The Dick Van Dyke Show is an American television situation comedy which initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 to June 1, 1966. The show was created by Carl Reiner and starred Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. Reiner had in fact starred in the original, unsuccessful pilot episode, Head of the Family (this was seen on the Nick at Nite service of the Nickelodeon cable channel, shortly after the series itself was added to its schedule in the 1990s). After its rejection, Sheldon Leonard took an interest and helped Reiner revive the project, convincing him to recast, and to switch to the three-camera/studio audience production format.

Totalling 158 episodes and five seasons, the show was also produced by Reiner, who wrote many episodes and played the role of Alan Brady. Reiner based the main character on himself and the Brady character on his former boss Sid Caesar. Many of the show's plots were inspired by Reiner's experiences as a writer for Your Show of Shows (which starred Caesar). The Dick Van Dyke Show was the recipient of 15 Emmy Awards.

Main characters

• Robert "Rob" Petrie (Dick Van Dyke), the head comedy writer for a fictional New York TV variety series called The Alan Brady Show. The role of Rob Petrie was almost given to Johnny Carson, but Sheldon Leonard, the show's executive producer, suggested Van Dyke.
• Laura Meeker/Meehan Petrie (Mary Tyler Moore), Rob's wife. A stay-at-home mom and former dancer in the U.S.O. (where she met Rob). The role of Laura proved to be the most difficult to cast. About 60 actresses auditioned for the part before Moore was signed, and she almost didn't go to the audition.
• Maurice "Buddy" Sorrell (Morey Amsterdam), an energetic (and at times facetious) "human joke machine" (as was Amsterdam himself), one of the comedy writers; he's constantly making fun of Mel Cooley (the show's producer) for being bald (and dull). His character is loosely based on Mel Brooks who also wrote for Your Show of Shows. He makes frequent jokes about his marriage to his wife "Pickles". On several occasions it is hinted that he is a non-practicing Jew. He owns a large German Shepherd named Larry, and plays the cello. Amsterdam was recommended by Rose Marie as soon as she had signed on.
• Sally Rogers (Rose Marie), another of the comedy writers (and the comedy trio's designated typist), who is always on the lookout for a husband. She never drinks and quotes frequently from her aunt Agnes (though she always gets the quotes wrong). She has an on again off again relationship with her boyfriend Herman Glimscher who seems to be too much of a mommy's boy to get married. She frequently scares men off with her sense of humor.