Jerry Van Dyke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jerry Van Dyke
Van Dyke in 1990
Born	Jerry McCord Van Dyke (1931-07-27)July 27, 1931 Danville, Illinois, U.S.
Died	January 5, 2018(2018-01-05) (aged 86) Malvern, Arkansas, U.S.
Occupation	Actor comedian
Years active	1962–2015
Spouse(s)	Carol Johnson ​ ​ (m. 1957; div. 1974)​ Shirley Ann Jones ​ (m. 1977)​
Children	3, including Kelly Jean
Relatives	Dick Van Dyke (brother) Barry Van Dyke (nephew) Shane Van Dyke (grandnephew)
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Unit	Special Services
Battles/wars	Korean War

Jerry McCord Van Dyke (born July 27, 1931 – died January 5, 2018) was a well-known American actor and comedian. He was the younger brother of the famous actor Dick Van Dyke.

Jerry Van Dyke had a long and successful career. He often played supporting roles or appeared as a guest star in many popular TV shows. He first appeared on TV in The Dick Van Dyke Show, where he played Rob Petrie's brother, Stacey. Later, from 1989 to 1997, he became very famous for his role as Luther Van Dam on the popular TV series Coach.

Early Life and Beginnings

Jerry McCord Van Dyke was born in Danville, Illinois, on July 27, 1931. His mother was Hazel Victoria McCord, a stenographer, and his father was Loren Wayne "Cookie" Van Dyke, a salesman. His family had roots from different countries, including Dutch, English, Irish, and Scottish backgrounds.

Starting His Acting Journey

Early Career Steps

Van Dyke with Stefanie Powers in McLintock! (1963)

Jerry Van Dyke started his career doing stand-up comedy while he was still in high school. In 1954 and 1955, he joined the United States Air Force and performed with a group called Tops In Blue. He entertained military members around the world and even won the All Air Force Talent Show twice.

In the mid-1950s, Van Dyke also worked at a TV station called WTHI-TV in Terre Haute, Indiana. He had his own popular show there called The Jerry Van Dyke Show.

First Steps in TV and Movies

After his first guest appearances on The Dick Van Dyke Show, Jerry also appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show twice. Because of this, CBS made him a regular on The Judy Garland Show. He also hosted a game show called Picture This in 1963. That same year, he appeared in movies like McLintock!, Palm Springs Weekend, and The Courtship of Eddie's Father.

Becoming a TV Star

Van Dyke in a publicity photo for Accidental Family (1967)

In 1963, Jerry Van Dyke was cast in an episode of GE True. When The Judy Garland Show changed its format and wasn't doing well, Van Dyke left the program. He famously turned down the role of Gilligan on Gilligan's Island, which then went to Bob Denver. He also appeared in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show and The Cara Williams Show.

Jerry Van Dyke finally took on a main role as attorney David Crabtree in the TV show My Mother the Car (1965). This show was about a man whose deceased mother was reincarnated as an old car. Even though this show wasn't a big hit, Van Dyke continued to work steadily in TV and movies. He then starred in another short-lived comedy called Accidental Family (1967). In this show, he played a comedian named Jerry Webster who bought a farm to raise his son. Critics liked the show, but it was placed in a difficult time slot on Friday nights, which led to its cancellation.

He also appeared in the movie Love and Kisses (1965) and co-starred with Andy Griffith in Angel in My Pocket (1969).

Famous TV Shows and Roles

During the 1970s, Van Dyke went back to doing stand-up comedy. He also made guest appearances on shows like Love, American Style and Fantasy Island. In 1973, he played a children's comedy writer on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He also had roles in The Amazing Cosmic Awareness of Duffy Moon (1976) and 13 Queens Boulevard (1979). In 1989, he was a panelist on a pilot for a new version of Match Game.

In 1988, Van Dyke guest-starred on the sitcom Charles in Charge. In 1989, he started playing the much-loved assistant coach Luther Van Dam on the long-running series Coach. This role was very popular, and Van Dyke was nominated for an Emmy Award four times (from 1990 to 1993) for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series."

Later Roles and Appearances

In 1995, Van Dyke appeared in commercials for Hardee's restaurants. In the late 1990s, he became the spokesperson for Big Lots stores. He also had a recurring role on Yes, Dear as Big Jimmy, the father of Jimmy Hughes.

He made a guest appearance on My Name Is Earl in 2008. In 2010, he appeared on The Middle, playing Frankie's father, Tag Spence. He returned to The Middle for several more episodes, including "Thanksgiving III" (2011), "Thanksgiving IV" (2012), "From Orson with Love" (2013), "Thanksgiving V" (2013), and "Flirting with disaster" (2015). Van Dyke also appeared on Raising Hope in 2011. In a 2013 episode of The Millers, he played Bud Miller. His final TV role was in April 2015, when he again played Frankie's father on The Middle, this time alongside his real-life brother Dick Van Dyke, who played his character's brother.

Jerry Van Dyke's Life Off-Screen

Hobbies and Family Life

Jerry Van Dyke was married twice. He had three children with his first wife, Carol: Jerri Lynn, Kelly Jean, and Ronald. Later, Jerry and his second wife, Shirley, lived on a large 800-acre ranch near Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Jerry Van Dyke loved playing poker and even announced several poker tournaments for ESPN in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was also a talented four-string banjo player. He showed off his banjo skills in several performances on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

His Final Years

Jerry Van Dyke passed away on January 5, 2018, at his ranch in Hot Spring County, Arkansas. He was 86 years old and died from heart failure. His health had been declining since a car accident two years earlier.

Movies and TV Shows

Movies

Television Shows

See also

In Spanish: Jerry Van Dyke para niños