I didn't even start dancing until I was in my thirties, and it was like flying.
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects Dick Van Dyke's journey and evolution within the entertainment industry, showcasing his admiration for various entertainment figures.
In this quote, Dick Van Dyke expresses his lifelong passion for performance, highlighting the influential figures in entertainment who inspired him throughout his career. Starting as a young radio announcer, he points out the trajectory of his career that has spanned over 70 years, emphasizing both his dedication to his craft and his admiration for iconic entertainers like Stan Laurel, Fred Astaire, and Captain Kangaroo. This reflects a deep appreciation for the art of performance and the impact it has had on his life.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech to young artists, one could use this quote to illustrate the importance of following one's inspirations.
More from Dick Van Dyke
All quotes →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.'
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.
Similar quotes
I have a vocabulary in clothing. It's like a whole language.
Originality is not seen in single words or even in sentences. Originality is the sum total of a man's thinking or his writing.
In the waking dreams our societies permit, in our myths, our arts, our songs, we celebrate the nonbelongers, the different ones, the outlaws, the freaks.
Painting is the making of an analogy for something non-visual and incomprehensible - giving it form and bringing it within reach. And that is why good paintings are incomprehensible. Creating the incomprehensible has absolutely nothing to do with turning out any old bunkum, because bunkum is always comprehensible.
Art is either plagiarism or revolution.
The essence of dramatic form is to let an idea come over people without it being plainly stated. When you say something directly, it's simply not as potent as it is when you allow people to discover it for themselves.