Richard Van Dyke

Richard's paternal grandfather, Truman Van Dyke, was a film actor in the silent era. His paternal grandmother, Renie Conley, was a costume designer with a resume of over 200 films and an Academy Award for Cleopatra. His father, Truman Van Dyke, Jr., was in Gone With the Wind at the age of nine years old as an extra. His father worked as an extra and actor up until his graduation from USC. His father went on to become a successful insurance agent in the film business with his own company, the Truman Van Dyke Company. Richard's mother, June Van Dyke, was a producer of fashion shows and worked closely with Edith Head producing her traveling shows all around the world. When Miss Head died in 1982, she willed her personal costume collection of over 200 pieces to June. The collection included many of her Academy Award winning creations, along with many of her personal designs that Edith wore herself. Richard got his start in sound at Sound Services, Inc. in 1973 working as a delivery driver. There Robert "Terry" Walker and Michael Denecke taught Richard the ins and outs of the post sound world, and finally encouraged Richard to start mixing for productions early in 1977. Richard became a member of the I.A.T.S.E in 1978, and has been working as a production sound mixer ever since.