Dick Van Dyke will turn an astounding 100 years old on December 13, 2025 — but the night before, PBS will honor the legendary funnyman with an American Masters documentary, Starring Dick Van Dyke, which will premiere on Friday, December 12, 2025 at 9/8c on PBS. The documentary will look back at Van Dyke’s extraordinary eight-decade career, which saw him develop from a local radio DJ to an iconic Emmy, Grammy and Tony-winning star.

Who is in Starring Dick Van Dyke?

The special will examine Van Dyke’s career and legacy through many exclusive interviews with fellow Hollywood legends — including costars like Julie Andrews, who appeared alongside Van Dyke in Mary Poppins, Carol Burnett, who was a frequent collaborator of Van Dyke’s during the Carol Burnett Show era, and Ted Danson, who had Van Dyke guest-star on his series Becker. The doc will also talk with friends and admirers including Jim Carrey, Steve Martin and Martin Short.

In addition to living celebrities, the film will also include archival footage from Van Dyke’s friends and costars who have passed, including Mary Tyler Moore, Carl Reiner, and Walter Kronkite.

Where can you watch Starring Dick Van Dyke?

Those whose TVs have cable or over-the-air channel access can watch the special as it airs on December 12, 2025 at 9/8c. Cord-cutters can stream the special the next day on PBS.org, or through the free PBS app, which is available for iPhones, Android smartphones, and most smart TVs.

How is Dick Van Dyke’s health?

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In a November 13, 2025 article written for The Times UK, Van Dyke noted that “like my old characters, I am now a stooper, a shuffler and a teeterer. I have feet problems and I go supine as often as is politely possible … I chew nicotine gum, all day long — still, decades after I quit smoking! My sight is so bad now that origami is out of the question. I have trouble following group conversations and complain frequently about my hearing aids, though I would never refer to them as ear trumpets. I’m not that old.”

He also weighed in on the emotional toll of living to such an advanced age, writing “Though I still do guest spots on TV, and ads and videos, I miss going to the studio every day for a regular series. And every single one of my dearest lifelong friends is gone, which feels just as lonely as it sounds. It’s frustrating to feel diminished in the world, physically and socially. I get invites to events or offers for gigs in New York or Chicago, but that kind of travel takes so much out of me that I have to say no. Almost all of my visiting with folks has to happen at my house.”

Van Dyke has previously attributed much of his longevity to second wife Arlene Silver, whom he married in 2012, at the age of 86; Silver is 46 years younger than Van Dyke.