Actor. Born in Natchez, Mississippi, he was a graduate of Mississippi A&M College and an amateur actor when he was signed to Triangle Studios at the age of 21. He made his film debut in “A Lady’s Name” (1918), followed by “The Wishing Ring Man” (1919). His other film credits include “The Midlanders” (1920), “Dust to Dawn” (1922), “The Jungle Goddess” (1922) and “Maud Muller” (1924). With the advent of talking pictures, his heavy southern accent ended his film career and he became an insurance agent. With the connections made during his film career he ended up with many entertainment related clients. The Truman Van Dyke Company went on to be and still is to this date, the leading insurance agency specializing in the field of entertainment. His wife Renié was aspiring costume designer and won an Oscar award for costume design in 1964 for the film “Cleopatra”. His son Truman Van Dyke Jr. appeared in several feature films as a young boy and joined his father’s insurance agency in 1953.