The Styrous® Viewfinder: Dick Van Dyke

Yesterday was the birthday of actor, comedian Dick Van Dyke, who was born in West Plains, Missouri. Van Dyke is a Dutch surname, although he also has English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. His family line traces back to Mayflower passenger John Alden.

During the late 1940s, Van Dyke was a radio DJ on WDAN in Danville, Illinois. In November 1959, Van Dyke made his Broadway debut in The Girls Against the Boys which ran at the Alvin Theatre. The production was a revue in two acts and featured performances from Van Dyke, Shelley Berman, Bert Lahr, Nancy Walker among many others. The production ran on Broadway for 16 performances from November 2 to 14, 1959.

He played the lead role of Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie, which ran from April 14, 1960, to October 7, 1961. Van Dyke starred alongside Chita Rivera, Barbara Doherty, and Paul Lynde.

From 1961 to 1966, Van Dyke starred in the CBS sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show, in which he portrayed a comedy writer named Rob Petrie. Complementing Van Dyke was a cast of comic actors including Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Jerry Paris, Ann Morgan Guilbert, Richard Deacon, and Carl Reiner (as Alan Brady), as well as 24-year-old Mary Tyler Moore, who played Rob's wife Laura Petrie.

In 1964, Van Dyke was cast in two roles in the Walt Disney film, Mary Poppins, as Bert, a man who goes through multiple odd jobs, ultimately becoming a chimney sweep; and as bank chairman Mr. Dawes Senior. For his scenes as the chairman, he was heavily costumed to look much older and was credited in that role as "Navckid Keyd". At the end of the credits, the letters unscramble into "Dick Van Dyke". His attempt at a cockney accent has been deemed one of the worst accents in film history, cited by actors since as an example of how NOT to sound.

Mary Poppins ~ vinyl LP front cover
photo of album cover by Styrous®

Chim Chim Cher-ee, one of the songs that Van Dyke performed in Mary Poppins, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the Sherman Brothers, the film's songwriting duo. Van Dyke received a Grammy Award in 1964, along with Julie Andrews, for his performance on the soundtrack to Mary Poppins.

Who can forget his wacky dance with the penguins . . .

. . . or the zany Super-Cali-Fragil-Istic-Expi-Ali Docious with the buskers?

The pairing of Van Dyke and Andrews seemed strange to me at first but when the film got under way I got over it; in hind-sight, it's a perfect match. She a good contrast to his brash and jerky persona. She shines especially when she sings the quiet and beautiful lullaby, Feed the Birds.

Mary Poppins was released by Buena Vista Records, the album features music and lyrics by the Sherman Brothers (Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman), performed by Julie Andrews in her Oscar-winning role as the magical nanny, alongside Dick Van Dyke, Glynis Johns, and David Tomlinson.

Mary Poppins ~ vinyl LP back cover
photo by Styrous®

The album design is a gatefold; I love them as there's more room for photos and information, all of which has interested and helped me buy records never heard of before.

Mary Poppins ~ vinyl LP gatefold cover

front & interior
photos by Styrous®

Dick Van Dyke received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1992, a milestone celebrated by fans and noted by organizations like Hallmark Mystery, marking his enduring career in entertainment.

Mary Poppins ~ vinyl LP side 1 & 2
photos by Styrous®

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1 - Orchestra*, Chorus* – Overture

A2 - Karen Dotrice, Matthew Garber – The Perfect Nanny, Vocals [Jane] – Karen Dotrice, Vocals [Michael] – Matthew Garber

A3 - Glynis Johns – Sister Suffragette, Vocals [Mrs. Banks] – Glynis Johns

A4 - David Tomlinson (2) – The Life I Lead, Vocals [Mr. Banks] – David Tomlinson (2)

A5 - Julie Andrews – A Spoonful Of Sugar, Vocals [Mary Poppins] – Julie Andrews

A6 - Dick Van Dyke (2) – Pavement Artist (Chim Chim Cheree), Vocals [Bert] – Dick Van Dyke (2)

