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Editorial Reviews
Dick Van Dyke, indisputably one of the greats of the golden age of television, is admired and beloved by audiences the world over for his beaming smile, his physical dexterity, his impeccable comic timing, his ridiculous stunts, and his unforgettable screen roles.
His trailblazing television program, The Dick Van Dyke Show (produced by Carl Reiner, who has written the foreword to this memoir), was one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1960s and introduced another major television star, Mary Tyler Moore. But Dick Van Dyke was also an enormously engaging movie star whose films, including Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, have been discovered by a new generation of fans and are as beloved today as they were when they first appeared. Who doesn’t know the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
A colorful, loving, richly detailed look at the decades of a multilayered life, My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business, will enthrall every generation of reader, from baby-boomers who recall when Rob Petrie became a household name, to all those still enchanted by Bert’s “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” This is a lively, heartwarming memoir of a performer who still thinks of himself as a “simple song-and-dance man,” but who is, in every sense of the word, a classic entertainer.
From the Hardcover edition.
His trailblazing television program, The Dick Van Dyke Show (produced by Carl Reiner, who has written the foreword to this memoir), was one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1960s and introduced another major television star, Mary Tyler Moore. But Dick Van Dyke was also an enormously engaging movie star whose films, including Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, have been discovered by a new generation of fans and are as beloved today as they were when they first appeared. Who doesn’t know the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
A colorful, loving, richly detailed look at the decades of a multilayered life, My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business, will enthrall every generation of reader, from baby-boomers who recall when Rob Petrie became a household name, to all those still enchanted by Bert’s “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” This is a lively, heartwarming memoir of a performer who still thinks of himself as a “simple song-and-dance man,” but who is, in every sense of the word, a classic entertainer.
From the Hardcover edition.
Related Reviews
Luck Probably Had Less To Do With It
I was thrilled to see this new memoir. I have always liked his tv-shows The Dick van Dyke show, and movies like Bye bye Birdie, Mary Poppins, Fitzwilly, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. His television show Diagnosis Murder went years in television.
His new memoir discusses more of Dick van Dyke's personal problems than his professional success. Much of the book deals with Van Dyke's relationships like his marriage to Margie. They have four children. Then he also discusses of his 35-year relationship with Michelle Triola.
"I'm really in retirement. My career is over. I'm just playing now and having a great time. I like to keep busy, and I'm doing what's fun for me." Dick van Dyke
His new memoir discusses more of Dick van Dyke's personal problems than his professional success. Much of the book deals with Van Dyke's relationships like his marriage to Margie. They have four children. Then he also discusses of his 35-year relationship with Michelle Triola.
"I'm really in retirement. My career is over. I'm just playing now and having a great time. I like to keep busy, and I'm doing what's fun for me." Dick van Dyke
Anyone who savors the timeless comedy of THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW will enjoy this graceful memoir by its star. At the age of 85, Van Dyke says cheerfully that he's "circling the drain," so it seems as good a time as any to reminisce. Though his classic sitcom and his other career highlights (such as MARY POPPINS) are fully covered here, he also devotes space and thought to his personal life, including the ups and downs of his marriage to the mother of his children, his alcoholism, and his long-term relationship with Michelle Triola (well-remembered as the litigant against ex-lover Lee Marvin in the famous "palimony" case of the 1970s). For an actor so firmly associated with comedy, this isn't an especially funny book, but it is a sincere, straightforward one by a man who says, with pride, that he never played roles in movies or TV shows that he wouldn't want his children to see.
