Happy 100th Birthday, Dick Van Dyke!

Actor, comedian, singer, and dancer Dick Van Dyke was born on December 13, 1925, which means he is turning 100 years old today. Van Dyke began his career in the military, then went on to radio and nightclubs, and became famous for his performance in the 1960 Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie, for which he won a Tony Award. That got him the starring role in The Dick Van Dyke Show from 1961 to '66 -and three Emmy Awards. He was cast as the male lead in the 1964 movie Mary Poppins, which garnered Van Dyke global fame and a Grammy Award for his performance on the movie's soundtrack album. Those roles were followed by a series of movies and TV shows, and more work on Broadway. Van Dyke spent eight years starring in the TV series Diagnosis: Murder. 

Other notable facts from Van Dyke's life include how he dropped out of high school to join the military as a pilot during World War II. He was rejected by the Army Air Force for being underweight until they accepted him as an entertainer. Van Dyke also wrote several books, including one for children based on his experience as a Sunday school teacher. There are other lesser-known facts about Dick Van Dyke's life and career you can read about here.