Posted 4 minutes agoI'll Never Watch A Dick Van Dyke Movie The Same Way Again After Reading These 19 Fascinating Facts About HimThis man working as a mime explains SO much...by Jeremy HayesBuzzFeed ContributorFacebookPinterestLink He made it! The legendary Dick Van Dyke stuck around this blue marble long enough to see his 100th birthday. While countless people have enjoyed the brilliant work he has brought to the screen and stage, I found there is still plenty to learn about a lovely man who has been alive for a century. Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images Here are 19 facts about Dick Van Dyke that will 100% make you love him
MORE: 1. It may sound hard to believe, but Dick Van Dyke didn't act in his first film until he was 36. Born in 1925, Van Dyke made his cinema debut with the all-time great musical comedy Mary Poppins (1964). Never stop chasing your dreams! Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Buena Vista Distribution Company, Inc. / giphy.com 2. Would you believe the quote that Van Dyke's vocal performance in Mary Poppins has been described as "the worst cockney accent ever done?" Well, it's a quote directly from the man himself. He made the statement while receiving the Britannia Award for Excellence in Television. I find it endearing! American Film Institute / Via youtube.com 3. Van Dyke has never had any formal dance training. In a time when musicals featured very skilled dancers, it's hard to believe the man famous for high-stepping on rooftops didn't go to school for it. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF TBS / giphy.com 4. After his parents had held the information from him, Van Dyke learned he was actually older than he had been told for 18 years. (He was born out of wedlock.) Hulton Archive / Getty Images 5. Van Dyke served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II. This makes him one of the few tens of thousands of WWII vets still alive. Screen Archives / Getty Images 6. While in the army, Van Dyke served as a radio announcer during World War II. This led him to later perform in service shows as an entertainer. Frazer Harrison / Getty Images 7. Of all of Van Dyke's showstopping numbers, one that sticks out is "Me 'Ol Bam-Boo" in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). The chaotic dance scene involving bamboo sticks took a whopping 23 takes to perfect the final product featured in the film. He made the "not-knowing-the-choreography" choreography look so natural! United Artists 8. In case you haven't seen Mary Poppins in a hot minute, Van Dyke not only plays the cheerful chimney sweep Bert, but he also plays the elderly bank chairman, Mr. Dawes Sr. Buena Vista Distribution Company, Inc. 9. Speaking of Mr. Dawes, Van Dyke plays Mr. Dawes Jr. in Mary Poppins Returns (2018). Which means he played Mr. Dawes Sr. in the original and then his son 54 years later. The man is committed to the role, and less "old man" makeup was used in the sequel. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures 10. According to Julie Andrews in her memoir Home Work, Dick Van Dyke practically "begged" Walt Disney to let him play Mr. Dawes Sr. He wanted the secondary role in Mary Poppins so severely that he reportedly offered to play it for free. Buena Vista Distribution Company, Inc. 11. In his book Those Funny Kids: A Treasury of Classroom Laughter, Van Dyke talked about his tall stature and how he had already grown to the height of 6'1" by age 11. He maxed out at that height, and any early sprouters know the feeling. Earl Theisen Collection / Getty Images 12. Ever heard of the "Merry Mutes" before? No? Well, in the late '40s and early '50s, Van Dyke and his partner performed in nightclubs as a comedic mime duo. That's right...
Dick Van Dyke was a mime. That makes SO much sense based on his very emotive, comedic nature. PBS 13. Van Dyke and his wife, Arlene Silver, are avid Halloween lovers and even host an annual Halloween yard haunt featuring spooky decor and advanced animatronics from the legendary Halloween manufacturing company Distortions Unlimited. The yard haunts feature live entertainment, dancing, music, and plenty of candy! Distortions Unlimited 14. Van Dyke was STILL performing on Broadway, in Tony-winning Bye Bye Birdie, when he was cast for The Dick Van Dyke Show. He took a week off from Broadway to film the premiere. The Broadway show's run ended in October 1961, and the show premiered that same month. Frazer Harrison / Getty Images 15. Van Dyke has been nominated for nine Emmy Awards (won four), nominated for one Grammy Award (won one), and nominated for one Tony Award (won one). There are fewer than 100 actors in the world who are one short of finishing an "EGOT" (winning all those and an Oscar), and Van Dyke is in that company. Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images 16. In 1995, Van Dyke was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. At the time, he was a lead on the TV show Diagnosis: Murder as Dr. Mark Sloan. That explains the 'stache! Denny Keeler / Getty Images 17. Dick Van Dyke initially didn't want Mary Tyler Moore to play his w