Comedy legend Carl Reiner is celebrating his 97th birthday by giving a major gift. Born on March 20, 1922, the nine-time Emmy winning producer, director, writer and actor has donated his collection of production scripts from “The Dick Van Dyke Show” to the National Comedy Center, a comedy museum in Jamestown, New York. Stored away in boxes since 1966, the 158 scripts, annotated with Reiner’s notes, are being digitally copied and preserved.
“There’s nothing more satisfying than having an idea and seeing it through to find out that, not only did you like it, but the audience and critics all seemed to agree,” Reiner said in a statement. “When asked, ‘Of all the theatrical projects you’ve done in your life, what are you most proud of?’ I always say, hands down, it’s creating and producing ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show.’ It was a labor of love. I applaud The National Comedy Center for keeping the creative fires burning by singling out and preserving something most people feel deserves preservation,” he added.
The Reiner material will be combined with photos, scripts, and other documents from the collections of actress Rose Marie and John Rich, who directed 41 episodes of the iconic sitcom.
“Collectively, the Reiner, Rich, and Rose Marie materials constitute the most comprehensive ‘Dick Van Dyke Show’ archive yet assembled,” Laura LaPlaca, the Comedy Center’s Director of Archives, said.
