{"id":144232,"date":"2018-01-07T02:27:46","date_gmt":"2018-01-07T07:27:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=144232"},"modified":"2018-01-07T02:27:46","modified_gmt":"2018-01-07T07:27:46","slug":"jerry-van-dyke-coach-star-and-brother-of-dick-dies-at-86","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2018\/01\/07\/jerry-van-dyke-coach-star-and-brother-of-dick-dies-at-86\/","title":{"rendered":"Jerry Van Dyke, ‘Coach’ star and brother of Dick, dies at 86"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Jerry<\/a>
Jerry Van Dyke died Friday in Arkansas, according to his manager. He was 86. (Photo By NBC Television – eBayfrontback, Public Domain<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NEW YORK \u2014 Jerry Van Dyke, the younger brother of Dick Van Dyke who struggled for decades to achieve his own stardom before clicking as the dim-witted sidekick in television’s \u201cCoach,\u201d died Friday in Arkansas, according to his manager. He was 86.<\/p>\n

John Castonia said Van Dyke died at his ranch in Hot Spring County. His wife, Shirley Ann Jones, was by his side. No cause was immediately known.<\/p>\n

Van Dyke had an affable, goofy appeal, but he spent much of his career toiling in failed sitcoms and in the shadow of his older brother, even playing the star’s brother in \u201cThe Dick Van Dyke Show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Until \u201cCoach\u201d came along in 1989, Van Dyke was best known to critics as the guy who had starred in one of television’s more improbable sitcoms, 1965’s \u201cMy Mother the Car.\u201d Its premise: A small-town lawyer talks to his deceased mother (voiced by actress Ann Sothern), who speaks from the radio of an antique automobile.<\/p>\n

Other bombs included 1967’s \u201cAccidental Family,\u201d in which he was a nightclub comedian, 1970’s \u201cThe Headmaster,\u201d in which he was a gym teacher and 1963’s \u201cPicture This,\u201d a game show that lasted only three months. He also joined \u201cThe Judy Garland Show\u201d in 1963, to provide comic relief, but was fired at the end of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe show’s writers wrote awful, awful, awful stuff,\u201d he recalled in a 1994 interview with The Associated Press, \u201cand I was forced to do it. For instance, I had to come out and say to Judy Garland, ‘What’s a nice little old lady like you doing on television?\u201d’ He added: \u201cAnd that was just the first week!\u201d<\/p>\n

In \u201cCoach,\u201d he finally made it, playing assistant coach Luther Van Dam, comic foil to Craig T. Nelson’s coach Hayden Fox. The two headed up a hapless Minnesota college football team, its follies aired from 1989 to 1997, and Van Dyke was nominated four times for an Emmy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never knew what success was like, or having a hit series, or even doing something GOOD,\u201d Van Dyke told the AP. \u201cFinally I got a job that I enjoy doing, that’s not hard to do \u2014 and I get paid a lot of money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nelson, his co-star on the show, paid homage to his former onscreen partner Saturday: \u201cI am incredibly sad to hear of Jerry’s passing. He was such a brilliant comedian and we had a great time working together on ‘Coach.’ It is just devastating news.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dawn Wells, an actress who starred with Van Dyke on an episode of \u201cFantasy Island,\u201d called him in a statement \u201cone of Hollywood’s funniest, kindest and personable comedians. He was a joy to work with. He will be missed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the years, Van Dyke made guest appearances on numerous programs, among them \u201cThe Mary Tyler Moore Show,\u201d whose star had played his sister-in-law on \u201cThe Dick Van Dyke Show.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also appeared on \u201cThe Andy Griffith Show,\u201d \u201cPerry Mason\u201d and in such films as \u201cThe Courtship of Eddie’s Father,\u201d \u201cPalm Springs Weekend,\u201d \u201cAngel in My Pocket\u201d and \u201cMcLintock!\u201d<\/p>\n

His decision to take the \u201cCar\u201d role was one of two disastrous career moves in the mid-1960s. He also passed on a chance to play the title role on \u201cGilligan’s Island\u201d and to replace the departing Don Knotts as the deputy on \u201cThe Andy Griffith Show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy Mother the Car\u201d lasted one season. (A New York Times critic cracked, \u201clast night’s premiere made a strong case for not fastening your seat belts.\u201d) But \u201cGilligan’s Island\u201d turned its star, Bob Denver, into a television icon and is still airing endlessly in reruns. Van Dyke said in 1990 that his brother told him \u201cMy Mother the Car\u201d sounded good. (At the time, a show about a talking horse \u2014 \u201cMister Ed\u201d \u2014 and other fantasy sitcoms were doing well.)<\/p>\n

\u201cI never asked him for advice after that,\u201d Jerry Van Dyke said.<\/p>\n

He also rued the loss of a role in 1982 when he was up for a supporting gig in a series to star Bob Newhart, which would run for eight celebrated seasons. But Tom Poston got his role as George the handyman on \u201cNewhart.\u201d In recent years, Van Dyke made recurring appearances on \u201cThe Middle\u201d (where he and brother Dick starred in an episode) and \u201cYes, Dear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patricia Heaton, who played Van Dyke’s daughter on \u201cThe Middle,\u201d tweeted her respects: \u201cJerry, you were hilarious and terrifically talented \u2014 what an honour to be able to watch up close as you and your brother create your special magic.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was born in Danville, Illinois, in 1931, six years after his brother. He said he knew from childhood that he wanted to be a comedian, and grew up listening to the radio shows of Bob Hope, Red Skelton and others. By age 8 he had earned a reputation as class clown.<\/p>\n

He had his first brush with acting in a guest role on \u201cThe Dick Van Dyke Show\u201d as Rob Petrie’s banjo-playing brother. \u201cI came away thinking, ‘TV is a piece of cake; I want more of this,\u201d’ he told the AP.<\/p>\n

Van Dyke entered Eastern Illinois University, but his education was interrupted by service in the Air Force during the Korean War. He spent much of that time entertaining colleagues at military shows with jokes and banjo playing.<\/p>\n

When he got out of the service, he took that act on the road, with little success. Eventually he followed his brother to Hollywood.<\/p>\n

He is survived by his wife, two children from his previous marriage to Carol Johnson \u2014 Jerri and Ronald \u2014 and his brother.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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