Does The Dick Van Dyke Show take place in the 50s or 60s? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JohnXXVII · 11-15-2003, 05:15 AM

I know The Dick Van Dyke Show was made in the 1960s, but its plots and attitudes, especially about the role of men and women (see episodes like "To Tell or Not to Tell" and "Sally Is a Girl"), seem straight out of the 1950s. I know a lot of the shows were based on Carl Reiner's experiences from the 50s, so it shouldn't be too surprising to see a 50s mentality show up.

I think overall it would make a lot of sense to see the show as taking place in the late 50s. That would be a more likely time for a program like "The Alan Brady Show" to flourish. Also the flashbacks to Rob and Laura's army days would be more believable if they were considered set in the late 40s, right after WWII, than if it were the mid 50s.

cablejockey · 11-15-2003, 11:30 AM

The show premiered in late 50s and finished in 1967--not positive this exact year but close enough. Attitudes and ideals changed very little from the fifties in this time period for the regular folks at home watching tv. It would take another 10 years for the changes to show up at the grass roots level.

hawaii five-o · 11-15-2003, 01:07 PM

DVD ran from 1961 to 1966.

Lolac · 11-15-2003, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hawaii five-o
DVD ran from 1961 to 1966.

The Dick Van Dyke show did indeed run from 1961 to 1966. There are specific references to the 60s in the show. In the episode "The Return of Happy Spangler", Happy Spangler calls Laura "Mrs. Kennedy" thinking she is married to the President of the United States. Also there is a President Kennedy reference in the episode "The Sol Pomerantz Scandals," when Danny Brewster does an impression of JFK. In the episode "Big Max Calvada," Laura said to Rob, "This isn't the roaring 20s, it's the 60s." And Rob responds, "Yeah, and I'd like to be held over for the 70s!" This show most definitely takes place in the early 60s when attitudes hadn't shifted yet from the 50s.

Lolac

SawgrassSteve · 11-17-2003, 12:35 PM

Good answer, Lolac!
I'm impressed.

Steve

SawgrassSteve · 01-28-2004, 02:19 PM

Reurrecting an old thread to bring up and older point (previously mentioned on this board).
Speaking of when "was this show made," I recently took my dvd's to work with me and put them on when we had some down time. One of the things that empressed people who haven't seen the show since they were kids, if ever (yeah, some had only heard of the show) was the Petrie's house. I guess it really was a bit ahead of it's time.
From women especially, I heard comments like, "They had a bathroom in the Master Bedroom, back then?" And, "Are those barstools? Is that a wet bar in the dining area?" And "They had open concept floor plans back then?" And, "Wow, a sunken livingroom!" And, "That's a nice cook-top island, and over there's are built-in ovens and a recessed fridge! When was this show made?"
And my favorite from the guys, although somewhat off point, "Man, his wife is hot, what's her name again?"

Steve

Lolac · 01-28-2004, 05:07 PM

The more things change, the more they stay the same! Great post, Steve!

Lolac

Tweety · 04-03-2004, 12:47 AM

Definitely takes place in the 60s...early 60s...

Just wondering though...do we ever see a car (from the outside) in any DVDyke episodes? I know that there are a number of scenes showing Rob and Laura riding in the car, but do they ever actually show anyone's car from the outside? If so, anyone know what year the car was?

The writers, for the most part, did a great job creating a timeless classic...that is, a show with very few, if any, references to pop culture or real life politics... Other than a Kennedy comment mentioned by Lolac earlier, were there any references to then-popular celebrities, sports figures, or politicians?

ScottD · 04-03-2004, 09:04 AM

The only pop culture reference I can think of off-hand is in My Husband Is Not A Drunk when Millie thinks Jerry is Rock Hudson, although I'm sure there are more. The show does seem timeless in many ways. As a lot of shows back then entered the mid-60's you'd see a lot of loud psychedelic fashions of the time, but not on TDVDS. I think part of it is that the show stayed in black and white. Strangely, for me that's part of it's timelessness. A lot of 60's tv homes looked really gaudy in color with shag carpeting, etc. I never really think of what everything would look like in color while watching TDVDS.

