Dick Van Dyke took a pratfall over a living room ottoman in 1961 and fell into America's homes for the next five years as Rob Petrie in television's The Dick Van Dyke Show. Different from many sitcoms at the time, the Carl Reiner-created show focused on Rob's work life as well as his time with his suburban family. As a TV comedy writer on the "The Alan Brady Show", Rob is surrounded by zaniness in co-workers Sally (Rose Marie) and Buddy (Morey Amsterdam) as well as their nemesis Mel Cooley (Richard Deacon). On the home front, wife Laura, played by a young Mary Tyler Moore, and child Ritchie (Larry Mathews), provide both support and sarcasm in equal measure.