Even legends like Dick Van Dyke have to start somewhere.
Although the “Mary Poppins” star was born in West Plains, Missouri, in 1925, the comedy icon spent his formative years in the working-class town of Danville, Illinois.
It’s where Van Dyke attended Danville High School, performed his earliest comedy routines with his brother Jerry and even worked briefly as a teenage radio DJ before setting his sights on a much bigger stage.
Steve Boettcher, who directed the upcoming special “Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration,” returned to the Midwestern city with Van Dyke ahead of his milestone 100th birthday on Saturday.
Boettcher said that the hometown visit became one of the most emotional moments in the film.
“Even going back to his hometown in this film, back to Danville, where he kind of learned his craft,” Boettcher told The Post. “Even in Danville, he is beloved in his hometown.”
“Not because he’s Dick Van Dyke, but because he’s one of their neighbors and one of their friends in that small little town, and they cherish him for that,” the director added.
Van Dyke eventually left Danville in the 1940s, first joining the US Army Air Forces before diving into entertainment full-time.
From there, he launched into a dizzying rise from small-town performer to Broadway breakout in “Bye Bye Birdie” to TV superstardom on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and later to his iconic film roles in “Mary Poppins” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”
But Boettcher said that those formative Danville values stayed with Van Dyke every step of the way.
“I think his upbringing and where he grew up – he packed a tight suitcase when he left Danville, but he had all the right elements in that suitcase,” the Emmy-winning director shared.
For the documentary, the crew visited Van Dyke’s old high school and the theater that now bears his name. Boettcher said that the community rolled out a heartfelt tribute that surprised even the filmmakers.
“The kids in the musical groups got up and sang the songs to a packed house,” he recalled. “Everyone from Danville was there.”
“Mr. Van Dyke was in the front row and he couldn’t help himself,” Boettcher continued. “He got up on stage and sang ‘Let’s Go Fly a Kite’ with everyone in the crowd, and it was a magical moment to see him, like 2 or 3 generations removed from high school.”
That emotional homecoming formed one of the centerpieces of the film, which also includes interviews with Van Dyke’s legendary co-stars, rare archival moments and reflections from performers inspired by his signature physical comedy.
The 99-year-old also revisited his childhood home, which is still standing nearly a century later.
“We tour his house, where he grew up in Danville. The house is still there,” Boettcher revealed. “That’s really a cherished moment in the film. I think that it just kind of shows where it all began: in Danville.”
Van Dyke himself opened up about his Midwestern roots during an earlier visit to the town in 2016.
“We thought it was the capital of the universe,” he said of Danville, which was also home to actors Donald O’Connor and Gene Hackman. “Everybody just loved Danville. Look at the people that came out of here.”
Boettcher, meanwhile, went on to open up about what he believes is the “key” to Van Dyke’s longevity.
He noted that the centenarian’s boundless energy and optimism haven’t dimmed even as the “Diagnosis Murder” star approaches triple digits.
“He just lights up with people around him. That’s really what keeps him so young and vibrant,” the filmmaker explained. “He’s seen in Malibu all the time, going to the gym or the market, and I just really think he’s got such a positive spirit.”
“I think that was a takeaway for me as well,” Boettcher continued. “I don’t think he understands being mad or upset or coarse with people. He just is so genuine about the way he feels about people and loves them. I think that’s really a great, great thing that’s kept him alive today.”
The director added that there’s another constant in Van Dyke’s life that’s kept him glowing all these years.
“His lovely bride, Arlene. She’s really key in his life,” he said of Van Dyke’s 54-year-old wife, Arlene Silver. “I see them together like two kids singing and dancing together.”
“I think she’s done so much to keep him alive and doing so well,” Boettcher shared. “She walks into the room, and he lights up. You can just see it. I think that love and that relationship have been really, really good for him.”
The documentary, which marks the first wide theatrical celebration of Van Dyke’s career, is filled with classic clips, intimate new moments and tributes from stars across generations before leading back to where it all began.
“Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration” hits select theaters for two days only on Dec. 13 and Dec. 14.
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