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Dick Van Dyke Heads Back to TV

Dec 3, 2015  •  Post A Comment

TV legend Dick Van Dyke is headed back to the small screen. The veteran actor will appear on ABC on Dec. 12 as the host of interstitials during the network’s broadcast of “Mary Poppins.”

Best known for “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” which aired on CBS from 1961-1966, Van Dyke starred opposite Julie Andrews in the 1964 feature “Mary Poppins.” The special ABC program marks the first network television broadcast of the movie in 13 years.

The broadcast, which has the full title “‘The Wonderful World of Disney’ Presented by Target Brings You ‘Mary Poppins,'” takes place one day before Van Dyke’s 90th birthday. Van Dyke plays Bert, the carefree Cockney chimney sweep, in the movie.

Van Dyke, the winner of one Daytime Emmy and four Primetime Emmys — including three for “The Dick Van Dyke Show” — will host interstitials along with the Target bull terrier mascot “Bullseye.” The broadcast marks the first time Target’s Holiday Odyssey story will be shown in its entirety on TV, with the story told through a series of commercials.

“In all-new footage, Mr. Van Dyke, with a little help from Bullseye, takes viewers on a magical journey into Disney’s Archives where they can spot treasures, including iconic props from ‘Mary Poppins’ and other Disney favorites, and he shares insights about a movie that continues to delight generations of families,” ABC says in its announcement.

“Mary Poppins” won five Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Julie Andrews and Best Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” The movie, which combines live action and animation, was selected in 2013 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

The ABC broadcast is set for Saturday, Dec. 12, 8-11 p.m. ET.

1964-mary poppins-movie poster

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