Biography
Jerry Van Dyke was an American actor and comedian. Born on 27 July 1931 in Danville, Illinois, he was the younger brother of actor Dick Van Dyke. He began performing stand-up comedy and banjo routines in clubs and on military service during the Korean War, later appearing on variety shows including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Judy Garland Show.
Van Dyke was best known for his role as Luther Van Dam on the sitcom Coach (1989–1997), which earned him four Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He also appeared in guest roles on series including The Andy Griffith Show, The Drew Carey Show, My Name Is Earl (2008) and Raising Hope (2011), and had a recurring part as Tag Spence on The Middle (2010–2015). He died on 5 January 2018 in Arkansas.