I am a huge Dyke Van Dyke fan and after reading his bio I can see why.From a middle class family Mr Van Dyke grew up pretty much like kids do.From being on the track team in high school and being in service in the military to being a husband and father to his wife and kids.There was always something which made him shine above others though.That was his his passion for entertainment.In his own words you feel the sincerity which he tells us how alive he feels when he is doing that.What I was very impressed with was that Mr Van Dyke always had morals and values that he stuck with (example)he wanted to make movies that children can watch not children movies but movies that children can watch and he did -he turned down when things were rough for him easy money from the mob which would of been or could of been tragic in the end.In our lives we get to see these movie stars, professional athelets etc.live these wonderful lives with these wonderful jobs and I for one always wonder for being so blessed do they give back.Thank You Dick Van Dyke for your unselfishness for giving back Thank You for your comedy .If I had to some up in one sentence what I got from this book it is that IT Makes Me Want To Be A Better Man.Highly Recommended.
The Dick Van Dyke show may be my all time favorite series, and I will still watch the re-runs although I know each show by heart. I grew up in Reno and was thrilled when my parents took me to see Mr. Van Dyke in The Music Man, one of my favorite plays. I was too young to enjoy Diagnosis Murder but I know many older people loved it so I'm sure it was great. Needless to say, I'm a big fan. However, I found this book rather disappointing. The writing was flat, simple, and repeated some of itself throughout. I enjoyed the early chapters which recalled Mr. Van Dyke's childhood with his friends and family. More so, I really liked reading about his beginnings as a performer. I'm always amazed at what so many of these people went through before becoming stars. I couldn't have been less interested in his relationship with Michelle Marvin, who I always regarded as a spoiled, bitchy woman. Mr. Van Dyke's writing of her wasn't thoughtful enough for me to change my mind. I admired that he discussed his battles with nicotine and alcohol. I saw Cold Turkey, and The Morning After as a young teen and remembered them both as being well done films. However, Mr. Van Dyke never goes into depth with any of his subject matter. Everything is glossed over pretty rapidly and I never felt as if I was learning anything new. Okay, he's a funny, talented, nice guy who worked with some amazing people. He opposes war, doesn't think God is an all powerful being, loves Bill Clinton and Obama. Geez, isn't that pretty much everyone in Hollywood? I mean, I would have just loved to hear more about his relationships with the people he worked with. I don't know, maybe I expected too much. Maybe, after all, it's like the book kept saying, Dick Van Dyke is a hard guy to get to know. I won't read it again.
Mr. Van Dyke's memoir is one of the most well-written, egaging memoirs I've ever read. Instead of two solid chapters of family tree ancestoral history as memoirs often do, he jumps right into his life as a youngster and his pathway to success.
The way in which Dick Van Dyke acts on the screen - likeable, friendly, warm, and funny - is the same way in which his memoir is written.
Tales of the "Golden Age" of TV and Hollywood straight from the mouth (or keyboard) from someone who was there are priceless! The tales of finding his niche on the networks with different acts, partners, and wages are candid and well-written.
What shocked me most were the personal struggles of miscarriage, alcoholism, and poverty - none of which I associated with the breezy, easy going actor. It was inspiring to hear someone with such a pleasant disposition and keen sense of comedy could have been through some of the events Dick Van Dyke experienced.
For any Dick Van Dyke fan or old school Hollywood fan!
Great read!
The way in which Dick Van Dyke acts on the screen - likeable, friendly, warm, and funny - is the same way in which his memoir is written.
Tales of the "Golden Age" of TV and Hollywood straight from the mouth (or keyboard) from someone who was there are priceless! The tales of finding his niche on the networks with different acts, partners, and wages are candid and well-written.
What shocked me most were the personal struggles of miscarriage, alcoholism, and poverty - none of which I associated with the breezy, easy going actor. It was inspiring to hear someone with such a pleasant disposition and keen sense of comedy could have been through some of the events Dick Van Dyke experienced.
For any Dick Van Dyke fan or old school Hollywood fan!
Great read!
Dick van Dyke is immensely likeable as a performer and apparently, based on his new memoir, as a person as well. This book is like most of its genre, interesting, quick and not very deep. It is well worth reading, but most of the interest stems from the inherent interest in van Dyke, not from any particular literary merit of the book. However, that is beside the point in many ways for this kind of autobiography. It tells at least part of the story behind many of the shows and movies he was involved in, though not in much detail. In this book he is positive and generous regarding his colleagues in show business and evenhanded and fair to the people in his personal life as well. If you have any curiousity about Dick van Dyke, read this book; you will like him even more when you have finished it.
