Van Dyke, Jerry

1931 - Jerry Van Dyke, born on the 27th of July in Danville, Illinois.

He was a nightclub, movie, and television entertainer.

1948 - A trip to Hollywood with his parents convinced him to become a comedian.

1952 - He joined the Air Force and won international competition for emcee of "The Tops in Blue," a service entertainment troupe.

1962-65 - Appears on his brothers sitcom, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" at least 3 times. 

1964 - He returned to nightclub performances and was invited to appear at the University of Illinois Assembly Hall to perform at the Elite Eight basketball tourney.

1965 - He had his own television series, "My Mother the Car."

1967 - He was in the "Accidental Family" television series on NBC.

1968 - He had several movie appearances, including "The Courtship of Eddie's Father."

1988 - He joined Bobby Short, Donald O'Connor, Gene Hackman, and his brother Dick in May, in a gala fund-raising effort for the restoration of Danville's Fischer Theater.

1989 - 1997 - His most successful TV series to date was "Coach." He prefers the nightclub circuit. "The clubs have always been my meat," he said.