CBS to Honor Carl Reiner With Colorized ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ Special

One day after the legendary Carl Reiner’s passing, CBS is announcing they will be paying tribute to the late entertainer with an hour-long, colorized Dick Van Dyke Show special. TV Line reports the special will air on Friday, July 3, at 8 p.m. ET and is officially titled The Dick Van Dyke Show — Now in Living Color! A Special Tribute to Carl Reiner. The special will feature two episodes of the classic series, which prominently featured Reiner. Not only did Reiner star in the program, but he also created it.

The first episode that the network will show is the Season 5 premiere, “Coast to Coast Big Mouth.” In that episode, Mary Tyler Moore’s Laura Petrie lets a secret loose on a national quiz show program — that Reiner’s Alan Brady wears a toupee. The episode reportedly earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 1966. The second episode that will air on Friday is one from Season 3 titled “October Eve.” In that episode, Reiner poses as an artist who asks Laura to pose for a painting. Both of these episodes were previously colorized under Reiner’s supervision, as they previously aired in color on CBS in 2016 and 2017.

On Tuesday, Reiner’s son Rob Reiner reported his father died at the age of 98 on Monday night at his house in Beverly Hills surrounded by loved ones. They did not release any further details about his passing. Throughout his 70-year-long career, Reiner made an undeniable effect on the entertainment industry. Not only did he create and star in The Dick Van Dyke Show, but he was also involved in a slew of other programs as an actor, writer, and/or director. He directed Oh God with George Burns and The Jerk with Steve Martin. Reiner also made appearances in several other programs in recent years, such as Two and a Half Men, House, and Hot in Cleveland.

In light of his passing, many of those who knew him best posted tributes to the late actor. Reiner’s longtime best friend Mel Brooks honored Reiner by posting an incredibly touching statement on Twitter. He wrote that he would dearly miss his beloved friend and added, “So whether he wrote or performed or he was just your best friend — nobody could do it better. He’ll be greatly missed. A tired cliche in times like this, but in Carl Reiner’s case, it’s absolutely true.”