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The Dick Van Dyke Show
Format	Sitcom
Created by	Carl Reiner
Starring	Dick Van Dyke Mary Tyler Moore Rose Marie Morey Amsterdam Larry Mathews Richard Deacon Jerry Paris Ann Morgan Guilbert
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	158 + 1 reunion special
Production
Running time	approx. 25 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	CBS
Original run	October 3, 1961 – June 1, 1966
External links
IMDb profile

The Dick Van Dyke Show is an American television situation comedy which initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 to June 1, 1966. The show was created by Carl Reiner and starred Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. Reiner had in fact starred in the original, unsuccessful pilot episode, Head of the Family (this was seen on the Nick at Nite service of the Nickelodeon cable channel, shortly after the series itself was added to its schedule in the 1990s). After its rejection, Sheldon Leonard took an interest and helped Reiner revive the project, convincing him to recast, and to switch to the three-camera/studio audience production format.

Totalling 158 episodes and five seasons, the show was also produced by Reiner, who wrote many episodes and played the part of Alan Brady. Reiner based the main character on himself and the Brady character on his former boss Sid Caesar. Many of the show's plots were inspired by Reiner's experiences as a writer for Your Show of Shows (which starred Caesar).

Contents 1 Main characters 2 Supporting characters 3 Storyline 4 Influence 5 Reunion special 6 DVD releases 7 Episode guide 8 External links

• Robert "Rob" Petrie (Dick Van Dyke), the head comedy writer for a fictional New York TV variety series called The Alan Brady Show. The role of Rob Petrie was almost given to Johnny Carson, but Sheldon Leonard, the show's executive producer, suggested Van Dyke. Both Van Dyke & Moore appeared in 158 episodes of the series.
• Laura Meeker/Meehan Petrie (Mary Tyler Moore), Rob's wife. A stay-at-home mom and former dancer in the U.S.O. (where she met Rob). The role of Laura proved to be the most difficult to cast. About 60 actresses auditioned for the part before Moore was signed, and she almost didn't go to the audition.
• Maurice "Buddy" Sorrell (Morey Amsterdam), an energetic (and at times facetious) "human joke machine" (as with Amsterdam himself), one of the comedy writers; he's constantly making fun of Mel Cooley (the show's producer) for being bald (and dull). His character is loosely based on Mel Brooks who also wrote for Your Show of Shows. Amsterdam was recommended by Rose Marie as soon as she had signed on.
• Sally Rogers (Rose Marie), another of the comedy writers (and the comedy trio's designated typist), who is always on the lookout for a husband.

• Richard "Ritchie" Petrie (Larry Mathews), Rob and Laura's son.
• Melvin "Mel" Cooley (Richard Deacon), the balding producer of the "Alan Brady Show" (and Brady's brother-in-law), who is constantly fighting with Buddy
• Jerry (Jerry Paris) and Mildred "Millie" Krumbermacher Helper (Ann Morgan Guilbert), the zany next-door neighbors.

Other less frequently seen characters include:

• Alan Brady (Carl Reiner), the toupee-wearing star of the "Alan Brady Show".
• Stacey Petrie (Jerry Van Dyke), Rob's brother, banjo player, and sleepwalker, played by Dick Van Dyke's real-life brother.
• Fiona "Pickles" Sorrell (Barbara Perry/Joan Shawlee), Buddy's slightly nutty wife.
• Herman Glimscher (Bill Idelson), Sally's occasional and "nerdy" boyfriend.
• Sam and Clara Petrie (Tom Tully/J. Pat O'Malley and Isabel Randolph), Rob's parents.
• Mr. and Mrs. Alan Meehan (Carl Benton Reid and Geraldine Wall), Laura's parents.
• Freddie Helper (Peter Oliphant), Millie and Jerry Helper's son.

Storylines deal with Rob and his two coworkers, Buddy and Sally, who write material for the TV show. Mel Cooley, a balding straight man (and recipient of numerous insulting one-liners from Buddy), is the show's producer and the brother-in-law of Alan Brady, the show's seldom-seen star. As Rob, Buddy, and Sally write for a comedy show, the premise provides a built-in forum for them to "be funny.".Other stories focus on the home life of Rob and Laura, who live in suburban New Rochelle, New York. Frequently seen is their young son, Ritchie, as well as their neighbors, Jerry and Millie Helper.

