Dick Van Dyke’s Nearly Forgotten Odd Couple Revival with Ed Asner

So here’s the tea: Dick Van Dyke was genuinely gearing up to star opposite Ed Asner in an Odd Couple reboot before Asner’s passing in 2021. The 99-year-old icon casually dropped the reveal during a Q&A at the Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp event in Malibu, where he shared the bittersweet news with wife Arlene Van Dyke. According to People Magazine, Van Dyke confessed, “That would’ve been such fun, and we lost it. I’ve lost a lot of friends.” Arlene chimed in, observing that her husband has “the curse of living to almost 100” after outliving so many pals.

Their planned project would’ve revisited Neil Simon’s legendary mismatched roommates, Oscar and Felix, decades after the Broadway debut in 1965 and the hit 1968 film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Fans first met the oddball duo on Neil Simon’s stage, then on the big screen, and finally in the ’70s TV series with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. Imagine Van Dyke’s neat-freak Felix squaring off against Asner’s slovenly Oscar—veteran actors trading quips instead of their original counterparts.

Van Dyke, who performs with his barbershop quartet The Vantastix (Variety via Getty), explained why he’s still hitting the stage instead of kicking back in retirement: “I’m a ham. I love it. I get a jolt of energy from an audience.” The upcoming centenarian pinpointed his 1960 Broadway breakthrough as Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie as the role that launched his career, eventually earning him a Tony and leading to the 1963 film adaptation.

Not one to rest on past glories, Van Dyke also recalled starring alongside Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins (Greg Doherty/Getty). He admitted to PEOPLE that singing wasn’t his forte, describing his struggle to hit the high notes and praising Andrews for her “patience” and coaching: “Think high. Think up there.” The result was an unforgettable two-role turn that cemented his status as a musical comedy legend.

Between heartfelt reflections on lost friendships and off-hand comments about aging, Van Dyke’s Malibu appearance underlined a refreshing optimism. He shrugged, “Life’s been good to me. I can’t complain,” reminding us why his warm grin remains Hollywood gold.

Anyway, that’s the low-key scoop on a dream mash-up that never was. Keep it on your radar—this nearly-made Odd Couple redo might just be the next big “what if.”

Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine
Variety
Greg Doherty/Getty Images
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed