The first time we go to a “big room’’ panel, and we get to hear the stories of a Disney Legend, at his very first convention. We won the lottery to see Bert…. I mean Dick Van Dyke, the legend of screen both big and small. We were close enough to hear him without the microphone and see his famous smile.
Though it was a whole ordeal to get in the con let alone the line for the panel. Queuing to que but I think it was worth it for the panel’s line.
He divulged some of the secret going-ons between Walt Disney and himself during the production of Mary Poppins, including he had to donate a large amount to Walt’s art school, Cal Arts, to have a second part under a pseudonym in the movie. That character, the old bank manager, which interestingly, Mr. Van Dyke is the same age as he was playing, and now plays the son of in the sequel which will be released December 25, 2018. Even at 92 he still has got the slapstick physical comedy and sense of humor we came to know. He even talked about his time living in Cave Creek, Arizona, and would get dinner at Monty’s la Casa Viejo, a steakhouse in Tempe, which is no longer but a piece of history in the area.
Some questions proposed by fans about Mr. Van Dyke’s career during his panel included what was his favorite character and what was the hardest dance number. To these he responded with a smile and that his favorite character to play overall was Burt the chimney sweep from Mary Poppins, and the most difficult dance number he was called upon to perform was “Me Ol’ Bamboo” from “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”. This number took him around 30 takes to complete successfully.
He explained how when he got into entertainment, he didn’t sing, he didn’t dance, and he didn’t have a clue what he was doing but got the breaks he needed and learned as he went.
Dick Van Dyke a legend of radio, film, and television, with a career spanning over 65 years, mentioned his recent interview for the Hollywood Reporter, which was included in the feature “Creative Until You Die”. This article talks about the comedians who are still around Hollywood in their 90s.
He even closed the panel with his signature stumble, which opened his eponymous show.
