The Dick Van Dyke Show Solidified Its Spot In '60s TV With A Televised Tumble
One of the most famous moments in TV history came on September 26, 1962 with the airing of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" episode "Never Name a Duck," the first episode of the second season. During the opening credits of the show, Rob Petrie (Van Dyke) entered through his front door while the upbeat theme music (composed by Earle Hagan) played on the soundtrack. The announcer shouted out the names of the stars: Dick Van Dyke, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Larry Matthews, and Mary Tyler Moore. Rob stepped out of a foyer and immediately tripped over a large ottoman in his way. Van Dyke, a brilliant physical comedian, tumbled all the way over, rolling over his shoulder and landing on his back. It remains, to this day, one of the most celebrated pratfalls in the history of the medium.
For many years, certain audience members assumed the fall was accidental and that the show's creator, Carl Reiner, left it in the opening credits as a gag. It turns out that the fall was indeed choreographed and Van Dyke did the stunt purposefully. The "Rob falls over an ottoman" gag has been parodied endlessly since, having been referenced in "Family Guy," "Tiny Toon Adventures," and even "WandaVision." It is an indelible part of popular culture.
Reiner seems to have known that the moment would become iconic, as — according to LAist — he played a clever prank on audiences with it. Reiner, you see, filmed three separate opening sequences: one where Rob fell over, one where Rob cleverly sidestepped the ottoman and one where Rob bumped into the ottoman but didn't fall.
Reiner then randomly rotated between the three of them. Audiences never knew which one they would get.
Takin' all bets
Van Dyke has, of course, been asked about his famous fall numerous times in his career. The actor, now 98, is happy to discuss it. In Entertainment Weekly, Van Dyke recalled the random opening sequence became a game for some viewers ... and money exchanged hands. He said:
"People were placing bets on whether I would or wouldnt. [...] They say, 'Would you fall over something for us?' And I say, 'I can still do it, but now it hurts.'"
Always a cut-up, that guy.
The episode's director, John Rich, recalled the actual filming of the various opening sequences, speaking to the Archive of American Television back in 2012. He remembered the entire process and that he was actually impatient with the shoot as it was conceived of at the last minute, right at the end of his shift. Rich had plans for the evening; he needed to be in Malibu for a romantic interlude. Rich recalled his conversation with Reiner as being full of exasperation. He said:
"The way that came about was interesting. I think I had done show six or seven; we hadn't been on the air yet. We were wrapping up, and I had a date. I was not married at the time, and I had a date with a girl in Malibu or someplace. I'd actually get out! I said 'Let's wrap it up' when Carl said 'Oh my God! I forgot! John, I forgot, we need an opening!' 'What do you mean? An opening what?' He said 'For the show!' Well, for the first year, we had [still] pictures, and he was tired of that, Carl was."
Okay, what was to be done?
Tread carefully
Rich continued:
"[Carl] said 'We need a cleverer opening.' 'Oh God, what do you want to do?' He said 'Let's do something ...' I said 'Who's in the shot?' He said 'Everybody!' Oh, Christ. I said 'Alright Rosie, Morey ... and Dick comes home ...' Carl said, 'He falls!' I said, 'Great! He falls.' I wanna get out. I said 'Dick, trip over the stool.' I set it up as a one-shot. They're all in the foreground, [the door opens], Dick comes in, [he waves], falls down, they all cluster around and pick him up. I said 'Print! That's it! We're good!'"
Was Rich going to make his date? It certainly seemed like it was the case. He's lucky the cast of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" was so professional. Sadly, Carl Reiner broke in with a "clever" idea that made Rich roll his eyes. The director related with exhaustion:
"Carl said 'let's do a variation.' Very clever. 'Let's do one where he misses the stool, and we'll change it week-by-week!' I said 'Very clever.' (Lemme get the hell outta here!) I came in, I said 'Do the same thing, same business, miss the stool.' Which [Van Dyke] did. It was actually two takes, that fast. Maybe four minutes. And that became the signature of the show."
Rich, you'll be happy to know, did indeed make it to his date on time. Rich would go on to win an Emmy for "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and two for his work on "All in the Family." He would direct episodes of some of the hottest TV shows of the day, including "Mister Ed," "The Jeffersons," "Gilligan's Island," and "The Brady Bunch. Rich was a reliable Hollywood for many decades. He passed away in 2012.