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Van Dyke's first major role was on stage in Bye Bye Birdie in 1960, for which he won a Tony Award. He then starred in his own sitcom, The Dick Van Dyke Show, which ran for five seasons – in the lead role of Rob Petrie, Van Dyke won three Emmy Awards. He slowly transitioned out of television into movie acting in Bye Bye, Birdie ( 1963Events January-March January 11 The Whisky A Go-Go night club in Los Angeles, the first disco in the USA, is opened. January 14 George Wallace becomes governor of Alabama. January 22 Elysee treaty between France and Germany January 28 Black student Harvey), What a Way to Go! ( 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort) and, most notably, Walt DisneyFor the same named company; see The Walt Disney Company Walter Elias Disney ( December 5, 1901 December 15, 1966) was an American animated film producer and animator. He was also the creator of an American-based theme park called Disneyland, and the found's Mary PoppinsMary Poppins is a children's book written by P. Travers (born Helen Lyndon Goff aka Pamela Lyndon Travers, Pamela L. Travers) and originally published in 1934 with illustrations by Mary Shepard. It became the first in a series of books about the title cha ( 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort), in which he played Bert, a Cockney chimney sweepA Chimney sweep is a person who cleans chimneys for a living. Although the need to clean chimneys has existed ever since the structure was created, chimney sweeps were best known after the Industrial Revolution. With rise of dense urban population, the re, and also played, in heavy disguise, the elderly owner of the bank. Van Dyke's attempt at a Cockney accent was widely ridiculed (especially in the UK), but the film also showed his versatility as a singer and dancer. Dick Van Dyke was a great admirer of Stan Laurel and even gave the eulogy at his funeral. He once met Laurel and told him he had copied a great deal from him. He said Laurel only laughed and said "I've noticed that".

After the mid-1960s, Van Dyke was in a number of relatively unsuccessful movies (though one, a children's film called Chitty Chitty Bang BangChitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car is a children's story written by Ian Fleming for his son Caspar, with illustrations by John Burningham, and was first published in 1964 by Jonathan Cape in London and Random House in New York. The story was made in, is still well-known, especially with the recent stage musical). In 1974, however Van Dyke surprised everyone by appearing in his first dramatic role, as an alcoholic businessman in The Morning After. Van Dyke received wide acclaim and an Emmy nomination. This film is regarded by many as the best most realistic television film ever made dealing with alcoholismAlcoholism is an addictive dependency on alcohol characterised by craving (a strong need to drink); loss of control (being unable to stop); physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms; and tolerance (increasing difficulty of becoming drunk). 1820 Alcoholi. It is even shown at treatment centers. For those who have seen this film, the final scene is just chilling and unforgettable. It was at this time that Van Dyke admitted he had recently overcome a real-life drinking problem.

His career seemed essentially over by 1990 when Van Dyke, whose usual role had been the amiable hero, took a villainous turn in Dick Tracy. He received positive reviews that led him to star in a series of TV movies on CBS that became the foundation for his popular television drama, Diagnosis: Murder, which ran from 1993 to 2001.

Dick Van Dyke is the brother of actor Jerry Van Dyke. Dick's son Barry Van Dyke and grandson Carry Van Dyke are also actors: both Barry and Carry acted with Dick on Diagnosis: Murder.

Van Dyke received a Grammy Award for his performance on the soundtrack to Mary Poppins.