"I will see where the wind takes me."
Beloved TV icon Dick Van Dyke has written an upbeat memoir that begins with his humble Midwest upbringing, early career in radio then Broadway, several TV series, and movie roles. He effuses about the creative talents of his mentor Carl Reiner, reminisces with joy about costar Mary Tyler Moore, and writes tenderly about his mistress of 35 years. (Surprisingly, he has nary a positive word about the woman he was married to for 30 years, the mother of his four children. He mentions her not unkindly, but with indifference.)
This is exactly the kind of book I expected from Dick; it's bubbly, modest, and interesting, just like him, with no behind-the-scenes dirt about his famous colleagues. He's certainly had problems in his life, but they are minimized. He makes it clear that he adores performing and, at 85, has no plans to quit.
He writes very well and the story bounds along; I read it in one sitting. Highly recommended for his fans.
This is exactly the kind of book I expected from Dick; it's bubbly, modest, and interesting, just like him, with no behind-the-scenes dirt about his famous colleagues. He's certainly had problems in his life, but they are minimized. He makes it clear that he adores performing and, at 85, has no plans to quit.
He writes very well and the story bounds along; I read it in one sitting. Highly recommended for his fans.
Beautifully written memoir by a most beloved and talented performer. I couldn't put it down. I didn't want it to end. Down-to-earth, honest account of his career highs and lows, his heartbreaks, his faith, and his belief that love matters most of all. I would venture to say that Dick's great capacity for love has been responsible for his luck and perhaps even his enormous talent. This book is a reminder that Dick Van Dyke has blessed us with both his artistry and his character.
A Quick, Easy, and Pleasant Read
I have a deep appreciation for individuals who bring laughter into my life. Two such individuals are Carl Reiner and Dick Van Dyke. The first created and wrote something funny. The latter applied all of his talents to those scripts, and brought those words and situations to life. What a joy! Now to the book.
The book is, indeed, a quick, easy, and pleasant read. I sympathize with the reviewer who wanted a longer book. However, that disappointment is not overly significant. I always find it interesting to read how someone started in the business that they are in. Mr. Van Dyke worked very hard to become successful in the entertainment industry, and that part of the book is a nice chronicle of his rise to success.
I think it comes across that Mr. Van Dyke is a very decent person who likes to be considerate of others. That can be seen by his leaving his church when an elder didn't want African-Americans to visit the church. He gave a speech at an event that Martin Luther King, Jr. was attending, and he received recognition for his work for the Brotherhood of Christians and Jews. In addition, he has donated his time and talents to various charitable causes.
I suspect many readers will have a hard time reconciling his espoused views of family values and his marital infidelity. Others will only be concerned with his body of work in the entertainment industry and leave it to the persons involved to pass judgement. He lived with Michelle Triola while still married to his wife Margie. Eventually, he and his wife did divorce, but he and Michelle never married. He says it was a procrastination thing on her part. He was with her for over thirty years until her death. I found it somewhat interesting that there were no pictures of her in his book.
The book, as with much of life, has topics that contain both happiness and sorrow. One such topic is Dinky the chimp. I won't ruin it for the reader. Another concerns his granddaughter Jessica. Reading his thoughts about her will touch the reader's heart.
To sum it all up, I still like what I know of Dick Van Dyke as a person, and I still appreciate his body of work---from the Dick Van Dyke Show, to Mary Poppins, to Diagnosis Murder. I'm glad I read the book.
The book is, indeed, a quick, easy, and pleasant read. I sympathize with the reviewer who wanted a longer book. However, that disappointment is not overly significant. I always find it interesting to read how someone started in the business that they are in. Mr. Van Dyke worked very hard to become successful in the entertainment industry, and that part of the book is a nice chronicle of his rise to success.
