STARRING DICK VAN DYKE
US, 2025, 100 minutes, Colour.
Dick van Dyke, narrated by Fred Applegate. Interviews: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Conan O'Brien, Ted Danson, Larry Matthews, Carol Burnett, Eric Dickens, Pat Boone, Jim Carrey, Victoria Rowell, Karen.Dotrice, Julie Andrews, Colin Firth, Emily Blunt, Morey Amsterdam.
Directed by John Scheinfeld.
A very entertaining tribute to Dick van Dyke on the occasion of his hundredth birthday, December 13, 2025.
This is not a biography. There are some basic facts about his origin, his career, his wife and family, his alcoholism, his divorce, a later marriage, his alcoholism, his extensive charity work.
The aim of this documentary is to celebrate his career and his impact over 80 years, live performances, radio, theatre, television, films, television series – and the winning of six Emmys including one in 2024 for his guest role in Days of Our Lives.
A caption comes up on screen to indicate each step of his varied career. There is a partnership with Phil Ericson and live action the Merry Mutes, including an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. There is variety in his work on radio, especially his skill with voices. And, early in his career, he showed an expertise in mugging, especially with his face (and reminders of his contemporary, Jerry Lewis). And, tall as he was, he had an extraordinary mobility with his body, always flexible, extraordinarily supple, an ability to use to his legs very high – all of which was able to be incorporated in the range of his performances.
The film opens with a celebration of The Dick van Dyke show on CBS, its limited success, its cancellation, its popular success.
The main features of his career are given an extensive amount of screen time which will please audiences. There are many sequences from The Dick Van Dyke Show, its creation, especially the contribution of Carl Reiner and Sheldon Leonard, some of them still quite hilarious, especially the issue of how to end the final show and Dick van Dyke’s character’s anxiety with his pregnant wife, thinking the babies have been exchanged – and the hilarious and unexpected resolution when the other couple turns out to be African-American! And there is footage of interviews with Larry Matthews who played the little boy, and footage especially of Mary Tyler Moore.
There is some focus on his performance on Broadway in Bye, Bye Birdie and his being championed by Gower Champion. And there is his performance in the film. But, cinema -wise, there is a great deal of attention to Mary Poppins, comments from Julie Andrews, Karen.Dotrice who played the little girl, and comments about the British reaction to his Cockney accent and Julie Andrews’ spirited defence.
He appeared in number of other films in the 1960s but the greatest attention is given to his performance as the comedian in The Comic, not a commercial success but significant.
There are some lows in his career at various times and the tracing of so many of the programs that he did pilots for, quiz shows, variety shows. Then, there is a surprise of his performance in the television movie about an alcoholic, The Morning After and, from the later television interview that carries throughout this documentary, his comments about his alcoholism.
Then, there was success in his role as the doctor with detective skills in Diagnosis: Murder.
At the end, there is a tribute to the range of his charity work and commitment.
Andthe credits indicate the range of celebrities who pay tribute to Dick van Dyke as can be seen in the list of the credits. Most of them speak very personally and quite moved.
A very enjoyable hundred minutes and an appreciation of someone whom everybody liked, who is a genial presence and a talented actor, comedian, singer, dancer, all-round entertainer.
