Mary Tyler Moore Reveals Her Favorite Episode of 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 01-25-2012, 10:40 AM

Q: Your TV husband, Dick Van Dyke, is presenting you with the lifetime award. Is he as funny off screen as he is on?

A: "Very much so. He's a man of quick humor and thoughtful ponderance. And he was my biggest fan. He would encourage me because it was the first time I had done any real comedy. And I said to Dick, 'I'm so nervous,' and he said, 'Mary, you just do what your instinct tells you and don't be afraid of moments where you think you'll look like a blubbering idiot. Just do it to the best of your ability and you're going to be fine'."

Q: Do you have a favorite episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show?

A groundbreaking episode from "The Dick Van Dyke Show," was when Rob and Laura are convinced that there was a mix-up at the hospital and they were given the wrong baby when their son Richard was born. So after inviting the other couple who they believe have their son over to discuss the dilemma, the doorbell rings, and there stands this couple, a man and woman, both black, carrying a three day old baby. And we had no idea how this would be received, especially since we had a live audience there and no one had ever portrayed black people that were middle class at this time in television."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entert...,5270483.story

Stalked · 02-27-2012, 03:40 PM

Is there anyone who remembers the episode where a hooded man was waring a hood that looked like a black paper sack, he grabbed Mary ? I would like to know which show it was ? That person could have been Dick playing a joke on Mary . Thank you very much.

catlover79 · 04-15-2012, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Q: Your TV husband, Dick Van Dyke, is presenting you with the lifetime award. Is he as funny off screen as he is on?

A: "Very much so. He's a man of quick humor and thoughtful ponderance. And he was my biggest fan. He would encourage me because it was the first time I had done any real comedy. And I said to Dick, 'I'm so nervous,' and he said, 'Mary, you just do what your instinct tells you and don't be afraid of moments where you think you'll look like a blubbering idiot. Just do it to the best of your ability and you're going to be fine'."

Q: Do you have a favorite episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show?

A groundbreaking episode from "The Dick Van Dyke Show," was when Rob and Laura are convinced that there was a mix-up at the hospital and they were given the wrong baby when their son Richard was born. So after inviting the other couple who they believe have their son over to discuss the dilemma, the doorbell rings, and there stands this couple, a man and woman, both black, carrying a three day old baby. And we had no idea how this would be received, especially since we had a live audience there and no one had ever portrayed black people that were middle class at this time in television."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entert...,5270483.story

Dick mentioned in his autobiography that the episode is his favorite, too.

biffbronson · 04-16-2012, 10:40 AM

My favorites tended to fall under one of these categories:

1. A woman is very attracted to Rob and comes on to him -- as in the art instructor, who desires Rob in a very forward manner.

2. A man is very attracted to Laura and comes on to her -- as in the teacher played by Bernard Fox who goes bonkers for her.

3. Rob becomes flustered when interacting with a very attractive woman -- as in the character on trial played by Sue Ane Langdon.

Mary and Dick really shine in eps like those -- their fine acting ability is so evident.

catlover79 · 04-16-2012, 01:03 PM

It also doesn't help when said art instructor praises a painting said husband made of said wife that looks like this!!

Marvo301 · 04-16-2012, 01:42 PM

According to several books I've read the baby mix-up episode created the longest sustained audience laughter in the entire run of TDVDS. In fact a lot of the laughter had to be edited out of the episode in order to fit it into it's alotted timeslot!

biffbronson · 04-16-2012, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

It also doesn't help when said art instructor praises a painting said husband made of said wife that looks like this!!

From what I've read, Dick Van Dyke was a skilled caricature artist and I suppose it's very likely that he drew that himself!

Mark Glicker · 06-01-2012, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Q: Your TV husband, Dick Van Dyke, is presenting you with the lifetime award. Is he as funny off screen as he is on?

A: "Very much so. He's a man of quick humor and thoughtful ponderance. And he was my biggest fan. He would encourage me because it was the first time I had done any real comedy. And I said to Dick, 'I'm so nervous,' and he said, 'Mary, you just do what your instinct tells you and don't be afraid of moments where you think you'll look like a blubbering idiot. Just do it to the best of your ability and you're going to be fine'."

Q: Do you have a favorite episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show?

