In 1963, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” was one of the most popular television shows. That year, the show pushed the envelope a bit in the episode, “That’s My Boy?”
In the episode, Rob Petrie, played by Van Dyke, recalls when years earlier, they brought their son Ritchie home from the hospital. Rob had been nervous that they had been given the wrong baby when they left the hospital. He didn’t think their son looked like either one of them.
Worse was the fact that the hospital was confusing them with another couple who also had a son on the same day at the hospital. Rob was sure the Peters had their son and the baby they had been caring for belonged to the Peters. Their names were similar and their sons were born on the same day. Rob thought staff made a huge mistake!
Laura, played by Mary Tyler Moore, was upset that her husband could suggest such a ludicrous idea. She was not about to hand her child over to someone else, even though Rob was convinced their sons were swapped at the hospital.
Then the doorbell rang. The Peters family had arrived and when they walked through the door, it was obvious to everyone that their sons were not switched at birth. Mr. and Mrs. Peters were black! They certainly would have noticed if they brought home a white baby!
Today, the politically correct police would likely have a problem with airing this episode. They would probably say they were mocking race or something silly and over exaggerated like that.
It’s a funny episode and was very groundbreaking at the time. Watch the clip below to see if you think this would be acceptable on television today!
This was an important episode at the time as it was the first time on television a black family was visiting a white family at home. The Petries welcomed the Peters with opened and relieved arms.
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