By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer
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 an email 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.
“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.