I think it comes across that Mr. Van Dyke is a very decent person who likes to be considerate of others. That can be seen by his leaving his church when an elder didn't want African-Americans to visit the church. He gave a speech at an event that Martin Luther King, Jr. was attending, and he received recognition for his work for the Brotherhood of Christians and Jews. In addition, he has donated his time and talents to various charitable causes.
I suspect many readers will have a hard time reconciling his espoused views of family values and his marital infidelity. Others will only be concerned with his body of work in the entertainment industry and leave it to the persons involved to pass judgement. He lived with Michelle Triola while still married to his wife Margie. Eventually, he and his wife did divorce, but he and Michelle never married. He says it was a procrastination thing on her part. He was with her for over thirty years until her death. I found it somewhat interesting that there were no pictures of her in his book.
The book, as with much of life, has topics that contain both happiness and sorrow. One such topic is Dinky the chimp. I won't ruin it for the reader. Another concerns his granddaughter Jessica. Reading his thoughts about her will touch the reader's heart.
To sum it all up, I still like what I know of Dick Van Dyke as a person, and I still appreciate his body of work---from the Dick Van Dyke Show, to Mary Poppins, to Diagnosis Murder. I'm glad I read the book.
A pleasant read from a pleasant guy
Dick Van Dyke's memoir, written now that he's "circling the drain," as he puts it, but still in possession of all his faculties, is a smoothly-written account of his life and sixty-plus-year career in show business: a happy childhood in Danville, Illinois, with his younger brother Jerry, his stint in Special Services during World War II, his marriage and family life, and the innumerable show business jobs he had across the country before finally hitting it big with the musical Bye Bye Birdie and The Dick Van Dyke Show. Other shows and movies followed: Mary Poppins, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Van Dyke and Company, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and of course Diagnosis Murder (which my husband and I have always called Diagnosis Van Dyke). At 85 Van Dyke is still busy--with volunteer work, his singing group, a nascent one-man play, and with children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Early in his career, Van Dyke decided he wanted to specialize in family entertainment. Defining himself clearly would help his career in the long run, he thought, and he wanted to make movies that he could comfortably take his children to see. The book is comparable in tone to the on-screen entertainment that Van Dyke built his career on. He touches on the dark episodes of his life--alcoholism and his addiction to smoking, a mid-life crisis, the end of his marriage, deaths of friends and family--but it is by no means a negative read. Nor is it at all salacious or mean.
Scattered throughout the book are interesting bits of behind-the-scenes information: that Carl Reiner, the genius behind The Dick Van Dyke Show, kept political references and slang out of his scripts with a view to making the show timeless; that Van Dyke had to donate $4000 to an art school Walt Disney had founded before he was allowed to play the ancient banker in Mary Poppins (a role for which he wasn't compensated!); that P.L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, wanted Disney to remove all the animation from the movie. (Happily, Walt Disney overruled her, and created a masterpiece from what I think was a mediocre book.) Van Dyke also mentions his dissatisfaction with some aspects of the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in particular the movie's director:
"Soon after I heard him swear in front of the children one too many times, and I finally had words with him. Above all else, it showed that he had no feel for the family-oriented material. As for the material in general, let's just say that enough scenes were done on the fly or redone at the last minute that I lost faith that the version that finally showed up in theaters would match anyone's expectations, and I think I was right."
Van Dyke writes that he and Rob Petrie (his character on The Dick Van Dyke Show) are basically the same person: they're both affable, slightly clumsy family guys. He certainly comes off as a nice guy in the book, someone who has lived a joy-filled life for the most part, and who is happiest when he's making people laugh.
