Dick Van Dyke Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Dick Van Dyke’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $50 million, Dick Van Dyke stands as a legendary figure in the realms of acting, comedy, directing, and producing. His net worth is attributed to his extensive acting career that includes prominent roles in acclaimed films, musicals, sitcoms, and dramas, in addition to his successful endeavors as a director and producer. Notably, he is recognized for his performances in timeless musical classics such as “Bye Bye Birdie” (1963), “Mary Poppins” (1964), and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968), among numerous others.

Beginning his journey in the 1940s, Van Dyke started as a dancer on Broadway. He made his film debut in 1949 and subsequently starred in a series of successful comedies. However, it was his portrayal of Bert in “Mary Poppins” that garnered him worldwide recognition, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his notable work.

Van Dyke’s television career flourished as well. He led the sitcom “The Dick Van Dyke Show” from 1961 to 1966, which became both a critical and commercial success, winning multiple awards, including five Emmy Awards. Additionally, he starred in other sitcoms such as “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” (1971-1974) and “Diagnosis Murder” (1993-2001).

Beyond acting, Van Dyke is also an accomplished singer and dancer, having released several albums and appeared in various Broadway musicals. Moreover, he possesses ventriloquism skills and has entertained audiences with his dummy, Mortimer Snerd, for many years.

Some other notable milestones in Van Dyke’s illustrious career include:

• Winning five Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award.
• Receiving the Kennedy Center Honor in 2004.
• Being inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1996.
• Receiving the National Medal of Arts in 2007.

Early Life

Born on December 13, 1925, in West Plains, Missouri, Richard Wayne Van Dyke is widely known as Dick Van Dyke. His mother, Hazel Victoria (née McCord), worked as a stenographer, while his father Loren Wayne “Cookie” Van Dyke was a salesman. Growing up in Danville, Illinois, he shared his childhood with his younger brother Jerry Van Dyke, who also pursued a career in acting.

In his senior year of high school in 1944, Dick decided to enlist in the United States Army Air Forces to train as a pilot during World War II. Although he faced multiple rejections for being underweight, he eventually gained acceptance to serve as a radio announcer and later as a member of the Special Services, where he entertained troops.

Career

Starting in the late 1940s, Van Dyke launched his career as a radio DJ in his hometown. He partnered with pantomime performer Phil Erickson for a comedy duo, and together they toured the West Coast while also appearing on a local television program, “The Merry Mutes,” in Atlanta, Georgia, during the early 1950s. His early television credits include “Chance of a Lifetime” in 1954, “The Phil Silvers Show” (1957-1958), “The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom” on ABC, and “The Polly Bergen Show” on NBC. In 1959, Van Dyke made his Broadway debut in “The Girls Against the Boys.” He later took on the leading role in “Bye Bye Birdie,” which he performed from 1960 to 1961, ultimately winning a Tony Award for Best Featured Role.

In 1961, the musical garnered four additional Tony Awards, along with the recognition of the actor.

From 1961 onwards, Van Dyke took on the lead role in his own CBS sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” where he portrayed comedy writer Rob Petrie. This show was on air until 1966, during which he received three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Furthermore, the series itself won four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series. The cast featured a star-studded ensemble, including well-known actors like Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Jerry Paris, Ann Morgan Guilbert, and Mary Tyler Moore. Van Dyke’s subsequent endeavor was an unrelated sitcom titled “The New Dick Van Dyke Show,” airing from 1971 to 1974. Although this show was not as successful as the first, he still garnered a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. The third show that carried his name, “Van Dyke and Company,” was a brief sketch comedy program that included Andy Kaufman and Super Save Osborne. Despite its short three-month run, it impressively won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety Series.

Beyond television, Van Dyke also achieved notable success in film. His debut film role came in 1963, featuring in an adaptation of the popular musical “Bye Bye Birdie,” a role he had already played on Broadway. He then went on to star in a film regarded as a classic, Walt Disney’s “Mary Poppins” (1964), portraying Bert, a character with a Cockney accent. However, his attempt at this accent is infamous as one of the worst-ever seen in cinema. Throughout the remainder of the 1960s, he appeared in several films that generally underperformed at the box office, with the notable exception of the musical “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968). In fact, his film roles had a notable impact on his television career; for instance, after his performance in “Dick Tracy” (1990) as D.A. Fletcher, he was invited to play Dr. Mark Sloan in an episode of “Jake and the Fatman.” This opportunity ultimately led to the creation of his own show featuring Sloan, “Diagnosis: Murder,” which aired from 1993 to 2001. Several of his family members, including his son Barry Van Dyke and grandsons Shane Van Dyke and Carey Van Dyke, appeared in various episodes of “Diagnosis: Murder.”

Other Work

Aside from his acclaimed acting career, Van Dyke has also ventured into writing, having published five books: “Altar Egos” (1967), “Faith, Hope, and Hilarity”

(1970), “Those Funny Kids!” (1975), “My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business” (2011), “Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Aging” (2015).

Personal Life

In February 1948, Dick Van Dyke wed his first wife, Margerie Willett, during a live broadcast of the radio show “Bride and Groom.” Together, they had four children. Following a lengthy separation, the couple divorced in 1984.

Afterward, Dick shared a life with his long-term partner Michelle Triola Marvin until her death in 2009, a relationship that lasted over 30 years.

In 2012, Van Dyke tied the knot with makeup artist Arlene Silver, who is 46 years younger than him.

Open about his battles with alcoholism, Dick sought treatment for his addiction in 1972. For much of his adult life, he was also an avid smoker, but in 2013, he disclosed that he had quit and used Nicorette gum to manage his cravings.

Malibu Mansion

In September 1986, Dick invested $750,000 in a spacious property located in Malibu, California. The current estimated value of that property is between $7-8 million.