8 Things We Bet You Never Knew About ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show‘?
The Dick Van Dyke Show premiered on October 3, 1961, and in honor of the beloved sitcom’s 65th anniversary, we turned to author and TV historian David Van Deusen for some little-known facts about the series he has spent much of his life celebrating and preserving.
Van Deusen recently released a new book, From Fandom to Friendships: My Adventures With The Dick Van Dyke Show, chronicling his decades-long connection to the classic comedy. He’ll also mark the anniversary on Saturday, October 3, with a special Zoom edition of Tripping Over the Ottoman, the only podcast devoted exclusively to The Dick Van Dyke Show. Joining him will be Larry Mathews and five-time Emmy-winning writer and director Bill Persky, who was a key member of the show’s creative team. Fans can register for the anniversary event here.
Along with the special Zoom event, there will be a special Tripping Over The Ottoman to be released on October 13, 2026, with Larry Mathews discussing “The Gunslinger,” the final filmed episode of the series.
Without further ado, here’s what Van Deusen had to share:
1 The show’s title was changed several times
Carl Reiner‘s original name for his pilot was called “Head of the Family.” When he was convinced by Sheldon Leonard to try the show again with a different lead actor, the title was proposed to be “Double Trouble” and billed in the press that way. Early in production, it then morphed into “All In A Day’s Work” before finally landing on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
2 Carl Reiner’s original descriptions of characters included a second child for the Petries.
When Carl Reiner created the series, he wrote detailed descriptions of each of its main characters, and his original plans for the Petrie family included another child. In addition to Rob, Laura, and Ritchie, Reiner envisioned the arrival of a new Petrie baby during the first season. The addition would have opened the door to storylines about sibling rivalry, with Ritchie adjusting to having a new baby in the family.
3 Rose Marie’s original hair bow that she wore on The Dick Van Dyke Show is in the Smithsonian Institution
Everett Collection
Rose Marie donated many personal items to the Smithsonian Institution, which included her Baby Rose Marie dress and shoes, as well as the black bow that she wore in her role as Rogers on the show. Rose Marie frequently wore a hair bow of varying colors, but when her husband died from a blood illness during the show’s run, she moved to always wearing a black bow as a tribute to him.
4 Earle Hagen retained full ownership rights to all the music he composed for the show
Unlike most contracts agreed to for musical composition and arrangements, composer Earle Hagen negotiated a special deal with Sheldon Leonard when he was hired to do the music for The Dick Van Dyke Show. Earle’s agreement included provisions that he would retain full ownership not only of the theme song, but also of the arrangements that he wrote for production numbers and musical segues. Earle taught arranging classes to aspiring musicians and wanted to be able to use these compositions and materials as part of his curriculum.
5 Morey Amsterdam wrote lyrics to the show’s theme song
Everett Collection
Actor Morey Amsterdam, who portrayed comedy writer Buddy Sorrell, was also an accomplished cello player, musician, and composer in his own right. Amsterdam wrote lyrics to Earle Hagen’s big band arrangement of The Dick Van Dyke Show theme called “Keep Your Fingers Crossed.” Interestingly, these lyrics were written by Morey after the show had finished its network run, and Hagen was unaware any lyrics had been written until it was brought to his attention in the early 2000s, some 40 years after the theme’s initial composition.
6 Dick Van Dyke’s personal assistant on the show, Frank Adamo, also appeared in 71 episodes of the series
Fans of The Dick Van Dyke Show frequently recognize Frank Adamo in various episodes of the series. Frank was Dick Van Dyke’s personal assistant and stand-in and was often present during table reads of the scripts. One day Sheldon Leonard suggested that Frank read the lines for an upcoming bit part, and before you knew it, Frank was cast in the final episode. In the end, Frank surfaced the most times of any bit player on the show, accumulating a total of 71 appearances and in roles that included party goer, delivery man, veterinarian assistant, library patron, and so many more. Adamo also became close friends with the Van Dyke family, often babysitting for Dick’s children.
7 The National Comedy Center houses the largest collection of Dick Van Dyke Show archives
Zinn Arthur/TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection
The National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY, holds the largest collection of Dick Van Dyke Show archival material. Prior to his death, Carl Reiner donated all of his 158 bound scripts from The Dick Van Dyke Show to the museum. Upon his passing, Carl’s family also donated the remainder of his Dick Van Dyke Show materials (notes, production documents, photos, and more). These materials were in addition to the collections from the Rose Marie and John Rich estates, making this assemblage the most comprehensive in the nation.
8 Dick Van Dyke is a very accomplished artist
Gene Trindl/TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection
Along with being a very talented actor, singer, and dancer, Dick Van Dyke is recognized as an accomplished caricature artist. Several of his creations were actually used on The Dick Van Dyke Show as part of the storyline: Mel Cooley’s face on the writers’ room dartboard and punching bag; a drawing of a wide-mouthed Laura at art class; and a drawing of the Petrie family on the back of a turtle.
Remind 
100 Years of Dick Van Dyke
April 2025
Dick Van Dyke is a trailblazer like no other and one of the greatest of the golden age of television.
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