-- Debra Hamel
Early in his career, Van Dyke decided he wanted to specialize in family entertainment. Defining himself clearly would help his career in the long run, he thought, and he wanted to make movies that he could comfortably take his children to see. The book is comparable in tone to the on-screen entertainment that Van Dyke built his career on. He touches on the dark episodes of his life--alcoholism and his addiction to smoking, a mid-life crisis, the end of his marriage, deaths of friends and family--but it is by no means a negative read. Nor is it at all salacious or mean.
Scattered throughout the book are interesting bits of behind-the-scenes information: that Carl Reiner, the genius behind The Dick Van Dyke Show, kept political references and slang out of his scripts with a view to making the show timeless; that Van Dyke had to donate $4000 to an art school Walt Disney had founded before he was allowed to play the ancient banker in Mary Poppins (a role for which he wasn't compensated!); that P.L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, wanted Disney to remove all the animation from the movie. (Happily, Walt Disney overruled her, and created a masterpiece from what I think was a mediocre book.) Van Dyke also mentions his dissatisfaction with some aspects of the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in particular the movie's director:
"Soon after I heard him swear in front of the children one too many times, and I finally had words with him. Above all else, it showed that he had no feel for the family-oriented material. As for the material in general, let's just say that enough scenes were done on the fly or redone at the last minute that I lost faith that the version that finally showed up in theaters would match anyone's expectations, and I think I was right."
Van Dyke writes that he and Rob Petrie (his character on The Dick Van Dyke Show) are basically the same person: they're both affable, slightly clumsy family guys. He certainly comes off as a nice guy in the book, someone who has lived a joy-filled life for the most part, and who is happiest when he's making people laugh.
-- Debra Hamel
DIAGNOSIS: GREAT FUN TO READ!!!!
This book is a pleasure to read! There's not a boring page in the entire book. I only wish there was more to read! It was that good! Dick Van Dyke takes you through his life and great career but it's his sharing of his personal life that I really enjoyed. He is one of the few Hollywood stars who shares his fears, insecurities and is so humble to call all of his good fortune "luck". His sharing of his thoughts and debating the "mysteries of life" was really interesting to read and helpful to me, too, as I have often wondered about many of the same things. Dick Van Dyke is such a likeable star in movies, the stage and TV and now in print, too! I highly recommend this wonderful book!
A gentleman's examination of his own life
I've always loved Dick Van Dyke so I approached this book with both fear and anticipation. Too often autobiographies introduce a person who does not stand up to the fantasy created by movie and televisioin roles and careful publicists. Yes there were things that were hard to reconcile with the happy-go-lucky Bert, or unfailingly "right" Caractacus Potts. But these very human struggles and triumphs are what make Dick Van Dyke exactly the same as, and profoundly more than, all of his most famous roles.
I have no complaints about this book, but I will allow myself a small whine. It was too short. Every chapter could have been expanded into a full book of its own, as far as I am concerned.
Do not read this if you're hoping for backstage scandal or biting tattles on co-stars. Mr. Van Dyke is a gentleman who opens his own life to the reader but leaves other people to tell their own stories.
I have no complaints about this book, but I will allow myself a small whine. It was too short. Every chapter could have been expanded into a full book of its own, as far as I am concerned.
Do not read this if you're hoping for backstage scandal or biting tattles on co-stars. Mr. Van Dyke is a gentleman who opens his own life to the reader but leaves other people to tell their own stories.
Many celebrities approach writing their memoirs with utmost care and after finishing Dick Van Dyke's new book, "My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business", one gets the feeling that Mr. Van Dyke was thoughtful in his prose. Yet, the actor/comedian/singer/dancer (and one of America's all-time favorite personalities) is straightforward with the ups and downs of his life and career and his book is more revealing than many memoirs penned by other famous people.
To have remembered Dick Van Dyke, especially from his show in the early 1960s, is to re-visit a time when comedy was candid but not overdone. As Van Dyke indicates, his show is still funny in syndication because, well, it was and still is funny! I must admit that I didn't know the downside of the author's life....his alcoholism, marriage problems, and yes, even smoking. He handles them in a manner that I would have come to expect of him...up front and non-dramatic. Had he approached these subjects in a harsher fashion it would not have been characteristic. Van Dyke explains these issues and moves on.
