stipulation: that Dahlberg

11550-588: Was released by BixMix Records and showcases Van Dyke in a jazz and big band setting on classic songs from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. Van Dyke recorded a duet single for Christmas 2017 with actress Jane Lynch . The song, "We're Going Caroling", was written and produced by Tony Guerrero for Lynch's KitschTone Records label as a digital-only release. In 2018, Van Dyke portrayed Mr. Dawes Jr. in Mary Poppins Returns . He had previously portrayed both Bert and Mr. Dawes Sr. (Mr. Dawes, Jr.'s late father), in

11660-713: Was repeated in Mary Poppins Returns . Van Dyke's attempt at a cockney accent has been lambasted as one of the worst accents in film history, cited by actors since as an example of how not to sound. In a 2003 poll by Empire magazine of the worst-ever accents in film, he came in second (to Sean Connery in The Untouchables , despite Connery winning an Academy Award for that performance). According to Van Dyke, his accent coach—veteran actor J. Pat O'Malley —was Irish and "didn't do an accent any better than I did", and no one alerted him to how bad it

11770-468: Was settled out of court. Dahlberg was described as a "relief project worker" by the court. Laurel was one of several popular British actors in Hollywood who never became a naturalised US citizen. Laurel had four wives and married one of them a second time after their divorce. His first wife was Lois Neilson , whom he married on 13 August 1926. Together they had a daughter, Lois, who was born on ( 1927-12-10 ) 10 December 1927. Their second child, Stanley,

11880-564: Was the landlady of the pub. In 2008, a statue of Stan Laurel was unveiled in Bishop Auckland , County Durham , on the site of the Eden Theatre. In April 2009, a bronze statue of Laurel and Hardy was unveiled in Ulverston. There is a Laurel and Hardy Museum in Stan's hometown of Ulverston. There are two Laurel and Hardy museums in Hardy's hometown of Harlem , Georgia . One is operated by

11990-550: Was the lead star of the show's fourth and final season on USA Network . In 1989, he guest-starred on the NBC comedy series The Golden Girls portraying a lover of Beatrice Arthur 's character. This role earned him his first Emmy Award nomination since 1977. On Larry King Live , Van Dyke mentioned that he turned down the lead role in The Omen which was played by Gregory Peck. He also mentioned that his dream role would have been

12100-453: Was with WDSU-TV New Orleans Channel 6 ( NBC ), first as a single comedian and later as emcee of a comedy program. Van Dyke's first network TV appearance was with Dennis James on James' Chance of a Lifetime in 1954. He later appeared in two episodes of The Phil Silvers Show during its 1957–58 season. He also appeared early in his career on ABC 's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom and NBC 's The Polly Bergen Show . During this time

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