Dick Van Dyke turns 100 this Saturday, and his influence on television comedy remains as vibrant as his legendary pratfall over an ottoman.
A new PBS documentary reveals how close we came to losing one of TV’s most foundational shows after just one season.
Without “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” modern television would look dramatically different—and not just because Sheldon Cooper would have a different name.
The ripple effects extend far beyond sitcoms, touching everything from medical dramas to the very structure of how we tell stories on screen.
When Cancellation Nearly Changed Everything
“The Dick Van Dyke Show” ranked 80th out of 117 broadcast shows after its first season. CBS canceled it, and sponsor Procter & Gamble walked away.
Only executive producer Sheldon Leonard’s successful pitch to resurrect sponsorship saved the series. Without that intervention, five decades of television evolution might never have happened.
The Ottoman That Launched A Revolution
Jim Carrey saw something profound in Van Dyke’s famous opening sequence tumble.
As soon as I saw Dick Van Dyke tripping over the ottoman and getting up with a smile on his face, I was hooked, because I felt like that’s what Dick is here to say. It’s not a pratfall, it’s a metaphor. If you tumble, you’ve got to pop right up and laugh at yourself, because you’re ridiculous. We’re all ridiculous, and life is an absurd obstacle course of unforeseen ottomans.
That iconic scene didn’t even appear until season two. First-season viewers only saw cast photos in the opening credits.
Rob Petrie: Blueprint for Modern TV Dads
Rob Petrie wasn’t like other 1960s television fathers. He balanced career ambitions with genuine emotional presence at home.
Van Dyke’s character became DNA for generations of TV dads viewers actually wanted as fathers:
- Michael Gross’ Steven Keaton on “Family Ties”
- Alan Thicke’s Jason Seaver on “Growing Pains”
- Bob Saget’s Danny Tanner on “Full House”
Watch Ted Danson in “Cheers,” and Rob Petrie’s lissome movement shines through Sam Malone’s smooth-talking charm.
Two Against The World, Not Each Other
Creator Carl Reiner envisioned something revolutionary for early 1960s television—a marriage where partners stood together rather than against each other.
Two against the world, versus two against each other.
Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore’s chemistry wasn’t just entertaining. It fundamentally changed how television portrayed married couples.
Unlike contemporaries who relegated wives to background decoration, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” placed Laura Petrie on equal footing with Rob. Moore became a star in her own right.
The MTM Domino Effect
Van Dyke’s 1969 special “Dick Van Dyke and the Other Woman” reunited him with Moore, directly leading to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
Moore and Grant Tinker then formed MTM Enterprises, which produced shows that reshaped television:
- “The Bob Newhart Show”
- “Newhart”
- “WKRP in Cincinnati”
- “Hill Street Blues”
- “St. Elsewhere”
Those last two shows became launching pads for television’s modern era.
From Medical Dramas To Prestige TV
“St. Elsewhere” directly influenced “ER,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and medical dramas stretching to “The Pitt.” Creator Tom Fontana went on to develop “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Oz.”
“Hill Street Blues” gave Dick Wolf his first staff writing credit before he created the “Law & Order” empire.
Without MTM, television’s Golden Age would have manifested very differently—if at all.
Physical Comedy That Shaped Generations
Van Dyke’s rubbery physical comedy influenced performers from Conan O’Brien to Jim Carrey. His nimble footwork in “Mary Poppins” helped cement that film’s status as an intergenerational classic.
Steve Martin and Martin Short, stars of “Only Murders in the Building,” cite Van Dyke’s blend of eloquence and acrobatics as foundational to their careers.
Carl Reiner called Van Dyke “the single most talented man in situation comedy.” The PBS documentary “American Masters – Starring Dick Van Dyke” demonstrates he’s much more than that.
Why It Still Holds Up
“The Dick Van Dyke Show” remains one of rare midcentury comedies that works more than six decades later. Its deft writing and incomparable chemistry serve as blueprint for modern family sitcoms, including “Modern Family.”
Compare it to contemporaries like “The Andy Griffith Show” or “The Danny Thomas Show”—both also Sheldon Leonard productions—and the difference becomes obvious.
Van Dyke has already marked his centennial with his sixth book, “100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life,” released in November.
Martin Short reflects on television success with wisdom gained from decades in the industry.
Being in a hit TV show is a fluke. There’s no guarantees. It’s just when the stars line up. That’s why I wish he’d done the show longer.
Five close-to-perfect seasons may seem brief, but their influence echoes through generations of television. Every time writers craft loving partnerships instead of adversarial marriages, every time comedians blend physical humor with emotional depth, every time medical dramas tackle moral complexity—Dick Van Dyke’s legacy lives on.
We almost lost all of it after one season.