A groundbreaking episode from "The Dick Van Dyke Show," was when Rob and Laura are convinced that there was a mix-up at the hospital and they were given the wrong baby when their son Richard was born. So after inviting the other couple who they believe have their son over to discuss the dilemma, the doorbell rings, and there stands this couple, a man and woman, both black, carrying a three day old baby. And we had no idea how this would be received, especially since we had a live audience there and no one had ever portrayed black people that were middle class at this time in television."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entert...,5270483.story

Any episode with plenty of Richard Deacon is my favorite.

treky · 06-07-2012, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

According to several books I've read the baby mix-up episode created the longest sustained audience laughter in the entire run of TDVDS. In fact a lot of the laughter had to be edited out of the episode in order to fit it into it's alotted timeslot!

and they were nervous about what the reaction would be to the scene when the black couple walks in, since it was 1963 and there was civil rights, etc.

hifijohn · 08-04-2021, 04:25 AM

There was another episode where they accidentally dye their hands black but have to appear in a get-together that's about racial tolerance, or something like that.

stevea · 08-15-2021, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Q: Do you have a favorite episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show?

A groundbreaking episode from "The Dick Van Dyke Show," was when Rob and Laura are convinced that there was a mix-up at the hospital and they were given the wrong baby when their son Richard was born. So after inviting the other couple who they believe have their son over to discuss the dilemma, the doorbell rings, and there stands this couple, a man and woman, both black, carrying a three day old baby. And we had no idea how this would be received, especially since we had a live audience there and no one had ever portrayed black people that were middle class at this time in television."

Actually, Mary's memory was a little off here. It was only Rob who thought they got the wrong baby. Laura thought he was nuts.

01-25-2012, 10:40 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Mary Tyler Moore Reveals Her Favorite Episode of 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' Q: Your TV husband, Dick Van Dyke, is presenting you with the lifetime award. Is he as funny off screen as he is on? A: "Very much so. He's a man of quick humor and thoughtful ponderance. And he was my biggest fan. He would encourage me because it was the first time I had done any real comedy. And I said to Dick, 'I'm so nervous,' and he said, 'Mary, you just do what your instinct tells you and don't be afraid of moments where you think you'll look like a blubbering idiot. Just do it to the best of your ability and you're going to be fine'." Q: Do you have a favorite episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show? A groundbreaking episode from "The Dick Van Dyke Show," was when Rob and Laura are convinced that there was a mix-up at the hospital and they were given the wrong baby when their son Richard was born. So after inviting the other couple who they believe have their son over to discuss the dilemma, the doorbell rings, and there stands this couple, a man and woman, both black, carrying a three day old baby. And we had no idea how this would be received, especially since we had a live audience there and no one had ever portrayed black people that were middle class at this time in television." http://www.chicagotribune.com/entert...,5270483.story
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02-27-2012, 03:40 PM	#2
Stalked Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 11, 2012 Location: Antioch Posts: 11	Dick Van Dyke show Is there anyone who remembers the episode where a hooded man was waring a hood that looked like a black paper sack, he grabbed Mary ? I would like to know which show it was ? That person could have been Dick playing a joke on Mary . Thank you very much.

04-16-2012, 10:40 AM	#4
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,512	My favorites tended to fall under one of these categories: 1. A woman is very attracted to Rob and comes on to him -- as in the art instructor, who desires Rob in a very forward manner. 2. A man is very attracted to Laura and comes on to her -- as in the teacher played by Bernard Fox who goes bonkers for her. 3. Rob becomes flustered when interacting with a very attractive woman -- as in the character on trial played by Sue Ane Langdon. Mary and Dick really shine in eps like those -- their fine acting ability is so evident.
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04-16-2012, 01:03 PM	#5
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	It also doesn't help when said art instructor praises a painting said husband made of said wife that looks like this!! Attached Images

04-16-2012, 01:42 PM	#6
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,460	According to several books I've read the baby mix-up episode created the longest sustained audience laughter in the entire run of TDVDS. In fact a lot of the laughter had to be edited out of the episode in order to fit it into it's alotted timeslot!
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08-04-2021, 04:25 AM	#10
hifijohn Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 07, 2013 Posts: 209	There was another episode where they accidentally dye their hands black but have to appear in a get-together that's about racial tolerance, or something like that.