Jerry Van Dyke Lived in the Shadow of His Older Brother: A Look Back 6 Years After His Tragic Death

Photo byClassic TV Preservation Society

It's been six years since the tragic death of actor/comedian Jerry Van Dyke. Van Dyke, the younger brother of fellow comedian and actor Dick Van Dyke, died of heart failure at 86 in 2018. Some two and a half years before he died, Jerry was in a horrific car accident, from which he never fully recovered. Jerry cut out a niche of his own in the world of entertainment, but never quite achieved the success of his older sibling. This is his story.

A Closer Look

Jerry Van Dyke was born on July 27, 1931, in Danville, Illinois to the same parents as his older brother Dick Van Dyke. The Van Dyke brothers, both talented in their own, if somewhat similar ways, would pursue careers in the entertainment industry. In some cases, they competed against each other, if not necessarily for the same part.

In the 1950s, Jerry began his TV career at WTHI-TV in Terre Haute. He and his brother both applied for a job there but Dick was not hired.

However, Dick more easily and readily found fame on Broadway, television, and the big screen, whereas Jerry would find only a measure of success. In his later years, he became known for several roles, most notably for playing the assistant football coach on the late ’80s and ‘90s hit sitcom Coach, for which he garnered 4 Emmy nominations.

But decades before that, Jerry had made early appearances on his sibling's beloved comedy, The Dick Van Dyke Show. Once again, Dick proved to be leading man, star-material, juxtaposed to Jerry who played second banana (as Stacey Petrie, the less-successful younger brother of Dick's Rob Petrie).

Poor Choices

In the big-picture scheme of things, Jerry Van Dyke's career suffered from a series of missteps and poor choices.

For one, he rejected the leading role of Gilligan on Gilligan's Island (CBS, 1964-1967) because he didn't like the script. He also had the opportunity to replace Don Knotts after the latter left The Andy Griffith Show (CBS, 1960-1968). But Jerry once more declined a substantial chance to further his career.

Instead, he opted to star in My Mother the Car (NBC, 1966), a noble if off-beat and failed attempt to join the sci-fi/fantasy realm of supernatural sitcoms like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie. Unfortunately, Car ran out of gas quite swiftly and was canceled.

Through it all, the Van Dyke siblings remained close, with Jerry simply living and working in the shadow of Dick Van Dyke's blossoming career.

In 2015, Jerry and Dick reunited on screen on ABC’s sitcom The Middle, portraying battling brothers.

It wasn't stranger than the usual TV fiction but it was more true to life, in which Jerry still always looked up to Dick.

While the part of George Utley on Newhart (CBS, 1982-1989) was created for Jerry, Tom Poston would end up playing the part. Jerry, meanwhile, would go on to play assistant coach Luther Horation Van Dam on Coach, which was brought to life by the Newhart team.

Lasting Impression

In the end, Jerry Van Dyke did well in the entertainment industry, but not as well as his older brother, who is still living into his late 90s.