The show was an excellent vehicle for Van Dyke's physical comedy and sight gags. The classic example is the scene in the opening titles, in which Van Dyke enters through the front door and trips over the ottoman. Producers filmed three versions: one in which Van Dyke trips over the ottoman, one in which he steps around it, and a rarely seen third variation in which Van Dyke avoids the ottoman and then trips on the carpet. Viewers were kept wondering which version would be used on any particular episode, as the show's editors were instructed to use them randomly. (The famous "ottoman" opening was added beginning in the second season of the series. The first season's opening credits were a composite of promotion stills and screen grabs from the pilot episode.)

The series was considered a trailblazer for its comparatively realistic portrayal of relationships — although the Petries slept in separate beds — and caused some mild controversy because of Mary Tyler Moore's decision to wear capri slacks in an era when most sitcom wives wore dresses and skirts, even though Lucille Ball had previously worn capri slacks on I Love Lucy.

The show included humorous but intelligent portrayals of other subjects not previously seen on sitcoms, including religion, race, death, infidelity, and psychiatry. One episode dealt with Ritchie Petrie's use of profanity; another involved his parents' explaining to him the "facts of life."

The storylines gave viewers an "inside look" at how a TV show was run and written. This was rare at a time when situation comedy was limited to occupations other than show business. It also gave the cast an opportunity to do "variety" episodes that included stand-up comedy, music, and other non-situation segments.

Carl Reiner originally planned to produce and star in the series, which was going to be titled Head of the Family. A pilot episode was made in July of 1960, but it was unsuccessful. Executive producer Sheldon Leonard liked Reiner's concept but felt that Reiner was miscast. Leonard cast Dick van Dyke as Rob Petrie, and Reiner was recast to better effect as Alan Brady, the egotistical television star for whom Rob works. Both Leonard and business partner Danny Thomas also appeared on the show as actors, in memorable guest roles.

Reiner always maintained that he never intended for the series to run more than five seasons, making this one of the first successful American TV series to end on its own accord while still popular rather than through cancellation. It has done extremely well in syndicated reruns, most notably on Nick at Nite from 1991 to 2000, then on its sister cable network TV Land from 2000 to 2007.

The Dick Van Dyke Show is considered to have been an inspiration for many later sitcoms, in particular the long-running Mad About You, which was in many ways a modern-day remake. Carl Reiner even reprised the role of Alan Brady for an episode. The relationship between Reiner as writer and Van Dyke as actor can be compared to that between Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld.

Van Dyke returned in 1971 in an unrelated vehicle, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, which despite running for three years is rarely shown in syndication and has been largely forgotten.

On May 11, 2004, CBS aired a reunion special, The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited. Produced by Carl Reiner, who referred to the hour-long special as "The 159th Episode," the show reunited cast members Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Larry Mathews, Ann Morgan Guilbert, and Jerry Van Dyke. Reiner reprised his role as Alan Brady. Deceased cast members Morey Amsterdam, Richard Deacon, and Jerry Paris were remembered in flashbacks.

The main plot of the special involves the relatively healthy Alan Brady asking Rob and Sally to write his eulogy so that he knows in advance what will be said about him after he dies. The Petries and Sally, along with Rob's brother Stacey and longtime friend Millie, discuss ideas that are illustrated by way of flashbacks to the old show. The special ends with Van Dyke and Moore, out of character, reminiscing about the series as more flashbacks are shown. Ray Romano hosts the special.

For reasons that are unclear, six episodes from the second season have lapsed into the public domain, and as a result are widely available at Walmart and 'dollar stores' for $1-$2 per DVD or VHS tape.

Image Entertainment has released all 5 Seasons of The Dick Van Dyke Show on DVD in Region 1. Season sets were released between October 2003 - June 2004. Also, on May 24, 2005, Image Entertainment released a 25-disc boxset of the entire series.

DVD Name	Ep #	Release Date
Season 1	31	October 21, 2003
Season 2	33	October 21, 2003
Season 3	31	February 24, 2004
Season 4	32	April 27, 2004
Season 5	31	June 29, 2004

Main article: List of The Dick Van Dyke Show episodes

• Dick Van Dyke Show - The Official Website
• The Walnut Times, The Dick Van Dyke Show newsletter
• The Dick Van Dyke Show at the Internet Movie Database