A7 - Dick Van Dyke (2) And Julie Andrews – Jolly Holiday, Vocals – Dick Van Dyke (2), Julie Andrews

A8 - Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke (2) And Pearlies – Super-Cali-Fragil-Istic-Expi-Ali Docious, Vocals – Dick Van Dyke (2), Julie Andrews

A9 - Julie Andrews – Stay Awake, Vocals – Julie Andrews

Side 2:

B1 - Ed Wynn, Julie Andrews And Dick Van Dyke (2) – I Love To Laugh, Vocals – Dick Van Dyke (2), Julie Andrews, Vocals [Uncle Albert] – Ed Wynn

B2 - David Tomlinson (2) And Julie Andrews – A British Bank (The Life I Lead), Vocals – David Tomlinson (2), Julie Andrews

B3 - Julie Andrews And Chorus* – Feed The Birds (Tuppence A Bag), Vocals – Julie Andrews

B4 - Dick Van Dyke (2), David Tomlinson (2) And Bankers (2) – Fidelity Fiduciary Bank, Vocals – David Tomlinson (2), Dick Van Dyke (2)

B5 - Dick Van Dyke (2), Julie Andrews, Karen Dotrice And Matthew Garber – Chim Chim Cheree, Vocals – Dick Van Dyke (2), Julie Andrews, Karen Dotrice, Matthew Garber

B6 - Dick Van Dyke (2) And Chimney Sweeps* – Step In Time, Vocals – Dick Van Dyke (2)

B7 - David Tomlinson (2) And Dick Van Dyke (2) – A Man Has Dreams (The Life I Lead-A Spoonful Of Sugar), Vocals – David Tomlinson (2), Dick Van Dyke (2)

B8 - David Tomlinson (2), Dick Van Dyke (2) And Londoners* - Let's Go Fly A Kite, Vocals – David Tomlinson (2), Dick Van Dyke (2)


Companies, etc.

Copyright © – Walt Disney Productions
Record Company – Radio Corporation Of America
Pressed By – RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis

Credits:

Arranged By, Conductor – Irwin Kostal
Engineer – Brian Ross-Myring, Bruce Botnick
Music By, Lyrics By – Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman
Producer [Produced For Phonograph Records By] – Jimmy Johnson (10)
Producer [With The Assistance Of] – Evelyn Kennedy

Notes:

This release is a label variant of Various - Mary Poppins (Original Cast Soundtrack). Please see the location of the catalog# and Side# of each release for some of the variances. Both releases are pressed by RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis.

Front Cover: CSO-111 STEREO
Spine: CSO-111
Inside Gatefold: COP/CSO-111
Label: CSO-111 (RPRS-4365 [Side 1] RPRS-4366 [Side 2])

Gatefold includes synopsis of story inside. On the back of the sleeve, the names of the characters are matched with the actors and actresses who play the parts.

Inner Sleeve: RCA Victor promotional (Dynagroove etc..) Catalog offer plus other release details

© 1964 Walt Disney Productions
Printed in U.S.A.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Matrix / Runout (A-Side Label): RPRS-4365
Matrix / Runout (B-Side Label): RPRS-4366
Matrix / Runout (Variant 1 - Side 1, runout): RPRS-4365--2S I
Matrix / Runout (Variant 1 - Side 2, runout): A2 RPRS-4366--3S I
Matrix / Runout (Variant 2 - Side 1, runout): RPRS-4365--2S B4 I
Matrix / Runout (Variant 2 - Side 2, runout): A2 RPRS-4366--3S I A5

Various – Mary Poppins (Original Cast Soundtrack)
Label: RCA Victor – CSO-111
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Club Edition, Repress, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1965
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack

Viewfinder links:

Morey Amsterdam

Julie Andrews

Shelley Berman

Walt Disney

Glynis Johns

Bert Lahr

Paul Lynde

Mary Tyler Moore

Carl Reiner

Chita Rivera

YouTube links: