page_title: The Dick Van Dyke Show
section_title: Characters
hierarchical_section_title: The Dick Van Dyke Show / Characters
caption_attribution_description: Photo of the main cast of The Dick Van Dyke Show Above: Mary Tyler Moore (Laura) and Dick Van Dyke (Rob). Lower: Morey Amsterdam (Buddy), Richard Deacon (Mel) and Rose Marie (Sally).
context_page_description: The Dick Van Dyke Show is an American television sitcom that initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961, to June 1, 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. It was produced by Calvada Productions in association with the CBS Television Network and Desilu Studios. The show was created by Carl Reiner and starred Dick Van Dyke, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Larry Mathews, and Mary Tyler Moore. It centered on the work and home life of television comedy writer Rob Petrie. The show was produced by Reiner with Bill Persky and Sam Denoff. The music for the show's theme song was written by Earle Hagen.
  The series won 15 Emmy Awards. In 1997 the episodes "Coast-to-Coast Big Mouth" and "It May Look Like a Walnut" were ranked at 8 and 15 respectively on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.
  In 2002 the series was ranked at 13 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time and in 2013 it was ranked at 20 on their list of the 60 Best Series.
context_section_description: Main:
  Robert Simpson "Rob" Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) — Rob is the head writer of the comedy writing team for the fictional TV variety show, The Alan Brady Show, working with Sally Rogers and Buddy Sorrell. When not working, Rob enjoys life with his wife Laura Petrie, played by Mary Tyler Moore, and his son, Ritchie Petrie, portrayed by Larry Mathews. Rob, Laura, and Ritchie live in New Rochelle, New York. Their neighbors are longtime friends, Millie Helper and her dentist husband Jerry Helper. Rob is a big fan of old-time radio, cowboy movies, and Laurel and Hardy, as well as an excellent mime and fan of pantomime. He incorporates many favorite routines into his comedy writing. He has living parents, Sam and Clara Petrie. Rob was born, as was Dick Van Dyke, in Danville, Illinois, along with younger brother Stacey Petrie, and served in the military at Camp Crowder, Missouri as a Special Services Sergeant. There he met his future wife, Laura Meehan, a USO dancer. After a number of jobs, he was hired by Alan Brady.
  Laura Petrie (Mary Tyler Moore) – Laura (née Meeker/Meehan) is Rob's wife.  As a 17-year-old dancer in the United Service Organizations, she met and married Rob. Then, she became a stay-at-home mom. In early Season One episodes, Rob calls her "Laurie" numerous times, as opposed to "Laura", which became his usual name for her. About 60 actresses auditioned for the part before Moore was signed.  Moore later wrote that she almost skipped the audition.
  Maurice "Buddy" Sorrell (Morey Amsterdam) – Buddy is an energetic and at times sarcastic "human joke machine", and one of the comedy writers.  Amsterdam was recommended for the role by Rose Marie as soon as she had signed on to the series.  Buddy is 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, former showgirl Fiona "Pickles" Conway Sorrell, who is a terrible cook.  In several episodes, it is mentioned that Buddy is Jewish.  He was identified by his birth name, Moishe Selig, when he had his belated bar mitzvah in "Buddy Sorrell – Man and Boy."  Buddy plays the cello, which he sometimes incorporates into his comedy routines, and owns a large German Shepherd named Larry.  Buddy made a guest appearance on the Danny Thomas Show episode, "The Woman Behind the Jokes" that aired October 21, 1963.
  Sally Rogers (Rose Marie) – Sally is another of the comedy writers, and the designated typist, who is always on the lookout for a husband.  The character was loosely based on Selma Diamond and Lucille Kallen, both writers for Your Show of Shows.  She never drinks and quotes frequently from her "Aunt Agnes in Cleveland".  She has an on-again/off-again relationship with her boyfriend Herman Glimscher, who seems to be too much of a mama's boy to get married.  She frequently scares men off with her sense of humor and strong personality.
  Richard Rosebud "Ritchie" Petrie (Larry Mathews) – Rob and Laura's son. His middle name is an acronym for "Robert Oscar Sam Edward Benjamin Ulysses David," all the names suggested by members of Rob and Laura's families in the episode "What's in a Middle Name?".
  Supporting:
  Melvin "Mel" Cooley (Richard Deacon) – Mel is the balding producer of The Alan Brady Show and Alan Brady's brother-in-law.  Though Mel can often be an obsequiously sycophantic yes-man to the demanding Brady, he is also shown to be a dedicated, competent producer who takes his responsibilities very seriously.  Mel is constantly at odds with Buddy, who often makes insulting comments about Mel's baldness, to which Mel often responds with a simple "Yechh!"
  Millie Helper (Ann Morgan Guilbert) – Millie is the Petries' neighbor and Laura's best friend from their days in the USO.
  Jerry Helper (Jerry Paris) – Jerry is the Petries' neighbor, Millie's husband, Rob's best friend and dentist.  He is an avid sailor, audiophile, and electronics and recording enthusiast.
  Alan Brady (Carl Reiner) – Alan is the egocentric, demandin
caption: Morey Amsterdam, Richard Deacon, Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, and Rose Marie
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