1996 Lifetime Achievement Award

As the bumbling defensive coach in the ABC-TV series, COACH, JERRY VAN DYKE has won four Emmys nominations. We confered upon him a Gold Angel for LIFETIME ACHIVEMENT for the laughter it has brought millions around the world. His career as an actor/comedian started with the Air Force. He performed around the world with Special Services. After that he turned nightclub star and Las Vegas audiences drowned the casinos out with their laughter.

His brother gave him his first acting role in THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW. After that came MY MOTHER THE CAR, TO GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE WE GO, THE CBS-TV miniseries, FRESNO, and feature films, RUN IF YOU CAN, McCLINTON, ANGEL IN MY POCKET, etc. But it was in COACH that he reached his zenith. His earnestness as he proposes the most ludicrous solutions to problems sets most of us off laughing. We have known friends like him. We catch ourselves thinking that we are a little like him. We all do our share of fumbling.

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