Yes Dear would do these odd little bits at the end of some episodes. Some were gems.

One of the funniest things I've ever seen was Jerry Van Dyke on "The Merv Griffin Show" in the mid-70's. Oddly enough, I got to see the original broadcast and the rerun. ( I must have timed my elementary school sick days well!) Jerry sang "A Dear John Letter", which was a hit for Bobby Bare and Skeeter Davis in the 1960's. My dad owned a record with this song, so I was pretty familiar with it. It wasn't funny at all; it was about a woman writing a Dear John letter and a man reading it. Hearts broke on both ends. Jerry covered both parts, putting a bonnet on head while singing the female part. It was brilliant, hilarious, and unforgettable. Unfortunately, I can't find it online. I occasionally look on YouTube for it, but I've had no luck so far. Does anyone else remember this?

Jim

I don't see any of his classic bits on YouTube. No photos either. You'll find people doing his old bits... Mule Train, Dear John, The Origin of the Lone Ranger... in talent shows. And I saw a video that showed snippets of a nostalgia stage show that he did a few years ago, where he did a bunch of his old stand up on stage.

Very grateful that the people at Yes Dear had him do one of his classics for posterity.

Jerry Van Dyke, Soupy Sales, and Liza Minelli from the Judy Garland Show.

Jerry Van Dyke was the unspoken comedy godfather of both Steve Martin and Andy Kaufman.