Lolac · 04-03-2004, 10:20 AM

Quote:

[i]Originally posted by Tweety [/i
Definitely takes place in the 60s...early 60s...

Just wondering though...do we ever see a car (from the outside) in any DVDyke episodes? I know that there are a number of scenes showing Rob and Laura riding in the car, but do they ever actually show anyone's car from the outside? If so, anyone know what year the car was?

The writers, for the most part, did a great job creating a timeless classic...that is, a show with very few, if any, references to pop culture or real life politics... Other than a Kennedy comment mentioned by Lolac earlier, were there any references to then-popular celebrities, sports figures, or politicians?

The only time I remember seeing the outside of a car is in the episode "My Husband is a Check Grabber" when they are driving home from the restaurant. The scene is brief and it shows a car driving down the highway. Every time I see that scene I always think I need to ask my husband what the year and make of the car is because he always knows that kind of thing. I'll try to watch it with him this weekend and see if he knows.

Lolac

SawgrassSteve · 04-04-2004, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tweety
Just wondering though...do we ever see a car (from the outside) in any DVDyke episodes? I know that there are a number of scenes showing Rob and Laura riding in the car, but do they ever actually show anyone's car from the outside? If so, anyone know what year the car was?

Interestingly, Tweety,
This question came up almost exactly a year ago. Here's a cut & paste of the reply:

04-07-2003 02:50 AM

LATTML
Senior Member

"... And in the "check grabbing" episode ("My Husband Is A Check Grabber", I think it was called) there is a brief scene of the car Rob and Larua are in on their way home. The car is a 1957 Dodge, though it's not shown long enough to know which series it was -- whether it was a Coronet or whatever..."

Here's a link that shows a 1957 Dodge Coronet, which may have been the Petrie automobile.

Steve

Larry Surrell · 04-04-2004, 07:44 PM

When I was a kid my father had a Plymouth that looked something like that. It was the first car I remember riding in. I love the fins on those!

Maybe they wanted the Petries to be an average middle class family so they put them in a car that wasn't brand new.

jehobden · 04-05-2004, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ScottD
The only pop culture reference I can think of off-hand is in My Husband Is Not A Drunk when Millie thinks Jerry is Rock Hudson, although I'm sure there are more.

Another contemporary reference is made in "The Night the Roof Fell In", but it's been cut from the version aired on TV Land. I've only seen it on DVD. Rob is trying to help Ritchie distinguish between "fights" and "discussions", and I think Ritchie mentions the Johanson/Patterson fight (They boxed each other in the late 50s/early 60s), and Rob says, w/ a level of disgust, "That was more like a discussion".

ScottD · 04-05-2004, 11:43 PM

They do make reference to tv shows that were actually on at the time of the show. I was watching The Sound Of The Trumpets Of Conscience episode tonight and Buddy mentioned how "there are 8 million stories in The Naked City" and Laura mentioned The Defenders. I seem to remember other references to tv shows of the time, but can't think of any others right now.

treky · 04-10-2004, 02:50 AM

I think either Laura or Milly mentioned "Perry Mason" in one episode.

And, this is a little off-topic, but on the episode of "Mad About You" where Carl Reiner guest stared as Alan Brady (they were pretending that him, and "The Alan Brady show" were real) in one scene Paul & Jamie (the young couple on thee show, for those who never saw it) were watching a tape of "The Alan Brady show" & it looked like a typical early 60s show.

11-15-2003, 05:15 AM	#1
JohnXXVII Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2003 Posts: 15	Does The Dick Van Dyke Show take place in the 50s or 60s? I know The Dick Van Dyke Show was made in the 1960s, but its plots and attitudes, especially about the role of men and women (see episodes like "To Tell or Not to Tell" and "Sally Is a Girl"), seem straight out of the 1950s. I know a lot of the shows were based on Carl Reiner's experiences from the 50s, so it shouldn't be too surprising to see a 50s mentality show up. I think overall it would make a lot of sense to see the show as taking place in the late 50s. That would be a more likely time for a program like "The Alan Brady Show" to flourish. Also the flashbacks to Rob and Laura's army days would be more believable if they were considered set in the late 40s, right after WWII, than if it were the mid 50s.

