Dick Van Dyke worked with Mary Tyler Moore on the hit sitcom series The Dick Van Dyke Show, which aired from 1961 to 1966. While his role as Rob Petrie launched his career and made him an icon in Hollywood, he didn’t have a fun experience filming the pilot episode.
The actor revealed in The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book that he lost five pounds during the first week of production. He also did not look camera-ready as he began experiencing skin issues.
I remember that they had to use a lot of makeup on me because I had about four fever blisters that had popped up just from pure nerves.
It would have been a nightmare for him as well as his co-star, but despite the initial on-set problem and awkwardness between them, they managed to become an iconic television couple.
Dick Van Dyke Felt Uneasy Filming Sitcom Show With Mary Tyler Moore
Van Dyke and Moore played a young married couple in the sitcom, and the actor was initially reluctant to act alongside such a young star. In his interview with Entertainment Tonight, he said, “I said [to show creator Carl Reiner] she’s a little young.”
The actor shared that they have a “12 years” age gap, and Reiner remarked that “nobody ever even mentioned” this matter. In fact, Van Dyke and Moore had a kissing scene in the pilot episode. Actually, the former was around 36 and the latter was around 25 during the show’s run, which means they have an eleven-year age gap.
With a stunning actress on his side, it’s impossible for Van Dyke not to admire her. He admitted in the same interview that he “had a real crush on her,” though it remained that way. Reiner did not miss his chance to spill some tea about the former screen couple:
They really were attracted to each other, but they both had relationships, and they were very circumspect, but they were really attracted to each other.
Despite his initial reservation, Van Dyke admitted he enjoyed working with Moore.
At Almost 100, Van Dyke Has No Plans to Retire
Van Dyke is 99, and in a couple of weeks, he will become a centenarian, though he has no plans to stop working. Speaking with Today, the actor said:
I don’t want to. I mean, it’s my hobby. It’s my life. I love it.
He also joked about hunting for jobs, but currently, he is promoting his latest book, 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life, which is, of course, aptly titled.
Van Dyke’s most recent works included his appearance in Coldplay’s 2024 music video for All My Love, as well as roles in 2023’s The Simpsons and Days of Our Lives. In April this year, he expressed interest in making a cameo in the second season of A Man on the Inside.
Have you watched The Dick Van Dyke Show? Let us know in the comments!
The Dick Van Dyke Show is currently available to watch on Prime Video.
