I wanted to be Stan Laurel, then I wanted to be Fred Astaire and then Captain Kangaroo. I actually started out as a radio announcer when I was 17 and never left the business so that's literally 70 years.
Dick Van DykeRead
I was lucky to get the kinds of parts I wanted. I always said I didn't want to do anything my kids can't see.
Interpretation
Dick Van Dyke emphasizes the importance of choosing roles that are appropriate for children while expressing gratitude for the opportunities he had.
In this quote, Dick Van Dyke reflects on his career choices, highlighting his desire to select roles that are suitable for family viewing. His focus on creating content that his children could enjoy underscores a commitment to values that prioritize wholesome entertainment and responsibility as a parent.
In practice
During a speech about family values at a charity event.
I wanted to be Stan Laurel, then I wanted to be Fred Astaire and then Captain Kangaroo. I actually started out as a radio announcer when I was 17 and never left the business so that's literally 70 years.
I didn't even start dancing until I was in my thirties, and it was like flying.
I get little kids who recognize me from 'Mary Poppins,' and it just delights me because it's our third generation.
Just knowing you don't have the answers is a recipe for humility, openness, acceptance, forgiveness, and an eagerness to learn - and those are all good things.
I never had a lot of drive, but because I had family responsibilities, I had a lot of tenacity - the tenacity of a drowning man.
Somebody asked what I wanted on my gravestone. I'm just going to put: 'Glad I Could Help.'
Children are a wonderful gift. They have an extraordinary capacity to see into the heart of things and to expose sham and humbug for what they are.
The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them.
The difference between keeping things clean and keeping kids clean was that things just sat still and waited for the dirt to collect. We kids were carriers. We ran a pickup and delivery service.
Whoever happens to give birth to mischievous children lives always with unending grief in his spirit and heart.
Like so many American families, our families weren't asking for much. They didn't begrudge anyone else's success or care that others had much more than they did, in fact, they admired it.
As a mother, you're only allowed to talk about the 'good' moments - not the ones when you've had enough and want to be on your own. Or just want to be a woman, not a mother.
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