Emmy, Tony, and Grammy award-winning singer, dancer, and actor Dick Van Dyke is 97 years old today. Possibly best-known for his eponymous TV series in the 1960s, Dick has entertained us for over 70 years and shows no signs of slowing down. He played Bert in the 1964 movie Mary Poppins, where he proved that, as talented as he is, he couldn’t do a Cockney accent. “Chim Chim Cher-ee” was written by the Sherman brothers and won the 1964 Academy Award for Best Original Song.
The Sound of One Hand Typing 
One of my son’s very favorite songs. He loves music–couldn’t care less about movies otherwise. So Mary Poppins (Chim Chim Churry his favorite–well no, he loves Step in Time even more) , Nutcracker, and Wizard of Oz are his current favorites, but he loves Music Man, too, and White Christmas.
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My nephew liked “The Music Man” too, especially “Shipoopi.” He’d run around my brother’s apartment when it was playing, then at the end yell “Poopi!”
“Mary Poppins” was an excellent movie. We went as a family (Mom, Dad, and the three of us) to a Sunday matinee when it first came out (I don’t think I had turned eight yet). We rarely did that when we weren’t on vacation. I’ve heard the movie “Saving Mr. Banks” was about Walt Disney trying to get the rights to the character from P. L. Travers. It was one of his last projects…
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He is still going strong…maybe its his young wife that keeps him limber. Sorry, the devil in me. I heard and read that he is one of the most liked people. You know, I just never cared if his accent was bad or good, I just liked watching him sing and dance. The song he sings with the penguins, when he lowers his pants…who knew he would create a fashion craze with young men 50 years later. All the young guys with their pants hanging low looking like the went doodoo in their pants, must have loved this song.
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That’s pretty much the way everyone feels about him. He was quite a physical comic back on The Dick Van Dyke Show and a fantastic dancer. He and Mary Tyler Moore were perfect dance partners.
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A classic. I saw a snippet of him dancing with his wife earlier this year I think. Amazing.
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Quite a few entertainers are living into their 90’s and going strong. It’s a blessing, I think.
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And he is so well liked by everyone who has ever had the pleasure of working with him.
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I believe it!
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Now there’s a movie that holds up.
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It’s a true classic, and the soundtrack is maybe the best one the Sherman brothers ever wrote.
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Happy Birthday Mr Van Dyke. I remember this movie John and the rap he took for a lousy cockney accent!
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Van Dyke is fantastic in the movie with his singing and dancing. Most people couldn’t care less that his accent was so bad.
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I loved the film
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Back to simpler times on this one. Thanks, John
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They don’t make movies like this anymore. Disney should get back to making movies that Walt would be proud of…
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I agree.
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This song always makes me smile.
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The song won an Academy Award that year, largely because it made people smile.
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I used to happily sing along with this
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I think we all did…
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Hi John – one of those evergreen songs … rather over played … but I know many love it … cheers Hilary
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It’s a great song that has lots of fans. You don’t hear i so much today….
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