Dick Van Dyke nears 100: A new documentary reveals untold stories
[September 11, 2025]
By LINDSEY BAHR
Movie theaters across the country are pulling out the stops for Dick Van
Dyke’s 100th birthday in December. A new documentary about the song and
dance man’s life, “Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration,” will be in
theaters over his birthday weekend on Dec. 13 and 14, Fathom
Entertainment said Wednesday.
“It’s wonderful; a total surprise for me,” Van Dyke said in a statement
the filmmakers provided to The Associated Press. “If you don’t think
luck has a lot to do with it, then you’re mistaken.”
The feature length film has been in the works for over three decades. In
telling the story of Van Dyke's 80-plus years in entertainment, the film
weaves together clips from classic films, like “Mary Poppins,” “Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang” and “Bye Bye Birdie,” and television shows, including
“The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “Diagnosis: Murder,” as well as new
interviews with Van Dyke in which he shares never-before-heard stories
from his time in Hollywood.
The portrait is bookended with a visit to his hometown of Danville,
Illinois, where he visits his childhood home, the radio station where he
started his career as a DJ at age 16 and his old high school where he
took the stage once more to join in with the students performing songs
from some of his most beloved films.
“He couldn’t help himself,” filmmaker Steve Boettcher said. “He got out
of the seat and went up on stage and sang and danced with them. It’s
really a sweet coming home. Danville built him in so many ways.”
Over the past 30 years, Boettcher also spoke many of his closest
Hollywood friends and collaborators including Mary Tyler Moore,Carl
Reiner,Rose Marie,Morey Amsterdam,Betty White,Tim Conway and Chita
Rivera, all of whom have since died.
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Dick Van Dyke speaks at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
in Los Angeles on Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP,
File)
 “We just wanted people who were
there at the scene, on set with him and working with him,” Boettcher
said.
The filmmakers didn’t plan on waiting for Van Dyke's 100th birthday
to release the film, but when the landmark moment started coming
into focus it seemed fitting for a rollout.
“Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration” will have its premiere in early
December at Danville's Fischer Theatre, where Van Dyke fell in love
with the movies and the idea of being an entertainer watching Laurel
and Hardy on the big screen on Saturdays.
“We’re really excited about the film,” Boettcher said. “It’s very
much in the style of Dick Van Dyke. It’s got laughter and music and
touching moments. It’s pure entertainment, much like Mr. Van Dyke.”
Tickets for “Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration” go on sale Oct. 31.
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