Plans Shape Up For Dick Van Dyke Visit
Dick Van Dyke attends the 29th Annual Gypsy Awards Luncheon held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 24th, in Beverly Hills, Calif. John Salangsang / Invision / AP
The executive director of Dick Van Dyke's charitable foundation says the 90-year-old actor will take part in events in Danville and suburban Chicago next month.
Todd Regan of the Dick Van Dyke Foundation tells the Danville Commercial-News that a date for the Danville event will be set soon, while June 26th has been set for Van Dyke to perform in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove. Regan said he hoped Van Dyke could appear in Danville just prior to the Downer's Grove event.
The star of "Mary Poppins" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" was born in West Plains, Missouri, but later lived in Danville and attended high school there. The auditorium at Danville High School is named after Van Dyke.
Van Dyke hopes to restore his childhood home on North Hazel Street in Danville as a foundation headquarters and provide scholarships to young performers.
Proceeds from Van Dyke's Chicago appearances will benefit the Dick Van Dyke Foundation for the Performing Arts and the Center for Early Childhood Creativity and Innovation at the Walt Disney Birthplace in Chicago.