How 'The Dick Van Dyke' Show Reinvented the TV Sitcom Intro

When "The Dick Van Dyke Show" premiered on October 3, 1961, the television landscape was very different than it is today.

An era of black-and-white broadcasts and few channels, the 1950s and early 1960s were full of innovation and experimentation with the medium.

During this creative shift, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" stood out for its smart writing and relatable humor. But despite critical praise, the series struggled to find an audience and teetered on the edge of cancellation after its first season. Creator Carl Reiner knew the sitcom needed something fresh to survive.

In the early days of television, most shows' opening moments were used to introduce the cast and promote a sponsor. Though theme songs were an established concept from radio, the idea of a visually dynamic, introduction-specific sequence was novel. 

While filming the second season of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" in 1962, Reiner decided the series needed a brand new introduction. For its first 30 episodes, the comedy about TV writer Rob Petrie’s work and home life in New Rochelle, New York, began with a folder opening to reveal headshots of the actor (Dick Van Dyke), followed by stills from episodes. Reiner wanted to do something different.

He told director John Rich, “We need to have an opening! How about we shoot Dick coming into the living room, Mary and Richie greeting him, him walking to guests, and tripping over the ottoman?” explains David Van Deusen, host of the "Tripping Over The Ottoman: A Dick Van Dyke Show" podcast and author of To Twilo and Beyond! My Walnut Adventures with 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' Cast. 

Eager to wrap for the day, Rich quickly set up the shot, which Van Dyke expertly performed. But then Reiner wanted another version. He requested a second take where Van Dyke gracefully sidesteps the footstool, greeting his visitors without incident.

For the remainder of the show's run until 1966, episodes would be prefaced with the different versions of the opening sequence.

One of the most effective aspects of the new introduction was how it showcased Van Dyke's talent for physical comedy. Heavily inspired by slapstick comedians like Buster Keaton and Laurel and Hardy, Van Dyke shot to fame with his Tony award-winning performance in the theatrical version of "Bye Bye Birdie," which he reprised in the 1963 film adaptation. 

“Dick’s physical ability was astounding,” says Van Deusen. “He could bend and contort his body in any fashion. He would do a subtle look, cough or facial expressions to get a laugh.” Throughout all five seasons of the show, Reiner gave Van Dyke the opportunity to demonstrate his physical comedy. 

One of the most famous examples occurs in season one, “The Return of Happy Spangler,” when Petrie explains why modern comedy is more sophisticated and doesn’t rely on slapstick, ironically injuring himself to roaring laughter from the live audience. By incorporating a physical gag in the introduction, the series had found a way to establish this tone to an audience.

“The opening for 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' was so different to the likes of 'Leave It To Beaver,' it just shows how creative Reiner was,” says Van Deusen. He saw room to squeeze in an extra joke and distill the essence of the series. "It really helped to imprint the show into people’s memories, as did its distinctive logo and Earle Hagen’s theme song," he adds.

The different versions helped hook viewers immediately, as audience members didn’t know whether Van Dyke was going to bypass the ottoman or trip over it. People watching at home would actually bet on what might happen. “Reiner always wanted the beginning of an episode to have a moment that would make a husband watching at home yell and tell his wife to come and watch," explains Van Deusen.  

There was even a third version of the opening that premiered later in the season. In it, Van Dyke hits the ottoman but doesn’t fall and instead moves around it, only to trip over the rug.

It was around this time that "The Dick Van Dyke Show" also began to display the episode titles on screen, which further highlighted the talent and thoughtfulness of the creatives involved. Many of its episode titles utilized wordplay and pop culture references like “Long Night’s Journey Into Day,” “One Angry Man” and “All About Eavesdropping."

Reiner told Vanity Fair in 2015 that "The Dick Van Dyke Show" was the proudest achievement of his career for the way it inspired generations of comedy writers.

Although TV introductions have evolved alongside television itself, Van Dyke's flip over the ottoman is so memorable that it has been parodied by the likes of "The Simpsons," "Family Guy" and "WandaVision," to name a few.

Following "The Dick Van Dyke Show," sitcoms immediately looked to establish their tone, star-power, humor and identity from the get-go. Whether it was Archie and Edith singing together at the start of "All In The Family," the endless couch gags of "The Simpsons" or Will Smith’s story in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, they owe a little to Dick Van Dyke tumbling over an ill-placed piece of furniture.