The Van Dyke Family Shares The Screen

Barry And Shane Talk About Co-Starring With Dick Van Dyke In 'Diagnosis Murder'

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Now, on to this week's column ...

The Family Business
To describe "Diagnosis Murder" as a "family" show is to do so quite literally. The hit CBS series has run for six seasons and shows no signs of slowing down. The show's executive producer and star is the legendary actor Dick Van Dyke, but Van Dyke is by no means the only talent. His son, Barry Van Dyke, an actor in his own right, plays on-screen son Lt. Steve Sloan on the series. (Read the interview: Dick Van Dyke Tells How A Legend Was Made)

Other Van Dyke offspring have also shown up to strut their acting stuff in episodes over the years. But this season, Barry's son Shane snagged the reocurring role of Alex, a medical student.

The CBS drama's cast is rounded out by the vivacious Victoria Rowell (also of "Young & The Restless" fame) and funny guy Charlie Schlatter.

The Son Also Rises
With chiseled good looks and plenty of talent, Barry Van Dyke achieved a name on his own long before joining the cast on his father's "Diagnosis Murder." Many will remember Barry as St. John Hawke in the long-running series "Airwolf." Others caught him in dozens of other shows and films including "Murder, She Wrote," "Remington Steele," "The A-Team," "The Dukes of Hazzard" and "TJ Hooker."

But Barry tells me, "This show is the longest (show) that any of the Van Dykes have worked on. (Uncle) Jerry (Van Dyke) may have gone longer on "Coach." But it's the longest job I've ever had and the longest job my dad's ever had."

And Barry notes, that what makes the series even more special is the ability for his family to create a show that has the distinctive "Van Dyke" label.

"We've been able to put our personalities and our stamp on the kind of programming we think should be on," Barry says. "There's nothing on like us anymore."

He also says that the show allows the actors to be creative.

Barry tells me that the show isn't simply a medical murder mystery.

He says that it's "a little bit of everything. One week we can do a comedy. The (episode) I wrote this year was a Western. And then we can do a serious story that addresses something like Alzheimer's."

When it comes to finding the best thing about working on the show, Barry gives his dad all the credit.

"We're spoiled," Barry tells me of all the actors on the show. "My Dad sets the tone. He likes to have fun and it's contagious."

"God help us if we have to ever go out there and get real jobs," Barry adds, laughing.

Alex The Great
Interviewing Shane Van Dyke is like meeting walking, talking potential. At 20, Shane is fresh faced and ready for success.

At the beginning of the session, the CBS publicist tells me that Shane hasn't been interviewed much; I'm one of his first. So I'm ready for a bit of bumbling, maybe some awkward silence. But Shane handles himself like a seasoned pro.

Like his character Alex, a medical student, Shane seems to have a good head on his shoulders and a strong focus.

Shane tells me that he first started working in television while he was a senior in high school. But he didn't seriously consider the business until performing in plays at Moorpark College in Los Angeles.

As he matured as an actor, Shane soon found himself appearing on "Diagnosis Murder."

"At the beginning of the season, I began reoccurring (as Alex). But before that I would come in playing different characters every season," Shane tells me.

Now it seems that Alex will be a permanent fixture at the hospital.

How did the medical student character come about?

"They asked me. They wanted a younger character to show up at certain things and certain episodes," Shane says. "They felt like I could handle it."

And what is it like to be working with this dad and grandfather?

"It was weird at first, but I'm so used to it now. It's not weird at all. It's a lot of fun," Shane tells me.

Shane seems to be handling it all just fine. But show business, after all, is in his blood.

But Shane says he's not worried about the expectations of following in his grandfather's footsteps.

"I don't feel any pressure. He's grandpa. And he is a legendary actor," Shane says.

He then pauses a moment, smiles and says, "I grew up watching 'Mary Poppins,' too."

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