December 13
Born Today:
Dick Van Dyke
Actor/dancer Dick Van Dyke (1925-) is a high school classmate of Hollywood musical star Donald O’Connor (1925-2003). Despite having no formal dance training, Van Dyke scored the lead in Bye Bye Birdie (1960), directed by choreographer Gower Champion (1919-1980), a role he reprised in the 1963 movie version. Perhaps his best-known dance role is in Mary Poppins (1964) as both Bert and Mr. Dawes, Sr. In Mary Poppins Returns (2018), he again played the part of one of the greedy Dawes clan, still spry at the age of 92.
Also Born Today: Tap dancer Maurice Hines (1943-) is best known for starring with his younger brother, tap dancing legend Gregory Hines (1946-2003) in the film The Cotton Club (1984).