The book is a fun read and filled with anecdotes from his long career. With that career he also presents many "flops" in which he took part. It's important to remember that stars as big as Dick Van Dyke often have had more failures than successes, but his positive outlook, family support and stamina really helped him throughout. "My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business" is a warm and honest appraisal of a performer we, ourselves, have been lucky to know for over fifty years.
To have remembered Dick Van Dyke, especially from his show in the early 1960s, is to re-visit a time when comedy was candid but not overdone. As Van Dyke indicates, his show is still funny in syndication because, well, it was and still is funny! I must admit that I didn't know the downside of the author's life....his alcoholism, marriage problems, and yes, even smoking. He handles them in a manner that I would have come to expect of him...up front and non-dramatic. Had he approached these subjects in a harsher fashion it would not have been characteristic. Van Dyke explains these issues and moves on.
The book is a fun read and filled with anecdotes from his long career. With that career he also presents many "flops" in which he took part. It's important to remember that stars as big as Dick Van Dyke often have had more failures than successes, but his positive outlook, family support and stamina really helped him throughout. "My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business" is a warm and honest appraisal of a performer we, ourselves, have been lucky to know for over fifty years.
It is no surprise that Dick Van Dyke tells a good story. Afterall, we are talking about the man who conquered theater (Bye Bye Birdie), television (the groundbreaking sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show), movies (Mary Poppins) and is quite the versatile singer/ dancer.
In MY LUCKY LIFE, Mr. Van Dyke displays another asset to his flawfless charm: the fact that he is a down-to-earth, good person. Yes, he is talented (see the above partial roster of his successes) but he is also a sweet, likable fellow and that shines through on every page.
In an honest, fun way, he turns his audience into friends and relates the story of his life - from his middle class beginnings to Broadway and Hollywood. With a grace that is admirable, Mr. Van Dyke relates the highs and lows of his life with an admirable dignity and abundant amount of grace that make an excellent read even more so.
After reading a few pages it won't come as a surprise to any reader to discover that he is not going to tell x-rated stories about the underbelly of the acting world. Here is a fellow dedicated to his craft and rises above it all. It makes the retelling of his life even more enjoyable for his readers and fans - whom I am sure must tally in the millons.
In MY LUCKY LIFE, Mr. Van Dyke displays another asset to his flawfless charm: the fact that he is a down-to-earth, good person. Yes, he is talented (see the above partial roster of his successes) but he is also a sweet, likable fellow and that shines through on every page.
In an honest, fun way, he turns his audience into friends and relates the story of his life - from his middle class beginnings to Broadway and Hollywood. With a grace that is admirable, Mr. Van Dyke relates the highs and lows of his life with an admirable dignity and abundant amount of grace that make an excellent read even more so.
After reading a few pages it won't come as a surprise to any reader to discover that he is not going to tell x-rated stories about the underbelly of the acting world. Here is a fellow dedicated to his craft and rises above it all. It makes the retelling of his life even more enjoyable for his readers and fans - whom I am sure must tally in the millons.
And interesting guy....worth the read
Read the book on my Kindle. Enjoyed getting to know more about the guy who always made me laugh. As I suspected, there is an introspective person under all that humor.
I remember watching the original Dick Van Dyke show as a kid and never missing a show. Saw Dick and Mary Tyler Moore do The Gin Game in Cleveland, OH. They were excellent in portraying the message even if the premise of the script was depressing. Will always look forward to Dick Van Dyke performances. Hope his one many show comes to Cleveland, OH.
I remember watching the original Dick Van Dyke show as a kid and never missing a show. Saw Dick and Mary Tyler Moore do The Gin Game in Cleveland, OH. They were excellent in portraying the message even if the premise of the script was depressing. Will always look forward to Dick Van Dyke performances. Hope his one many show comes to Cleveland, OH.
