When it comes to Dick Van Dyke's illustrious career, it's hard to imagine him doing something else. After all, he developed a legion of followers after starring in projects like The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and more. But it turns out there may have been one other project he could've been a part of ... had he not decided to go in a different direction.
When MeTV released an article in May 2025 about Dick's career, the outlet brought up a previous conversation the actor had with the Pensacola News Journal back in 1977. At the time, Dick discussed how he was looking to do something different after his sitcom The New Dick Van Dyke Show (not to be confused with the original series) ended after three seasons in 1974. It was around this time that Dick saw a surprise opening he was willing to consider as his next acting project.
After Dick realized actor McLean Stevenson (who portrayed Henry Blake) was leaving the hit sitcom M*A*S*H after three seasons, this led him to think about potentially trying to get a part on the show.
"When McLean Stevenson left M*A*S*H, I thought, 'That’s a great spot,'" he stated at the time. "You’re working with talented people and good material. I’m about the right age for a commanding officer. It actually flashed in my mind to ask for it."
As it turned out, starring in M*A*S*H wasn't the next step in Dick's acting journey. McLean was eventually replaced by Harry Morgan (who played Sherman Potter), while Dick decided to team up with his friend Carol Burnett and star on The Carol Burnett Show.
While joining The Carol Burnett Show may have seemed like a step backwards for Dick after having his own TV shows, he told the outlet the prospect of working with Carol had been in the works for quite some time.
"We started talking about it in the 1950s when she first came to New York," he added at the time. "I could have had a show of my own, but I’m getting to that age where I wanted to enjoy myself. I now do all the things I like to do, but I don’t have to shoulder the responsibility."
Clearly this was a good move for Dick, and he's continued starring in different movies and TV shows since then. In fact, he added a surprise acting credit back in December 2024, when he and his family were the subjects of Coldplay's music video for the band's single "ALL MY LOVE."
Talk about an amazing career!
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
