I have strong personal reasons for saying so: Dick and his wife, Pat, took me in when I was just two and half years old. At the time, Pat was pregnant with their first child, Nels. Today, as a parent with two children of my own, I marvel at what a loving and unselfish act that was. Soon two more boys were born, Jimmy and Vincent, and I was able to grow up with them as four brothers in one close family—and I owe all that to Dick and Pat.
Privately, Dick is every bit as modest as he is in public. In the past few years, however, he began opening up to me a little more about his astonishing history in the entertainment world. Then in August of 2005 he was interviewed at the Screen Actors Guild. Not a single person present that night will ever forget it. Dick mesmerized the audience with story after story, often poignant, and just as often hilarious, tracing his amazing life-journey and spicing it with incredible “insider” tales of the many legends he had worked with for more than three-quarters of a century in American entertainment.
At the close of the SAG interview, a thoroughly enchanted moderator, Ilyanne Kichaven, queried Dick, “Why don’t you write a book about all this?” In his typically modest way, Dick shrugged it off.
But, I didn’t. In fact, I became totally committed to the idea that a book must be written about this remarkable life. I pressed Dick, and finally he agreed. After speaking with our good friend, Joe Urbanczyk, we enlisted a mutual friend, Robert Baer, who made that happen. In time, a dream became a reality.
I am so proud to have played a part in this project. But I am even prouder of the special bond I’ve come to share with my uncle. He’s been my Best Man, a grandfather to my children and, simply put, he is the best friend I have in all the world. And I know his children, Nels, Jimmy and Vincent, who are all so proud of him, would join me in saying that there is no one more deserving of having their story told than this great man who has been a father to all of us. My own contribution in kick-starting and assisting with this project is my most precious and heartfelt gift to Dick. But Dick’s life has been a gift to us all—and his remarkable book is his own loving gift to so many millions more who for nearly eighty years have been entertained by this supremely talented and beloved man.
God bless you, Dick.
Casey King
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My nephew, Casey King, first raised the idea of a memoir several years ago. For his confidence in the possibilities of this book, and his commitment and hard work throughout this long process, as well as for being a nephew, who is far more like a son, I am deeply appreciative.
Along the way, we received help from many people. Most important, were my own family. I want to thank my wife Pat, my sister Joyce, my three sons, Nels, Jimmy and Vincent, as well as my daughter-in-law, Nancy Valen, who all spent hours recounting their memories and jogging mine.
I also owe a very special thanks to Rosemary Rice, my dear friend from Mama, who was a tremendous help as we put together the section on my very first television family.
Additionally, I want to express my gratitude to Joe Urbanczyk, a great friend to our entire family, who introduced me to my co-author, Robert Baer, some fifteen years ago, and has helped out in countless ways throughout the course of this project.
I also wish to give very special thanks to Fred Silverman, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Cloris Leachman, Wayne Carson, Joe Bologna, Renee Taylor, Mary Ellen White, Jeff Ballard, and Bill Sheppard, who helped out along the way at critical moments in my career. Without the support of these friends, and many others, I would not be writing these memoirs.
On a sad note, our publisher and my long-time friend, Michael Viner, a great innovator in his field, passed away just before we were going to print. Michael, the President of Phoenix Books and Audio, was the very first to read our manuscript, and we will forever treasure his enthusiasm for the book.
We have also been tremendously fortunate to work with Phoenix’s talented editor, Dan Smetanka. Dan’s commitment, hard work, enthusiasm and skillful editing have certainly made this a better book.
I am also grateful to the entire hard-working Phoenix staff, especially Darby Connor, who has relentlessly hunted down every error in the draft, and Stephan Matson, an outstanding director in the recording booth.
I also deeply appreciate the support of Dwight Opperman and Julie Chrystyn, who have been so gracious in their reception of our book.
Finally, I want to thank my co-author, Robert Baer. He is a truly exceptionally writer who was able to crystallize my thoughts and feelings with wonderful insight and eloquence. Most important, Robert and I became great friends along the way, and I will be forever grateful.
Eighty Is Not Enough: One Actor's Journey Through American Entertainment Page 27
