DANVILLE, Il. — (Chambana Today) In a celebration fitting for a larger-than-life worldly figure, the Fischer Theatre threw a grand party for one of the world’s most loved and recognized icons in the entertainment business. Danville’s own Dick Van Dyke.
The world premiere of the Dick Van Dyke documentary, Dick Van Dyke 100th Celebration, premiered in Danville one week before it’s national debut, coming out on Van Dyke’s official Birthday of December 13th and running through the 14th. The film was chosen to premiere in Danville, paying homage to Van Dyke’s early years and his time spent at the Fischer Theatre.
Fans sitting inside the Fischer, watching the documentary, surely felt a connection with Van Dyke, as he was telling the story of his many days sitting in the very theatre as a youngster, completely enthralled watching Stan Laurel in Laurel and Hardy movies. Van Dyke spoke fondly of his time there, which concerned his mother, as she would head to the theatre, a few blocks from their home on Hazel Street, looking for her son, that seemed to spend too much time there. Van Dyke recalled his mother coming down, looking for him and bringing him back home. You see, Laurel was one of Van Dyke’s biggest influences and one of his biggest heroes alongside Buster Crab.
For fans sitting in the theatre Saturday night, it was an extra special thing, sitting in the very place that Van Dyke sat, where he was most influenced growing up, as he spoke of his early days. One of the things he credits as helping him to become the entertainer he is today.
Ninety -seven- year-old Muriel Alexander, originally of New York, now a Champaign County resident, said she made the drive to Danville just to attend this event. ” This is such a wonderful event, ” Alexander said. “It makes me feel young again.” Alexander reminisced about the time she saw Van Dyke live in the Broadway showing of Bye, Bye, Birdie 45 years ago. ” I’m a New Yorker, and we drove two hours to see the show and it was so exciting. Dick would come down to the audience to visit and play around with people (when not acting) He is such a great and humble man.”
Gena Tevebaugh of Saint Joe, echoed those thoughts, ” Dick Van Dyke has always been so enjoyable to watch growing up and even my kids love him and would try to dance watching his shows.”
The documentary, shown after members of the Danville Symphony Orchestra performed, and a special Flash Mob group performed as Chimney Sweeps to a variety of songs from Mary Poppins, where video was sent live to Van Dyke and in response, he posted on his Facebook page with hearts. “We contacted Mr. Van Dyke to see if he’d mind us doing a rendition of the Chimney Sweep part that took place at Disney for his 90th Birthday and he was agreeable, said Marty Lindvahl, who spearheaded the production.
Highlights of the documentary included Van Dyke’s days growing up in Danville, showing his tour of his boyhood home, where he noted that “Danville was full of brick roads and one side of Danville had the rich and the other side had the poor, but there was never a bad side of town,” scenes were shown of how he was first signed to the five year run of the Dick Van Dyke show to how he got involved with Walt Disney and became very good friends with him over the years, then on to other TV show like Diagnosis Murder with his son Barry.
Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. said that with the many other famous Danville celebrities such as Gene Hackman, Donald O’Conner, Bobby Short, Jerry Van Dyke, Helen Morgan, Irving Azoff and many other notable people, how is it that Dick Van Dyke is always called Danville’s “Favorite Son?” Williams replied, “Who else has brought so much joy around the world?”
The Dick Van Dyke 100th Celebration sold out with an attendance of approximately 500 at the Saturday event. During the evening, a canvas Birthday card was available to those who wanted to wish Mr. Van Dyke a Happy Birthday. That Birthday card will be shipped to Van Dyke as a “Love letter” from the community. Local artist Katie Weston created a live date stamped painting.
“It’s amazing to see this screening, and cool that local Danville people were chosen to be in the documentary,” said Michael Kasper, a theatre board member. “It’s nice to see that he’s came back home to Danville over the years. I hope that this documentary will help bring more attention to Danville and will make it more of a mecca for Dick Van Dyke fans.”
“This event went beautifully, ” added Royce Berry, Operations Director. “People were excited watching Danville’s Golden Boy. Dick Van Dyke gives us all hope and dreams that no matter who you are, or where you come from, you can make your own dreams happen.”
Van Dyke, in the documentary said, “Two of the most special times in my career were when I was cast to the Dick Van Dyke show and to be in Mary Poppins.”