- - Dick Van Dyke Recalls the Behind-the-Scenes Moment That Left Mary Tyler Moore So Annoyed

Victoria MillerDecember 8, 2025 at 9:54 PM

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Photo by Bettmann on Getty Images

Dick Van Dyke once accidentally insulted Mary Tyler Moore. The beloved stars, who played married couple Rob and Laura Petrie on the classic sitcomThe Dick Van Dyke Show, had a wonderful working relationship, but Moore once called out her TV husband after he drew an unflattering picture of her.

Van Dyke shared the story at Vandy High Tea hosted at his Malibu, CA, home two weeks before his 100thbirthday on Dec. 13. During a Q&A with fans, the actor recalled drawing a caricature of Moore, which showcased her pearly whites a bit too much.

“I made her mouth too big, and she was so pissed at me,” Van Dyke said at the charity event, according to People magazine. “I had to go back and draw it again. I mean, she had a beautiful mouth, but it was generous.”

Van Dyke is well known for his artistic abilities. Some of his drawings were seen in episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show, which aired on CBS from 1961 to 1966. In one episode, titled “Draw Me a Pear,” his character even took an art class where he drew an exaggerated picture of Moore—and yes, she had a huge mouth in the rendering. Off camera, Van Dyke often gifted his co-stars with his artwork, per Remind magazine.

Moore once publicly addressed Van Dyke’s unflattering photo. During a 1999 appearance on Larry King Live, Van Dyke revealed that he would often “doodle caricatures of cast and crew” while on set. When asked if Moore ever commented on his drawings, Van Dyke replied, “She was always polite — but once I drew her mouth a little too big in a caricature, and she said, ‘Oh, Dick…’ She was amused but insisted I fix it.”

Moore chimed in to agree with Van Dyke’s recollection. “That’s true. But it was all in good fun. He’s very talented,” she said.

Van Dyke also confirmed to King that he still dabbled in drawing and animation. “Absolutely — drawings, computer animation. It’s addictive. Keeps the mind sharp,” he said.

In a 2003 interview with The , Van Dyke confirmed he was still involved with animation decades later. “I'm a computer animator. I'm a real nerd," he said, per Deseret News. "I do special effects, animation and everything on computer graphics — and I'm pretty good. …It's an absolutely addictive hobby."

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This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 8, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”