EXCLUSIVE: Dick Van Dyke Reveals He Thought Mary Tyler Moore Was Too Young to Play His Wife

'The Dick Van Dyke Show,' is back and in living color, just in time for the holidays.

[frederick-nrunkkamara]

It's great to have a career that has lasted so long and is even acting with his son. He is definitely a screen favourite of mine.

[moopster]

Thanks for the memories, MTM!

Rest in peace.

[greatestqueen]

My parents are 12 years apart so this looked normal to me as a kid. 45 years of marriage and they are still happy together 💜

[taylortimeless]

She looked super young to me when I first watched the pilot. I had came from watching Bewitched so when I saw Mary Tyler Moore, I’m like “WOOAAH THAT CHICK LOOKS YOUNG FOR HER ROLE!” But honestly, who cares? She’s super adorable and was great at it. The show was amazing!

[rolloverriderpgr]

One of the funniest shows on tv. I grew up watching Dick on TV and the big screen. One great singer and dancer. And Mary Tyler Moore was absolutely beautiful.

[andyhowlett]

The DVD show was THE greatest. I was only a boy when it started being shown here in the UK but I loved it and even then I thought MTM was gorgeous! There was terrific chemistry between all the main players and every episode had a real 'feel good' quality and always a great finish. We're currently watching the entire run on Amazon and it's better than ever.

[Mama-Ames]

Oh how I ADORE Dick Van Dyke!!!💕 I ALWAYS have! I ALWAYS will! He was, & IS STILL an absolute DOLL!!!💕 So were sweet Mary & Rose Marie, Maury Amsterdam, and darling Ann Morgan- Guilbert!💕 I LOVE THEM

[edwardpate]

Watching this as a kid she reminded me of Jackie Kennedy.

[zzzzxxxx]

Mary Tyler Moore looks like a ramp model when she was young, she's gorgeous.

[brianjlevine]

A testimony to MTM's acting is that Laura Petrie and Mary Richards, her two iconic roles, are nothing like each other.

[JasmineSurrealVideos]

Tbh I've been watching the series for the first time on YT and I didn't realise she was that much younger than him, 12 years is a lot, but he's very young for his age, still is, so you don't really notice. I think they make a great couple though, both attractive and funny, with great timing and facial expressions. It's such a witty, sharp and lovable show, and although am not sure about the colourised versions, I'll still watch them if only to see sort of how it must have looked on set.

[bettycogswell]

One of my fav shows next to I Love classics..

[dsscam]

Best show in tv history. Lots of continuity errors but they had no idea that it would become such a classic with every episode being watched and scrutinized every day on YouTube 60+ years later.

[rvpstudiosstudios]

He thought that Mary Tyler Moore was “TOO young “ to play his t.v. wife... but in REAL life he married a woman 46 YEARS YOUNGER than him. ...go figure...

[swrennie]

I had a crush on MTM as a boy that lasted into manhood. Loved DVD, too - just not the same way...😉

[JStarStar]

An older or middle-aged man married to a smoking hot much younger wife has always been common in TV shows.

[avexp]

They were actually 11 years apart. So were my parents. Their marriage lasted 64 1/2 years.

[richardmorris]

Lucille was great, Carol brunette was very funny but for my money Mary was the best.I miss her!

[james]

MTM mentioned on Leno in 2003 that she almost wasn't cast because DVD thought she was too young. She lied about her age and said she was 24 when she actually was only 23. I think it was Reiner, however, who insisted on her.

[calm]

The very first episode of the show when they did the close up of Mary and Dick talking with his arms around her you could see the attraction and that was the only episode I saw like that!