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Dick Van Dyke & Chris Martin

Allan

Allan

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Chris Martin did a collaboration with Dick Van Dyke for the actor's 99th birthday.

It's the sweetest thing you'll ever see. Watch to the end to see Chris improvise a song inspired by Dick's suggested theme

 
Can't say enough about the talents of this man. there is sooo much more to him than the Dick Van Dyke Show provides us. Its just his most obvious expression, not its deepest expression. He is a mime, a natural athlete (broadly defined), an dramatic actor, a dancer, a singer and the whole package is the ultimate physical comedian of modern ( post WW2) times.

He has the one advantage necisssary in the early 50's that Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd did not need or have. He began his career as a DJ on radio and as WDSU-TV New Orleans Channel 6 (NBC) because he was blessed that clear baritone voice of an announcer
that even Ed McMahan and Walter Cronkite might envy. If he said 'good things' about a sponsor's frigidaire, or a toaster oven, or dog food, you were likely to listen to him, understand him and believe him. Behind that voice, was the mime training ( if you look at it, all great physical comedians had a background in mime) and the improv experience of his youth. he was basically in the school 'glee club' and choir throughout high school.

His total mastery of the rest of his body and his face complete the package. If you think doing a perfect and convincing pratfall without self injury is not an athletic endeavor, I want you to show me clips of your favorite professional athlete doing some. He's a basically a gymnast who also has to make you laugh with his face and gestures simultaniously so that you stop thinking about the athletic endeavor anymore.

You don't think his style of dancing is athletic? Watch his body, his perfect balance, the way he changes direction, the control over every muscle large and small from his face, through his neck, to his toes and ask yourself if your favored athlete can do what they do in time to music, to a beat, and monitor their facial expressions simultaniously. Professional athletes don't have to make what they do look so easy, you think its amusing and playful.
 
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Rexedgar said:
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Great athletes on the sports field are not required to make you feel something, or react to something while they do their work. Nobody gives a shit what their eyebrows are doing or whether their mouth twitches or their hands become fists full of tension. The television camera definitely cares because the director cares, and the director cares becomes if it looks like work, its not funny.
 
Dick Van Dyke brought a lot of smiles and lots of joy to a lot of people. Very talented man.
 
Allan said:
Chris Martin did a collaboration with Dick Van Dyke for the actor's 99th birthday.

It's the sweetest thing you'll ever see. Watch to the end to see Chris improvise a song inspired by Dick's suggested theme

Click to expand...

This is great. Thanks for posting it.
 
btthegreat said:
Can't say enough about the talents of this man. there is sooo much more to him than the Dick Van Dyke Show provides us. Its just his most obvious expression, not its deepest expression. He is a mime, a natural athlete (broadly defined), an dramatic actor, a dancer, a singer and the whole package is the ultimate physical comedian of modern ( post WW2) times.

He has the one advantage necisssary in the early 50's that Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd did not need or have. He began his career as a DJ on radio and as WDSU-TV New Orleans Channel 6 (NBC) because he was blessed that clear baritone voice of an announcer
that even Ed McMahan and Walter Cronkite might envy. If he said 'good things' about a sponsor's frigidaire, or a toaster oven, or dog food, you were likely to listen to him, understand him and believe him. Behind that voice, was the mime training ( if you look at it, all great physical comedians had a background in mime) and the improv experience of his youth. he was basically in the school 'glee club' and choir throughout high school.

His total mastery of the rest of his body and his face complete the package. If you think doing a perfect and convincing pratfall without self injury is not an athletic endeavor, I want you to show me clips of your favorite professional athlete doing some. He's a basically a gymnast who also has to make you laugh with his face and gestures simultaniously so that you stop thinking about the athletic endeavor anymore.

You don't think his style of dancing is athletic? Watch his body, his perfect balance, the way he changes direction, the control over every muscle large and small from his face, through his neck, to his toes and ask yourself if your favored athlete can do what they do in time to music, to a beat, and monitor their facial expressions simultaniously. Professional athletes don't have to make what they do look so easy, you think its amusing and playful.
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What a well written post. My mother was born the year before Dick. I can remember watching first runs of The Dick Van Dyke Show as a kid.

I wish I had his attitude very day, what a talent!
 
btthegreat said:
Great athletes on the sports field are not required to make you feel something, or react to something while they do their work.
Click to expand...


