Here's why Dick Van Dyke joined Carol Burnett after Harvey Korman left

Dick Van Dyke and Carol Burnett are two comedy icons with a similar sense of humor. Both were masters of physical comedy, had great comedic timing, could make a silly face in a second, and had musical talent.

It was only a matter of time before their worlds collided. According to a 1977 interview with the Pensacola News Journal, Burnett and Van Dyke had been tossing around the idea of working together for about 20 years before the opportunity finally arrived.

"We started talking about it in the 1950s when she first came to New York," Van Dyke said. "She was just a kid then. And I wasn’t."

His chance to work with Burnett came when Harvey Korman left The Carol Burnett Show at the end of its 10th season in 1977. The timing was just right.

"I could have had a show of my own, but I’m getting to that age where I wanted to enjoy myself," Van Dyke said. "I now do all the things I like to do, but I don’t have to shoulder the responsibility."

According to the interview, while some might have seen Van Dyke going from full-time star of The Dick Van Dyke Show to a role on Burnett’s series as a step down, he saw it as a great final act in his career.

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He was, of course, offered other opportunities, including dramatic series, a medical series and a couple of comedy roles. He even said he considered M*A*S*H for a moment before deciding to team up with Burnett.

"When McLean Stevenson left M*A*S*H, I thought, 'That’s a great spot,'" Van Dyke said. "You’re working with talented people and good material. I’m about the right age for a commanding officer. It actually flashed in my mind to ask for it."

That would’ve been a twist — imagine Van Dyke at the 4077th — and one we kind of wish had happened. But Van Dyke and Burnett joining forces was a close second.

According to the interview, Van Dyke admitted he didn’t fit perfectly into the Burnett ensemble at first. He said he was getting more and more comfortable each week and was surrounded by a talented cast who made him feel at home. One of those castmates was Tim Conway, who had been performing with Burnett for several years. 

"I think it will work out very well," Conway said. "Dick’s a schooled comedian; he knows what’s funny. Harvey Korman always became the character he was playing. You lost Harvey in the character. I think Dick, like me, you always know it’s Dick playing a character."

He enjoyed his time on The Carol Burnett Show alongside his good friend. The two made an impactful comedy duo that had people cracking up. Their timing was sharp and their chemistry was smooth.

As for what Van Dyke would do next after The Carol Burnett Show? 

"Then after that," Van Dyke said. "I think I go on Social Security."