THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW - GOLDEN JUBILEE OCTOBER 3, 1961 - OCTOBER 3, 2011...........

From 6 -9 p.m. tonight and all this week through Friday, and in a marathon of episodes next week, TV LAND, on cable - will air 'The Dick Van Dyke Show', which premiered 50 years ago tonight, October 3, 1961.  The five season, 159 episodes, series - which starred Dick Van Dyke, as Rob Petrie, head comedy writer on the show within a show, "Alan Brady Show", costarred Mary Tyler Moore, as his tv wife Laura; Larry Matthews as their son, Richie; Morey Amsterdam, as "Buddy Sorrell", Rose Marie, as "Sally Rogers", fellow comedy team writers; Richard Deacon, as "Mel Cooley", Alan Brady's brother in law and producer; Jerry Paris, as the Petrie's neigbor / dentist, "Jerry Helper"; Ann Morgan Guilbert, as "Millie Helper", next door neighbor dentist's wife; and show creator, Carl Reiner, as "Alan Brady".  The location of the half hour situation comedy was in two venues :  scenes concerning the writing of the Alan Brady Show, in Manhatten, and the Petrie family scenes in their suburban home in New Rochelle, New York.  Although it got off to a slow start in the ratings, by the second season it was a solid hit, and became one of the classic television comedies of the 1960's.  Dick Van Dyke went on to star successfully in theatrical films such as, "Mary Poppins", "Chitty, Chitty, Bang Bang", and a second multi-season situation comedy, and comedy variety show, as well as, his long run in the 1990's in a dramatic series, "Diagnosis Murder".  Now 85 years old, Dick Van Dyke, is still and will likely forever best be remembered as "Rob Petrie", headwriter, husband, father, neighbor, friend, and foremost, comedian; whose original, "Dick Van Dyke Show", October 3, 1961 - June 1, 1966, is still making people laugh thanks to syndication, cable, and TV Land, more than two generations later.  Happy Golden Jubilee, D.V.D. ...........Fr.  Troy

p.s. - Show creator Carl Reiner, formerly, a writer on, "Sid Caesar's Show Of Shows", had created the pilot in 1960, for himself to star in.  It was titled, "Head Of The Family". The pilot failed to be picked up,, and he re-tooled it and a year later brought it back with the title name of it's star, Dick Van Dyke.  Reportedly, Johnny Carson was also considered for the starring role.  One year after the, "Dick Van Dyke Show" premiered, Johnny Carson became the 30 year host of the NBC "Tonight Show"  Carl Reiner, now  89, is still acting since 2010, in a recurring role in the TV Land first run series, 'Hot In Cleveland', as Max, one of Betty White's love interests .....tdp