ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — ESPN Films is bringing Dick Vitale to the documentary screens in an 80-minute film chronicling the life and career of the Hall of Fame broadcaster.
"Dickie V" will showcase "ESPN's voice of college basketball" work that spans over four decades, his inspirational battle with melanoma and lymphoma and many interviews with some of sports' most popular superstars, ESPN said in a news release.
Mark your calendars. The doc, directed by Nick Nanton, will debut on July 20 on ESPN+. And will premiere at 4 p.m. on July 23 on ESPN.
Inside the film, the storyline chronicles the 83-year-old's struggles with cancer and ulcerated lesions on his vocal cords with home videos, never before seen hospital visits and dives into the broadcaster's career history. Vitale called the first-ever college basketball game that aired on ESPN. It was the 1979 game of Wisconsin at DePaul on December 5.
Since then, he's called thousands of games and has become known for his enthusiasm, passion for the game of basketball and "Vitale-isms" such as "Awesome, baby" and "Diaper Dandy."
Vitale's cancer battle and the timing of the film is almost perfect as longtime sports analyst is set to receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2022 ESPYs in July.
The film features more than 40 original interviews with some of the best to touch a basketball: Magic Johnson, Mike Krzyzewski, Charles Barkley, John Calipari, Robin Roberts and more.
Nanton who also directed "Rudy Ruettiger: The Walk On" and "Visioneer" said in the making of the documentary on Vitale, he realized where the broadcaster gets his energetic smile and enthusiastic personality.
“In the process of making this film, I realized that his tenacity and heartfelt personality came from a place of deep hurt and a desire to help anyone who had felt the depths of loss he had felt," Nanton said in a statement to ESPN. "From childhood bullying by his peers due to the loss of his left eye, to a meteoric rise in coaching, only to be unceremoniously ousted from his dream job as head coach of the Detroit Pistons, to a ‘second career’ in broadcasting that turned out to be his true calling, Vitale’s journey of resilience is one that I know will resonate universally.
"His is a story of loss, triumph, giving and humanity. It’s one I simply had to tell.”
Come July 20, get your popcorn ready. Dickie V is hitting your home TV screens.