A memoir that fits the classic, talented star
I've been a lifelong fan of Dick Van Dyke and I was excited to read his memoir.
You will love the book if you:
1. Want to know how much hard work and talent it takes to have the long, successful career of a man like Dick Van Dyke
2. Understand the humble beginnings and challenges of making it in show business
3. Love to learn about the benefits of being a star and the opportunity to meet some of the world's most famous people
4. Appreciate life when times were simpler, people were more civilized, and talent meant having actual ability
5. Want an unabridged compendium of Mr. Van Dyke
This book probably isn't for you if you:
1. Want to intimately understand what motivates Mr. Van Dyke
2. Desire details and dirt about him or others
3. Seek a memoir that is a brilliant example of the art of writing a memoir.
That said, I loved this book and found the content and style in keeping with a man of his refinement and maturity. The book revealed that Mr. Van Dyke is a man not unlike the role he played as Rob Petrie - He's kind, incredibly talented, thoughtful and a class act.
You will love the book if you:
1. Want to know how much hard work and talent it takes to have the long, successful career of a man like Dick Van Dyke
2. Understand the humble beginnings and challenges of making it in show business
3. Love to learn about the benefits of being a star and the opportunity to meet some of the world's most famous people
4. Appreciate life when times were simpler, people were more civilized, and talent meant having actual ability
5. Want an unabridged compendium of Mr. Van Dyke
This book probably isn't for you if you:
1. Want to intimately understand what motivates Mr. Van Dyke
2. Desire details and dirt about him or others
3. Seek a memoir that is a brilliant example of the art of writing a memoir.
That said, I loved this book and found the content and style in keeping with a man of his refinement and maturity. The book revealed that Mr. Van Dyke is a man not unlike the role he played as Rob Petrie - He's kind, incredibly talented, thoughtful and a class act.
Dick Van Dyke has always been one of my favorite people in show business. Such a talented person who can't help but put a smile on your face. His original show will go down in TV history, as one of the very best of all time. This book tells us how the life of a man, who is so very talented and brings happiness to so many people is just like we are.
He has his ghosts in the closet and his life has had its' down times. Some of these things I would rather have not read, but it just makes Dick more human. He truly is a person who I would love to sit down with and just talk. Amazing personality and an wonderful, shy, non assuming, great guy.
And....hats off to Dick for allowing readers to see into his personal life and how he attributed much of his success to others like Carl Reiner, MTM, his cast and of course to his idol, the beloved, Stan Laurel.
Well worth the read, but don't be alarmed if Dick is only human with frailties, just like the rest of us.
Great entertainer. But better man.
He has his ghosts in the closet and his life has had its' down times. Some of these things I would rather have not read, but it just makes Dick more human. He truly is a person who I would love to sit down with and just talk. Amazing personality and an wonderful, shy, non assuming, great guy.
And....hats off to Dick for allowing readers to see into his personal life and how he attributed much of his success to others like Carl Reiner, MTM, his cast and of course to his idol, the beloved, Stan Laurel.
Well worth the read, but don't be alarmed if Dick is only human with frailties, just like the rest of us.
Great entertainer. But better man.
What a Shock I Dislike Dick Van Dyke
I've set aside My Lucky Life just short of half way. I doubt I'll pick it up again. It isn't terribly written but Dick Van Dyke is kind of a jerk. I have so enjoyed his work my whole life it never occurred to me that I would not like him, but I don't. From his attitude to his significant other, his ambivalence toward the country which provided the opportunity for his "lucky life" to a cheap shot at a deceased former President he is not a great guy. I'm very sorry I bought the book.
