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 is celebrated as a legendary actor, comedian, director, and producer. His wealth was accumulated through numerous acting roles in successful films, musicals, television sitcoms, and dramas, alongside his talents as a director and producer. Among his most notable performances, he is recognized for iconic musical films such as “Bye Bye Birdie” (1963), “Mary Poppins” (1964), and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968), among others.

Beginning his career as a dancer on Broadway in the 1940s, Van Dyke made his film debut in 1949, subsequently starring in several successful comedies. International fame came to him through his portrayal of Bert in “Mary Poppins,” which also earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Van Dyke’s television career was equally prosperous. He starred in the critically acclaimed sitcom “The Dick Van Dyke Show” from 1961 to 1966, which garnered numerous awards, including five Emmy Awards. Following this success, he also appeared in the sitcoms “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” (1971-1974) and “Diagnosis Murder” (1993-2001).

Apart from acting, Van Dyke showcases his talents as a singer and dancer. He has released multiple albums and has participated in various Broadway musicals. Additionally, he is a skilled ventriloquist, performing with his dummy, Mortimer Snerd, for many years.

Van Dyke’s career includes several other notable achievements:

• He has won five Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award.
• He received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2004.
• Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1996.
• Awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2007.

Early Life

Born on December 13, 1925, in West Plains, Missouri, Dick Van Dyke, whose full name is Richard Wayne Van Dyke, was the son of Hazel Victoria (née McCord), a stenographer, and Loren Wayne “Cookie” Van Dyke, a salesman. He was raised in Danville, Illinois, alongside his younger brother Jerry Van Dyke, who also pursued an acting career.

As a senior in high school, Dick left in 1944 intending to enlist in the United States Army Air Forces to train as a pilot during World War II. Although initially denied enlistment multiple times due to being underweight, he was eventually accepted to serve as a radio announcer and later entertained troops as part of the Special Services.

Career

In the late 1940s, Van Dyke started his journey as a radio DJ in his hometown. He also formed a comedy duo with pantomime performer Phil Erickson, touring the West Coast and making appearances on a local television show, “The Merry Mutes,” in Atlanta, Georgia, during the early 1950s. Other notable early television appearances included “Chance of a Lifetime” (1954), “The Phil Silvers Show” (1957-1958), “The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom” on ABC, and “The Polly Bergen Show” on NBC. In 1959, he made his Broadway debut in “The Girls Against the Boys,” later taking the lead role in “Bye Bye Birdie” from 1960 to 1961. For his performance in “Bye Bye Birdie,” Dick earned a Tony Award for Best Featured

Actor in 1961; the musical garnered four additional Tony Awards.

Starting in 1961, Van Dyke took on the lead role in his own CBS sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” where he portrayed comedy writer Rob Petrie. The show continued airing until 1966, during which he earned three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. It also received four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series. Alongside him in the cast were notable performers including Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Jerry Paris, Ann Morgan Guilbert, and Mary Tyler Moore. His subsequent project was a different sitcom called “The New Dick Van Dyke Show,” which aired from 1971 to 1974. While this series was less well-received than his first, he still garnered a Golden Globe nomination for his role. The third series bearing his name, “Van Dyke and Company,” was a brief sketch comedy show that showcased talents like Andy Kaufman and Super Save Osborne. Although it only lasted three months, it succeeded in winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety Series.

Besides his television appearances, Van Dyke also had a remarkably successful career in film. He made his film debut in 1963 with the cinematic adaptation of the popular musical “Bye Bye Birdie,” in which he had previously starred on Broadway. Subsequently, he appeared in what is now regarded as a classic: Walt Disney’s “Mary Poppins” (1964), where he played Bert, a character with a Cockney accent. Notably, his attempt at the accent is often cited as one of the least successful in cinema. Through the latter part of the 1960s, he starred in a series of films that did not fare well at the box office, with the exception of the musical “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968). Van Dyke’s film roles had an impact on his television career; following his role as D.A. Fletcher in the movie “Dick Tracy” (1990), he was presented with an opportunity to portray Dr. Mark Sloan in an episode of “Jake and the Fatman.” This eventually led to the creation of his own television series featuring the Sloan character, “Diagnosis: Murder,” which aired from 1993 to 2001. Several family members, including his son Barry Van Dyke and grandsons Shane and Carey Van Dyke, made appearances in some episodes of “Diagnosis: Murder.”

Other Work

Apart from being a renowned actor, Van Dyke is also an accomplished author. He has written and 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

Dick Van Dyke tied the knot with his first wife, Margerie Willett, in February 1948 during a live broadcast of the radio show “Bride and Groom.” Together, they welcomed four children. After being separated for a considerable period, the couple divorced in 1984.

Following that, Van Dyke shared his life with his longtime partner, Michelle Triola Marvin, until her passing in 2009. Their relationship spanned over three decades.

In 2012, he wed makeup artist Arlene Silver, who is 46 years younger than him.

Van Dyke has candidly addressed his battle with alcoholism, having sought treatment for his addiction in 1972. For a significant part of his adult life, he was also a heavy smoker but disclosed in 2013 that he had quit smoking and switched to Nicorette gum to manage his cravings.

Malibu Mansion

In September 1986, Dick acquired a substantial property in Malibu, California, for $750,000. Currently, its estimated value ranges between $7-8 million.