Jerry Van Dyke

Acting

Jerry Van Dyke

Born 1931-07-27 · Danville, Illinois, USA

He has that same genuine likability factor, owns that same trademark lantern jaw and is just as appealing and gifted as his older brother, Dick Van Dyke, but, for decades, Jerry Van Dyke had to bear the brunt of his brother's overwhelming shadow. The comic actor was born six years younger than Dick on July 27, 1931, in Danville, Illinois. Raised there, the crew cut blond showed an aptitude for clowning in high school. His stand-up comedy venues first took the form of dives and strip clubs throughout the Deep South in which his banjo-playing became an intricate part of the routine. At one point, Jerry was a regular on the Playboy club circuit. He then set his sights on the top showrooms in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Atlantic City and became a dependable opening act. Jerry's early career should have been rightfully interrupted when he joined the Air Force in 1952. He, instead, kept the troops laughing by performing in Special Services shows. Winning a military talent contest actually earned him a couple of appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) (aka "The Ed Sullivan Show") and resulting TV exposure. Following his tour of duty, he nabbed variety appearances and a regular comic relief role on The Judy Garland Show (1963). He found comic acting parts as well on TV. Like brother Dick, who was a huge TV star by this time, Jerry also did a stint emceeing a game show. In Jerry's case, it was Picture This (1963).

Acting credits

McLintock! poster
6.6

Aging rancher and self-made man, George Washington McLintock is forced to deal with numerous personal and professional problems. Seemingly everyone wants a piece of his enormous farmstead, including high-ranking government men and nearby Native Americans. As McLintock tries to juggle his various adversaries, his wife—who left him two years previously—suddenly returns. But she isn't interested in George; she wants custody of their daughter.

McLintock!

1963

Angel in My Pocket poster
6.2

The new minister in a small town faces the challenge of winning over its eccentric citizens.

Angel in My Pocket

1969

Annabelle's Wish poster
6.6

Annabelle - a calf who has a special wish for Christmas - wants to be a reindeer and help Santa Claus drive his sleigh as he delivers his presents! Annabelle's friends tell her not to get her hopes up, but to everyone's surprise, Santa does indeed meet up with Annabelle, and the calf gets to help Santa make the holiday special for one young boy.

Annabelle's Wish

1997

The Courtship of Eddie's Father poster
5.9

Although he's only seven, Eddie's got it all figured out. He wants his father, a widower, to get remarried — to the girl next door. Unfortunately, she's not one of the women that his dad's been dating.

The Courtship of Eddie's Father

1963

Merry Christmas, George Bailey poster
6.0

Performance of the 1947 Lux Radio version of "It's a Wonderful Life", taped live in the historic Pasadena Playhouse as a benefit for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Merry Christmas, George Bailey

1997

Sid & Judy poster
7.4

Explore the dramatic career and personal struggles of the talented and tragically short-lived entertainer Judy Garland through rare concert footage, never-heard-before voice recordings and personal photos.

Sid & Judy

2019

To Grandmother's House We Go poster
6.5

When precocious twins Sarah and Julie feel like Mom is tired of them, they take off on an exciting adventure to their grandmother's house and encounter a pair of villains along the way.

To Grandmother's House We Go

1992

Palm Springs Weekend poster
5.0

Set in Palm Springs during a long, fun-filled weekend where several Los Angeles college students flock to spring break, centering on Jim who finds romance with Bunny, the daughter of Palm Springs harred, stressful police chief. Jim's bumbling roommate, Biff, tries to get Amanda, a tomboyish girl's attention with a so-called love gadget. Meanwhile, Gayle Lewis is a high school senior posing as a wealthy college girl who is pursued by Eric Dean, a wealthy and spoiled college prepie, while Gayle has eyes for a cowboy from Texas, named Stretch. Also Jim and Biff's basketball coach, Campbell, tries to romance Naomi, the owner of the motel where all of the gang is staying at, which is interfered by Naomi's young, trouble-making, brat son who's dubbed, Boom-Boom.

Palm Springs Weekend

1963

The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited poster
10.0

40 years after The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961), Alan Brady wants to hire Rob and Sally to write his eulogy - in order to win a bet with his wife. Although they don't want to do it, he offers them a huge amount of money. If Rob takes the job, Laura could open her dream dance studio.

The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited

2004

Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade poster
10.0

A festive parade at Magic Kingdom, highlighting Disney characters, seasonal performances, and musical guests, heavily celebrating the resort's 25th-anniversary "birthday cake" castle transformation.

Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade

1996

Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History poster
7.2

A campy look at the making of the 1964-67 TV series, as told by stars Bob Denver, Dawn Wells and Russell Johnson, as well as in flashbacks (actors play the castaways). Bob/Gilligan: Jon Wellner. Dawn/Mary Ann: Samantha Harris. Tina/Ginger: Kristen Dalton. Alan/Skipper: Eric Allan Kramer. Russell/Professor: Michael Wiseman. Jim/Mr. Howell: Steve Vinovich. Natalie/Mrs. Howell: E.J. Peaker. Sherwood Schwartz: Aaron Lustig.

Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History

2001

W.A.R.: Women Against Rape poster
3.9

When a man dodges conviction after raping multiple women, his victims take justice into their own hands.

W.A.R.: Women Against Rape

1987

Love and Kisses poster
9.0

Two teenagers elope and take up residence at the groom's home with his parents and sister, but the newlyweds quickly discover married life is much different from high-school.

Love and Kisses

1965

Run If You Can poster
4.0

A young woman accidentally sees snuff films through a satellite dish aberration and alerts the police, who are already looking for a serial killer.

Run If You Can

1988