That evil woodpecker that terrorized Ritchie in The Dick Van Dyke Show was based off a real (and terrifying) bird
We've all had our fair share of enemies, but what happens when your greatest nemesis has wings and a beak?
For those who assumed that Woody Woodpecker had won the title for "Most Annoying Bird," think again.
Eagle-eyed fans of The Dick Van Dyke Show might remember an episode where young Richie Petrie claims he's being terrorized by a bird that's been hanging out outside of the Petrie home.
During an interview with the Mount Vernon Argus, series creator Carl Reiner revealed that "A Bird in the Head Hurts" was— incredibly— one of the more reasonable plotlines on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
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"That actually happened to a kid in New Rochelle, N.Y., where we lived," said Reiner of the storyline. "And the pith helmet line is true, too. I didn't make it up."
While The Dick Van Dyke Show isn't autobiographical, Reiner drew on his own experiences as a television writer when creating the character of Rob Petrie. Moreover, sometimes real life can be stranger than fiction, and Reiner frequently drew from various scenarios throughout his life and injected those memories into The Dick Van Dyke Show. "It's been laying in my head for five years," Reiner said of the "woodpecker" memory.
Reiner divided his energy when writing; sometimes the creative sought inspiration with both feet on the ground, and sometimes he preferred a bit of a challenge.
"I start out with the craziness and then I try to back myself into a corner with the situation," said Reiner. "Getting out makes the show."
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