A bit too self-congratulatory for me
I wondered if I would be the only person with something negative to say about the beloved Rob Petrie's book. Close, but not quite. The term "sugar-coated" comes to mind. His endlessly-repeated declarations of his devotion to family values contrast puzzlingly with the fact that he cheated on his wife with another woman (who he never got around to marrying), and of course there's the drinking (which is not entirely his fault, I agree). He is extremely proud of himself and the crowing and rampant name-dropping just get to be a bit much as the book progresses. The only balance to what he seems to describe as not so much a "lucky" life but rather the life of a pretty darn impressive human comes near the end when he (oops, could there be a crack in this perfect veneer?) lets it slip that more than one person has found him difficult to get close to. Dick dismisses that by explaining that he may have seemed somewhat distant because of all the deep thoughts he is always thinking (yes, really) about important things like God and the human condition. Or maybe he was difficult to get close to because of simple, all-encompassing self-absorption. If this review seems harsh, it may be because I was so disappointed to discover so little substance in such a thoroughly likable character. He really has always seemed like such a regular-guy everyman, with "seemed" being the operative word. How dare I presume to know this person, and then get angry because he's apparently not the man I conjured up based on his acting roles? So....to review the book instead of the man, I'll just say that it starts out interesting but soon lapses into redundant themes, which ultimately led to figurative eye-rolling on my part.
Toots Sweet Toots Sweet
Biography that's also a sweet
My favorite TV series almost without exception (your Show of Shows) - I have always loved everything about this series, the actors, the re runs, anything I could get hold of.
And Van Dyke as well. I do not think I have missed anything he performed in that I did not see with eagerness and happiness.
However, he should have had someone else work on this biography with him. Even I know that his life was not nearly as smooth as is written here. It is not so much that he has left anything out, it just doesn't have the impact which must have followed.
For instance, there is nothing in the book about the fact that it took a great response from the TV fans to get the series to go on - these are the days when it meant writing a letter, addressing it properly, stamping it and getting into the mail. (And I was one of those.)
I give this as an example. His marriage, divorce, alcohol, problems relating to others, are completely missing or glossed over.
I certainly wish one my favorite actors no ill will. I was just disappointed in the book.
Georgia Hollinger
Biography that's also a sweet
My favorite TV series almost without exception (your Show of Shows) - I have always loved everything about this series, the actors, the re runs, anything I could get hold of.
And Van Dyke as well. I do not think I have missed anything he performed in that I did not see with eagerness and happiness.
However, he should have had someone else work on this biography with him. Even I know that his life was not nearly as smooth as is written here. It is not so much that he has left anything out, it just doesn't have the impact which must have followed.
For instance, there is nothing in the book about the fact that it took a great response from the TV fans to get the series to go on - these are the days when it meant writing a letter, addressing it properly, stamping it and getting into the mail. (And I was one of those.)
I give this as an example. His marriage, divorce, alcohol, problems relating to others, are completely missing or glossed over.
I certainly wish one my favorite actors no ill will. I was just disappointed in the book.
Georgia Hollinger
Reads like he's telling you his life story...one he finds infinitely more entertaining than I did. I've always been a fan, but the fact that he thinks he did nothing wrong in his whole life seemed a tad strange to me. It's a fast read, with a few things that hadn't been leaked to the press before release, but really--not much here.
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While this memoir wasn't particularly deep (he didn't dwell on the 'what ifs' or ruminate on the misfortunes that fame can present)or highly detailed, it was loaded with a lot of interesting anecdotes that fleshed out the story of his life. In passing, he recalls missing a job interview with a network in Chicago and a fleeting (and I mean fleeting) one- sided exchange with broadcaster Dave Garroway. He talks about the people he grew up with in Danville, Il which included Bobby Short, Gene Hackman (via his friendship with Hackman's cousin), and Donald O'Connor.
Told in a rambling, conversational tone, this book is very readable and easy to get into. I also think that it illustrates that Van Dyke is one of those guys that can be described as 'what you see is what you get'. He comes across as a very nice person who is very easy to relate to because he is not full of himself. In many ways Van Dyke's life hasn't been perfect, but he has the hindsight to realize it has been a good one.