Paging Dr. Mark Sloan.
As Dick Van Dyke turns 100 on Saturday, considered one of his former “Analysis: Homicide” co-stars says that there’s one factor he needs he had finished extra of throughout their time working collectively.
Charlie Schlatter, who starred alongside the Hollywood legend for six seasons on the long-running thriller medical crime drama, advised The Put up that regardless of spending years on set collectively, he has surprisingly few private images of the 2.
“It’s so humorous, as a result of so many individuals will say, ‘You will need to have tons of images of you and Dick Van Dyke,’” Schlatter, 59, started. “I actually solely have three or 4 private images. One is at a wrap occasion, one is within the hair and make-up trailer.”
The “Shiny Lights, Huge Metropolis” star went on to elucidate that it wasn’t one thing he thought a lot about on the time.
“It’s not like right this moment, the place we have now [our phones],” Schlatter famous. “That’s my greatest remorse. I want I had extra. You have been at all times simply sitting round with him, and also you by no means thought to stand up off your ass and get an image.”
Schlatter joined the favored CBS sequence throughout Season 3 in 1995 as Dr. Jesse Travis, the keen younger resident beneath Van Dyke’s Dr. Mark Sloan.
He remained on this system, which additionally starred Van Dyke’s 74-year-old son, Barry Van Dyke, till it got here to an finish after eight seasons in 2001. Schlatter credit the “Mary Poppins” star with being the one to assist him land the function of Dr. Travis within the first place.
“I name my house the home that Dick constructed, as a result of he wished me on that present,” the “18 Once more!” actor advised The Put up. “It’s humorous, the character’s identify was Jesse Travis, and I believe he was described as this six-foot-four no matter.
“I bear in mind being on the audition, me at 5 foot 4, being with all these surf guys,” Schlatter continued. “I believe there was one thing about my presence that made him giggle. I believe he even says in considered one of his books that they wanted just a little Michael J. Fox man.
“So he actually known as the shot on that casting, and God bless him, he’s the one who made that occur.”
Now, as the Danville, Illinois, native turns 100 and greater than three-decades after the pair first met on the set of “Analysis: Homicide,” Schlatter has revealed what he thinks it’s that has helped the “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” star attain triple digits.
“He’s taking good care of himself bodily. He at all times did,” the “Delinquents” star shared. “Once I knew him, it was at all times an hour on the fitness center; he was at all times swimming as a result of, if not, atrophy would set in.”
Van Dyke’s previous as a premier slapstick comedy performer, nonetheless, was at all times one thing that the “Bye Bye Birdie” star took into consideration amid his disciplined and every day exercises.
“He stated, ‘You already know, Charlie, I fell over that Ottoman means too many occasions,’” Schlatter recalled concerning Van Dyke’s signature bit on “The Dick Van Dyke Present.”
“He’s paying for it,” the “Ferris Bueller” TV star added. “This was nearly 30 years in the past, when he was telling me that.”
However staying lively, Schlatter acknowledged, is just a part of the key to his former co-star’s longevity.
“The opposite factor is simply his pleasure of life,” the “Police Academy” actor stated. “I believe he actually simply enjoys dwelling, and he enjoys folks.
“He has a real curiosity about others and about life,” Schlatter continued. “He loves music, and he loves dancing, and he likes to be surrounded by people who find themselves like-minded.”
As for whether or not Van Dyke ever shared the “key” to his lengthy life with Schlatter, the “Heartbreak Resort” star defined that it wasn’t one thing that might be spelled out.
“He was by no means the professor within the sense that he would sit you down and say, ‘That is the important thing to longevity,’” Schlatter defined. “Day-after-day that you just have been at his facet, you have been in school, and also you’re an fool should you didn’t be taught one thing from that.
“For those who stroll away from seven years of working with Dick Van Dyke and also you don’t have one thing good from it, there’s actually one thing fallacious with you.”
Working with the appearing icon on “Analysis: Homicide” might be one expertise he’ll always remember.
“As my grandfather stated, ‘Charlie, you’re working with the grasp now,’” the “Flash” voice actor stated. “As a result of he knew he was simply the grasp of comedy.
“I imply, have a look at him. He’s the grasp of life,” Schlatter concluded. “That man has hacked the s–t out of life.”