11-17-2003, 12:35 PM	#5
SawgrassSteve Loyal Worshipper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,423	Good answer, Lolac! I'm impressed. Steve
	__________________ The Cult Of Laura

04-10-2004, 02:50 AM	#15
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	I think either Laura or Milly mentioned "Perry Mason" in one episode. And, this is a little off-topic, but on the episode of "Mad About You" where Carl Reiner guest stared as Alan Brady (they were pretending that him, and "The Alan Brady show" were real) in one scene Paul & Jamie (the young couple on thee show, for those who never saw it) were watching a tape of "The Alan Brady show" & it looked like a typical early 60s show.
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

11-15-2003, 11:30 AM	#2
cablejockey Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: ontario canada Posts: 478	The show premiered in late 50s and finished in 1967--not positive this exact year but close enough. Attitudes and ideals changed very little from the fifties in this time period for the regular folks at home watching tv. It would take another 10 years for the changes to show up at the grass roots level.

11-15-2003, 01:07 PM	#3
hawaii five-o Book 'Em, Dano Senior Member Join Date: Jun 27, 2003 Location: At home, eating cereal straight out of the box Posts: 1,406	DVD ran from 1961 to 1966.

01-28-2004, 02:19 PM	#6
SawgrassSteve Loyal Worshipper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,423	Reurrecting an old thread to bring up and older point (previously mentioned on this board). Speaking of when "was this show made," I recently took my dvd's to work with me and put them on when we had some down time. One of the things that empressed people who haven't seen the show since they were kids, if ever (yeah, some had only heard of the show) was the Petrie's house. I guess it really was a bit ahead of it's time. From women especially, I heard comments like, "They had a bathroom in the Master Bedroom, back then?" And, "Are those barstools? Is that a wet bar in the dining area?" And "They had open concept floor plans back then?" And, "Wow, a sunken livingroom!" And, "That's a nice cook-top island, and over there's are built-in ovens and a recessed fridge! When was this show made?" And my favorite from the guys, although somewhat off point, "Man, his wife is hot, what's her name again?" Steve

01-28-2004, 05:07 PM	#7
Lolac Dolce far niente, Carissima! Senior Member Join Date: Jan 02, 2003 Location: Fairfax Station, VA Posts: 1,487	The more things change, the more they stay the same! Great post, Steve! Lolac

04-03-2004, 12:47 AM	#8
Tweety Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 18, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 6,804	Definitely takes place in the 60s...early 60s... Just wondering though...do we ever see a car (from the outside) in any DVDyke episodes? I know that there are a number of scenes showing Rob and Laura riding in the car, but do they ever actually show anyone's car from the outside? If so, anyone know what year the car was? The writers, for the most part, did a great job creating a timeless classic...that is, a show with very few, if any, references to pop culture or real life politics... Other than a Kennedy comment mentioned by Lolac earlier, were there any references to then-popular celebrities, sports figures, or politicians?

04-03-2004, 09:04 AM	#9
ScottD Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2003 Location: the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Posts: 71	The only pop culture reference I can think of off-hand is in My Husband Is Not A Drunk when Millie thinks Jerry is Rock Hudson, although I'm sure there are more. The show does seem timeless in many ways. As a lot of shows back then entered the mid-60's you'd see a lot of loud psychedelic fashions of the time, but not on TDVDS. I think part of it is that the show stayed in black and white. Strangely, for me that's part of it's timelessness. A lot of 60's tv homes looked really gaudy in color with shag carpeting, etc. I never really think of what everything would look like in color while watching TDVDS.

04-04-2004, 07:44 PM	#12
Larry Surrell Ed M. 1918-2006 RIP Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 27, 2003 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 702	When I was a kid my father had a Plymouth that looked something like that. It was the first car I remember riding in. I love the fins on those! Maybe they wanted the Petries to be an average middle class family so they put them in a car that wasn't brand new.

04-05-2004, 11:43 PM	#14
ScottD Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2003 Location: the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Posts: 71	They do make reference to tv shows that were actually on at the time of the show. I was watching The Sound Of The Trumpets Of Conscience episode tonight and Buddy mentioned how "there are 8 million stories in The Naked City" and Laura mentioned The Defenders. I seem to remember other references to tv shows of the time, but can't think of any others right now.