Dick Van Dyke, more than just a celebrity, is a legend in Hollywood, but Disney as well. The beloved actor, born in 1925, was always destined to be on screen. After his service in the Air Force during World War II, he soon would find his true passion – being on stage. He would quickly go from his first Broadway role (The Boys Against the Girls, 1959) to his own show (The Dick Van Dyke Show, 1961) within 2 years! It was during the time of his self-titled show that he would be approached by Walt Disney himself to play Bert in Mary Poppins.
Though Dick Van Dykes incredible career spans more than just Disney films, we’ve listed 7 Disney films and related documentaries that we know fans would love to watch in order to properly celebrate this legend’s birthday!
Credit: Disney / D23
- Mary Poppins (1964)
- Well we can’t forget where his Disney career began! Dick Van Dyke, as stated above, was sought out by Walt Disney himself to play the role of Bert. Accodring to D23, “After reading the script, however, Dick not only wanted to play Bert but also the fearsome chairman of the bank who eventually dies laughing”. Many young fans did not realize that Van Dyke plays both characters – making it a great catch when you rewatch it! Another interesting fact is that Dick Van Dyke actually had to pay to play the role of Mr. Dawes Sr. “I had to go to Walt and ask him for the part. He wouldn’t give it to me,” Van Dyke said. “I said, ‘I’ll do it for nothing.’ Actually, I had to give him $4,000. I paid him to do the part.” Who knew!?
- Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
- When another Mary Poppins film was announced, many diehard fans were upset at the prospect of trying the redo a classic and timeless Disney film. The film, however, didn’t work to redo anything the original had created – but it did bring back Dick Van Dyke. He plays Mr. Dawes Jr. – you know, the son of the character he played in the 1964 classic. But this time, he got to wear a little less of the ageing makeup!
- Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N. (1966)
- Only 2 years after Mary Poppins was released, Dick Van Dyke recieved the role of Robin Crusoe a comedy that was very loosely based off of the 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe. Though the film didnt recieve rave review – it did particularly well due to the star power of Dick Van Dyke and made over 22 million at the box office!
- Never a Dull Moment (1968)
- Dick Van Dyke plays Jack Albany who is an actor that is mistaken for a killer named Ace Williams. This film did not do entirely well when it hit the theaters but Disney and Van Dyke fans alike make it an important part of their watch lists!
- Dick Tracy (1990)
- Dick Van Dyke is not the lead in this Hollywood hit but plays District Attorney John Fletcher. He only was on set for three days, but during those three days he was injured on set! In his scene, he is shot with a blank and falls backwards. During the shooting of that scene, one of the times he fell backwards, he hit and ends up falling incorrectly and breaking his shoulder!
- The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story (2009) / Not an official Disney Film
- The Sherman Brothers would work with Dick Van Dyke in two feature films – Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The talented duo and the songs they created would become iconic – not only due to how well they were written and composed – but by how they were sung. This documentary shows the lives of two brothers that didn’t see eye to eye in many things, but made something beautiful and memorable for everyone to enjoy.
- Walt: The Man Behind the Myth (2001) / Not an official Disney Film
- There are not many around today that knew Walt Disney, but this documentary, made in 2001 documents what it was like working with the man that created an entertainment empire. Dick Van Dyke was given (and paid for!) so many iconic Disney roles that it is only right that he speaks about his experiences with Walt.
If you were wondering where Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is, it is unfortunately not a Disney film and not listed – but we still recommend you go out and watch whatever Dick Van Dyke film captures your heart. Happy 96th Birthday Dick Van Dyke, thank you for all the magic throughout your long and brilliant career.
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