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From Fandom to Friendships - My Adventures with The Dick Van Dyke Show Cast (Digital PDF)

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3 reviews

From Fandom to Friendships - My Adventures with The Dick Van Dyke Show Cast presents the tales of David Van Deusen as he shares his experiences engaging and interacting with cast members and guest stars from The Dick Van Dyke Show.


With Forewords by Larry Mathews and Chris Van Dyke and an Afterword by TDVDS writer/producer Bill Persky, this book includes intriguing and interesting stories of David's years of interactions with The Dick Van Dyke Show cast.


From his seeing Dick in his surprise one-time appearance in the stage show of Mary Poppins, to attending the show's 50th anniversary celebration in 2011, to visiting with Carl Reiner at his home in Beverly Hills, to accompanying Rose Marie's to locate her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. All of these accounts and more are shared in great detail giving TDVDS fans even more insights into the lives of the wonderful cast members. 


Additionally, the book also includes rare color candid photos from his personal collection as well as more than 60 internet links to audio and and video content from his TDVDS archives - much of it never seen or heard before.


By accessing these link, readers can: 


  • Listen to Dick and Rose Marie as they dial in to participate in David's 2006 Danville, IL, book signing;
  • Hear guest stars Joan Staley, Dick Curtis, Jamie Farr, and Michael Forest - just to name a few - as they reminisce about their roles on the show;
  • Watch Larry Mathews lead the crowd in the Crummy Buttons oath as part of Larry Mathews Day in New Rochelle;
  • Enjoy stories from Frank Adamo - in his own voice - as he recounts his time working with Dick and others on the show;
  • And so much more!


*Note that the PDF can be added to your Kindle account and read on a Kindle device or through your Kindle app on your computer or iPad making the experience even more immersive.


If you are a fan of The Dick Van Dyke Show, you will love this book. Order yours today!

You will get a PDF (38MB) file

Customer Reviews

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Monty

Verified Buyer

1 day ago

Learning things I never knew about the show before

This book is fantastic. I don’t want to give things away but the details and background provided on everyone mentioned in the book - not just the primary cast members - are great. I especially love the chapter on Frank Adamo, the “everyman” of the Dick Van Dyke Show. I like the links via QR codes to all the video/audio material, really makes this an interactive experience.
Reply from creator

Diana G.

Verified Buyer

3 weeks ago

Thanks for the Memories!

Dick Van Dyke Show archivist David Van Deusen has been preserving memories of our favorite show since he founded The Walnut Times in 1995. (Published for 20 years, its name was inspired by David's favorite episode, "It May Look Like A Walnut.) The cast and guest stars he interviewed became loyal readers and subscribers - even saving issues for their own archives. They responded enthusiastically as David preserved their memories of working on the show and with each other.

Carl Reiner was so impressed that David's life mission was to archive the show for generations to come, he dubbed him "The Other DVD." Not only did David have Carl's blessing, but Dick Van Dyke crowned him "The Head Walnut." That's quite a legacy, considering that David started interviewing the cast for The Walnut Times more than 30 years ago - long before we lost Rose Marie, Mary Tyler Moore, Ann Morgan Guilbert, and Carl Reiner. Carl welcomed him into TDVDS family, as did Dick and the rest of the cast, crew and guest actors. He earned their trust, respect and affection - becoming close friends with many of them.

His first book, "To Twilo and Beyond! My Walnut Adventures with The Dick Van Dyke Show Cast (2005)," was essential reading for devoted fans of the show. He tells the story of how he started The Walnut Times and came to know the cast as friends. I read it in one sitting and keep it handy as a reference guide to the show.

Next, David wowed us with his brilliant 2021 documentary, "The Dick Van Dyke Show - Celebrating the 60th Anniversary!," which reunited us with many of the guest actors we hadn't forgotten from the show's funniest episodes.

More recently he has co-hosted three seasons of "Tripping Over the Ottoman" on YouTube. The delightful podcast features commentary on selected episodes, joined by another devoted and knowledgeable fan, Abby. To date, they have produced 25 videos.

With his new digital book, "From Fandom to Friendships: My Adventures with The Dick Van Dyke Show Cast," David takes us with him on a weirdly wonderful visit to Carl Reiner's house; to Mary Tyler Moore's home to reminisce with her husband Dr. S. Robert Levine; to lunches, dinners, award shows and other special events with the cast; to the making of the Rose Marie documentary, "Wait for Your Laugh," and to Dick's 100th birthday celebrations. And that's not a complete list!

This is David's comprehensive personal memoir and a fun read, featuring funny anecdotes, memorabilia, artifacts and games, as well as audio and video clips.

He takes us inside his joyous friendships with Rose Marie, who embraced him like a son; with Larry Mathews (Ritchie); Barbara Perry (the first Pickles); Lennie Weinrib (Phil Franklin and Jackie/Danny Brewster); Jerry Lanning (Randy Twizzle), and Jackie Joseph (Alberta Schweitzer/art student/Alan's giggling niece), among others. He shares these bonds in such an endearing way that we feel his heartbreak on losing those who have passed on.

Each chapter reads like a warm conversation with David's fellow fans. He has given us details we might otherwise never had learned without the benefit of his hard work and the friendships he nurtured with the cast.

The book's beautifully written final chapter crystallizes what I and so many other devoted fans cherish about the show. And why it has a lifelong place in our hearts: Many of us started watching as young children when the show was first broadcast from 1961 to 1966.

"From Fandom to Friendships" proves that lifelong fandom should be taken seriously. Members of TDVDS tribe are deeply respectful fans of The Dick Van Dyke Show's brilliance. David has helped to make all of us stewards of the show's legacy. And by sharing his experiences, he has made us part of TDVDS family, too. For that and so much more, I am eternally grateful.

If you love The Dick Van Dyke Show, you will love this book.
Reply from creator
Thanks so much Diana for your glowing review. I'm so pleased that my desire to preserve the legacy of The Dick Van Dyke Show shines through in my stories. It has been quite a journey!

Abby R.

Verified Buyer

1 month ago

An absolute must-read for any Dick Van Dyke Show fan!

If you enjoyed David’s first book, To Twilo and Beyond!: My Walnut Adventures with The Dick Van Dyke Show Cast, you’ll absolutely LOVE From Fandom to Friendships! This book takes his story a step further, as his relationships with the cast and crew develop into genuine friendships and lead to even more remarkable experiences and opportunities.

As his podcast co-host, I may be a bit biased, but I can tell you that David is the real deal. He has spent years preserving the history of the series as an expert, archivist, and devoted fan, and that love comes through on every page.

Additionally, I think it was an absolutely brilliant idea to release this as an ebook, as the format allows for clickable links to audio clips and all kinds of other treasures that David wouldn’t have been able to share with us in print. You will love it!

Whether you’re a lifelong fan or have only recently discovered the show, this is a wonderful addition to the history of The Dick Van Dyke Show and a book I can’t recommend highly enough!
Reply from creator
Thanks so much Abby for the very complimentary sentiments. My passion for preserving the legacy of The Dick Van Dyke Show is truly a labor of love and has been greatly enhanced by my associations with so many of the cast.