On something of a whim, I watched a couple of Dick Van Dyke show episodes Tuesday night. First season, so it had a different opening credit sequence from the one most people are familiar with, basically just a montage of photos. Definitely holds up as funny, though.
Made me think of something. Van Dyke has enough sweet midwestern charm to make you think he's playing an everyman. But that's not what he's doing here. The Petries are beautiful and talented, with an air of sophistication that suited the new Kennedy era. Every time Rob and Laura quarrel―which, to be fair, is a lot―it ends with a passionate kiss and the implication of mindblowing makeup sex. No, Rob Petrie and his family are aspirational figures for the audience.
Which isn't a bad thing. Most stars today are too distant in concerns and way of life now for the audience to even aspire to be them, in character or out. Inspiring cocktail party dreams like the Petries did seems quite benign.
2 comments:
I hadn't thought of Dick Van Dyke in years even though I know I watched the show with my parents all those years ago. I've looked at some bits on youtube this evening that immediately reminded me of his amazing pratfalls. His talent for falling down may have been equalled but was rarely surpassed. The cast was also perfectly chosen as a comedy ensemble whose timing was exquisite. Maybe that's just part of what was necessary in the early days of television because I can think of a few other examples - The Honeymooners and George Burns and Gracie Allen, for instance.
You're right that the Petries' sophistication was a good match for the essense of Camelot that defined that period. DeGaulle was President of France, McMillan the Prime Minister of England, Chancellor Adenauer was the leader of West Germany and Prime Minister Diefenbaker of Canada was soon followed by Pierre Trudeau. Dag Hammarskjöld was the Secretary General of the United Nations at that time. I wouldn't be too far wrong in describing those as golden years. Even the Vietnam War hadn't started yet, and the Korean War had ended years before.
Maybe I shouldn't get too sentimental about those years but at the time we didn't know just how lucky we were. The Petries were the television epitome of an American lifestyle. It's impossible to see them in a similar light as the Kardashians.
I get the feeling that television comedy at the time still carried a lot of radio influence. Well certainly with Burns and Allen and Jack Benny, who actually transferred their shows from radio to TV. But also comedy in general, the emphasis on dialogue and breaking things into discreet little scenes. There's potential in breaking a format, and some people were doing that. But the form itself was a kind of idea generator, so you can't dismiss it. As for pratfalls Van Dyke is nearing 100 and doesn't seem to have the same kind of medical problems from falling that Chevy Chase has had, so I guess he knew what he was doing.
In Canada Lester B. Pearson would have his time as well. He was older than most of the other leaders you mentioned but still stylish. Charles De Gaulle, also on the other side, still had the glow of successful leadership in WW2 to inspire his people. The influence of Vietnam would come within a few years, mostly for the worse. But in general there was still more trust among the various classes and factions.
Yeah, like I said, aspirational figures. Gave you something to aim for. And no, I could never look at the Kardashians the same way. If I had married one of them I'd probably go nuts too.
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