Van Dyke and Company (1976– )

I loved this show as a kid! I was so disappointed it got canceled so fast, it was truly funny. It was my introduction to Andy Kaufman, and he developed/performed most of his regular shtick on this show.

To the best of my memory: In the first episode Dick Van Dyke had a "Fonzie" look-a-like contest and the winner was this big black guy; the loser was Andy, as his foreign guy (early Latke Gravas). Andy was so upset and weepy he lost "i don't know how I lost, I love Fonzie, everyone says I am just like him when i go 'heyyyy'(thumbs up)". Dick let him tell a joke so he will stop whining, at which point AK went into a pointless and absurdly hilarious story, all as the foreign guy. "Tank you veddy much."

The following week, he walked onto stage, interrupting Van Dyke's monologue. "I had so much fun last time I came to tell another joke. Tank you veddy much". It became a running gag for all eight weeks, each week he would wander onto the show, and interrupt a sketch in progress, and then it became his shtick. And he did jokes, songs, Mighty Mouse, etc... each week he was still the foreign guy, and then one week... He says to Dick that he can do an Elvis impersonation. Dick and us thought it would be like his Fonzie, seriously up until now I "bought" that he was the foreign guy, so immersed was Andy in the role... when he turned around, stripped his suit off and revealed his inner Elvis, which if you ever saw Kaufman do, you know is amazingly dead on. This was before Elvis had died too, and be foe Evis impersonation was such a genre unto itself.... anyway, I know I have not written much about Dick Van Dyke!

The other thing I remember from this show was that a mime troupe, I think they were called the L.A. Mime company, was on it. I knew a couple of the performers, and I was really fascinated by mimes at the time, so that was why I tuned in. Dick Van Dyke is no slouch in the art of physical comedy, so it was a good combo. I loved the show as a 14 year old. I wish it was on DVD. DVD (Dick Van Dyke)on DVD! It is a natural!

Brian Markovitz