Not to detract from your post, but the great athletes, on the field, can pluck those emotions.
 
btthegreat said:
Can't say enough about the talents of this man. there is sooo much more to him than the Dick Van Dyke Show provides us. Its just his most obvious expression, not its deepest expression. He is a mime, a natural athlete (broadly defined), an dramatic actor, a dancer, a singer and the whole package is the ultimate physical comedian of modern ( post WW2) times.

He has the one advantage necisssary in the early 50's that Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd did not need or have. He began his career as a DJ on radio and as WDSU-TV New Orleans Channel 6 (NBC) because he was blessed that clear baritone voice of an announcer
that even Ed McMahan and Walter Cronkite might envy. If he said 'good things' about a sponsor's frigidaire, or a toaster oven, or dog food, you were likely to listen to him, understand him and believe him. Behind that voice, was the mime training ( if you look at it, all great physical comedians had a background in mime) and the improv experience of his youth. he was basically in the school 'glee club' and choir throughout high school.

His total mastery of the rest of his body and his face complete the package. If you think doing a perfect and convincing pratfall without self injury is not an athletic endeavor, I want you to show me clips of your favorite professional athlete doing some. He's a basically a gymnast who also has to make you laugh with his face and gestures simultaniously so that you stop thinking about the athletic endeavor anymore.

You don't think his style of dancing is athletic? Watch his body, his perfect balance, the way he changes direction, the control over every muscle large and small from his face, through his neck, to his toes and ask yourself if your favored athlete can do what they do in time to music, to a beat, and monitor their facial expressions simultaniously. Professional athletes don't have to make what they do look so easy, you think its amusing and playful.
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This encapsulates him very well.
 
Rexedgar said:
Not to detract from your post, but the great athletes, on the field, can pluck those emotions.
Click to expand...
The result of their work can make you feel excitement, admiration, and awe and envy incidental to their achievement of that goal of theirs. You watch them do it and 'wow!'

Those are the exact emotions a comedian is trying to suppress in you while they do what they do. If you are admiring Dick Van Dyke, or Carol Burnett, or Red Skelton or Lucille Ball, you are not laughing. Athletes may make it look easy, but physical comedians are obliged to make it look as though it never was planned, never trained for, an utterly spontanious happening.
 
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About 9 years ago Dick did another collaboration with Dustbowl Revival at his house. He's 90 here, and very spry.

 
Allan said:
About 9 years ago Dick did another collaboration with Dustbowl Revival at his house. He's 90 here, and very spry.

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That is not 90! I haven't yet come across any 25 year olds in my life who can do that stuff.
 
He was and probably in many ways still is an amazing talent.

We could all benefit from such an uplifting attitude.

His ability to do physical comedy even in front of crude TV cameras was amazing.

Just really have always enjoyed him.
 
btthegreat said:
Can't say enough about the talents of this man. there is sooo much more to him than the Dick Van Dyke Show provides us. Its just his most obvious expression, not its deepest expression. He is a mime, a natural athlete (broadly defined), an dramatic actor, a dancer, a singer and the whole package is the ultimate physical comedian of modern ( post WW2) times.

He has the one advantage necisssary in the early 50's that Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd did not need or have. He began his career as a DJ on radio and as WDSU-TV New Orleans Channel 6 (NBC) because he was blessed that clear baritone voice of an announcer
that even Ed McMahan and Walter Cronkite might envy. If he said 'good things' about a sponsor's frigidaire, or a toaster oven, or dog food, you were likely to listen to him, understand him and believe him. Behind that voice, was the mime training ( if you look at it, all great physical comedians had a background in mime) and the improv experience of his youth. he was basically in the school 'glee club' and choir throughout high school.

His total mastery of the rest of his body and his face complete the package. If you think doing a perfect and convincing pratfall without self injury is not an athletic endeavor, I want you to show me clips of your favorite professional athlete doing some. He's a basically a gymnast who also has to make you laugh with his face and gestures simultaniously so that you stop thinking about the athletic endeavor anymore.

You don't think his style of dancing is athletic? Watch his body, his perfect balance, the way he changes direction, the control over every muscle large and small from his face, through his neck, to his toes and ask yourself if your favored athlete can do what they do in time to music, to a beat, and monitor their facial expressions simultaniously. Professional athletes don't have to make what they do look so easy, you think its amusing and playful.
Click to expand...


He can also be a very classy human being. My grandfather grew up with him as kids in small town Illinois. 60+ years later, when Grandpa died, the phone rang for Grandma, and sure enough, it's Dick Van Dyke, who kept track, and wanted to pass his condolences and reminisce.
 
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