Is this conclusive proof that Dick Van Dyke invented the moonwalk in the 1950s?
Controversial star Michael Jackson debuted his signature move in 1983, but Dick Van Dyke beat him to it by around 30 years.
Getty/ Rex
Better known now for solving crimes as the tap dancing, roller-skating, clarinet playing Doctor Mark Sloane in Diagnosis Murder, Dick Van Dyke was a huge television celebrity in the 1950s
CBS Television
Dick Van Dyke (r) and his son Barry (l) playing father and son in Diagnosis Murder
His show named, with the kind genuine of originality typical of US television at the time, The Dick Van Dyke Show was a comedy and variety show in which he did the kind of dancing and singing and comedy shtick which won him audience favour and lead him to starring roles in both Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins.
And allowed him in the future to incorporate singing and dancing and stuff into what is basically a detective show about doctors.
During that 1950s show, in a skit called Mailing A Letter On A Windy Corner, this happened:
That's right, the moonwalk
Oh yes. Seems pretty unequivocal huh?
Check out the video here:
Okay, to say he invented it might be a bit of stretch, but he did get it on TV long before Jackson, who's Neverland ranch is up for sale, performed it while singing Billie Jean on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever TV special in 1983.
We have no video evidence to suggest that Dick Van Dyke grabbed his crotch and squealed while dancing before Michael Jackson started doing it though, so we'll have to give him that
However, you might be interested to know that Jacko definitely DID nick (or pay homage depending on who you're speaking to) a lot of Fred Astaire's work from the musical The Band Wagon.
YouTuber Steve Briggs has put together this comparison - See what you think.
Nice hat Michael.
Shamone!
His show named, with the kind genuine of originality typical of US television at the time, The Dick Van Dyke Show was a comedy and variety show in which he did the kind of dancing and singing and comedy shtick which won him audience favour and lead him to starring roles in both Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins.
And allowed him in the future to incorporate singing and dancing and stuff into what is basically a detective show about doctors.
During that 1950s show, in a skit called Mailing A Letter On A Windy Corner, this happened:
That's right, the moonwalk
Oh yes. Seems pretty unequivocal huh?
Check out the video here:
We have no video evidence to suggest that Dick Van Dyke grabbed his crotch and squealed while dancing before Michael Jackson started doing it though, so we'll have to give him that
However, you might be interested to know that Jacko definitely DID nick (or pay homage depending on who you're speaking to) a lot of Fred Astaire's work from the musical The Band Wagon.
YouTuber Steve Briggs has put together this comparison - See what you think.
Shamone!
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