The Dick Van Dyke Show has been the benchmark for all sitcoms since it first aired in 1961. True, it was almost cancelled after the first season, but it stayed on the air and has been one of the most beloved shows in television history. The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book details how the show came to be, the cast, the episodes, and the conflicts that arose due to various situations.
The Beginning
Before there was a Dick Van Dyke Show, Carl Reiner set out to create a show for himself. A respected television writer, actor and comedian, Reiner decided to write a vehicle in which he would star. This initial show was called Head of the Family and resembled what ultimately became The Dick Van Dyke Show. Reiner played the lead character of Rob Petrie. The show fell flat and Reiner thought his story was dead. But it was later revived with a new cast and became television history.
Besides detailing how the story came to be, the book also delves into the casting process. The most difficult role to cast was that of Laura Petrie, the wife of the head-writer of “The Alan Brady Show.” The role of the suburban housewife and mother of a young son ultimately went to Mary Tyler Moore.
Carl Reiner and the Cast
When Reiner joined forces with Sheldon Leonard and Danny Thomas, the show took shape and everything was set. Carl Reiner used his own life as inspiration for the situations and characters. His home in New Rochelle, New York, his stint in the army, his history as a comedy writer, and his family situations all came into play during the run of The Dick Van Dyke Show.
The history of the cast is discussed and the book describes how they all came together to create a memorable ensemble.
The Fun of the Show
This book delves into anecdotes from the cast and has an episode guide so fans can read about their favorite episode. And we all have our favorites. Who remembers the time Laura “outed” Alan Brady for being bald? What about the time when Ritchie wanted to know about his middle name, which was Rosebud? I personally loved the episode when Rob and Laura inherited a desk from Rob’s deceased uncle and inside they discovered a photograph of Abraham Lincoln, only after they solved the riddle in a song. And what about the time Rob joined a motorcycle group? And, well, I could go on, and on, and on. The show was filled with memorable episodes.
The musical numbers were plentiful as the entire cast was not only talented in the comedy side of the business, but they also put on some great shows. These musical episodes stand out in my memory. I recall the times Rob had to put on the amateur variety shows and the Christmas show, not to mention the musical numbers for “The Alan Brady Show.”
All of these are included in this incredible book, which is a “must have” for every fan of the show. Backstage stories and highlights, fun times with the cast, stories about co-stars, and much more make up this easy-to-read and definitely highly enjoyable book. Do you want to know some backstories or get some interesting tidbits about this show, then pick up the book? It’s filled with all kinds of great information, including info about the famous ottoman. Every week my family would guess whether Rob would trip over or skip around the ottoman in the opening sequence.
The Dick Van Dyke Show has special memories for my family. I grew up with it and I remember many of the musical numbers. It was simply pure fun.
The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book brought back a lot of memories as well as filled me in on some of the background of the show as well as many great stories that happened off camera.
- The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book Revised and Updated Edition
- Author: Vince Waldron
- Publisher: Chicago Review Press
- Paper
- 416 pages
- 141 black and white photos
- ISBN: 9781569768396
