The movie role Dick Van Dyke apologised for
When you think of golden Hollywood entertainers, Dick Van Dyke certainly is one of the names that springs to mind. With a career spanning several decades, Van Dyke gave audiences many memorable moments. But even Hollywood stars sometimes have that one thing they wish they could do over – and for Van Dyke, it’s the role that shot him to international stardom. Bert the chimney sweep in Mary Poppins.
Now, Mary Poppins is a masterpiece; let’s get that straight. The songs, the whimsy, and the magical escapades of the eponymous nanny set in an idyllic London – it’s all spot on. Then comes Van Dyke, with his infectious energy and that… accent. Yes, we’re talking about the cockney accent that became as famous as the film itself, and not for the right reasons. If you’ve heard it (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t), you’ll know that it’s certainly something.
Imagine trying to impersonate a Londoner but sounding like you’ve had a brief layover in Dublin and somehow also ended up in Australia. What makes it even funnier, or tragic, depending on how you look at it, is that Van Dyke wasn’t trying to be funny with that accent. He genuinely thought he nailed the Londoner’s twang, thanks to his Irish voice coach.
Now, there’s a lesson – if you’re going to play a cockney, perhaps don’t hire an Irishman to teach you the ropes. The accent was so off that it didn’t just become a joke; it’s cemented as a cinematic legend. In fact, even the few people who haven’t seen the 1964 classic will still be able to recall his unacceptably bad attempt at sounding like a cockney.
However, Van Dyke is nothing if not a sport. Instead of shying away from the debacle, he’s leaned into it over the years. The highlight of this graceful acceptance came in 2017 when the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) decided to honour the actor for his excellence in television. And Van Dyke, ever the showman with a knack for timing, chose that very moment to address the elephant in the room.
“I appreciate this opportunity to apologise to the members of BAFTA for inflicting on them the most atrocious cockney accent in the history of cinema,” he said, drawing chuckles and applause from all corners. Talk about owning it. Yet, his aversion to British accents didn’t stop with just humble words.
When it came to his role in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Van Dyke put his foot down and demanded his character be American. After the Mary Poppins episode, who could blame him? In the end, while his accent might have been a swing and a miss, it has only added to the charm and legacy of Dick Van Dyke.
