Dick van Dyke has long since cemented his place in the pantheon of all-time Hollywood greats.
It seems like the actor and dancer has been gracing our screens since, well, since screens were a thing. I myself have fond memories of watching Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang as a young child in the way back when. And don’t even get me started on Dyke’s legendary performance in Mary Poppins.
Of course, Father Time has a way of catching up with us all, and though Dyke appears to posses an almost inhuman ability to remain sprightly and energetic, it’s simply false to say he’s not getting on in years.
Hard as it might be to believe, Dick van Dyke is now 96 years old. Simply put, if I’m able to look and act like him when I’m 96, I’ll be doing something very right indeed …
According to the New York Post, Dyke was all smiles when he was pictured leaving a restaurant in Malibu, California last Thursday.
What’s more, he took the time to tell people that he’s “just glad to still be here.”
Dyke, who began his illustrious career as early as the 1940s, was later that day seen running errands that included picking up a self-tanning spray from a local store.
The legendary actor was casually dressed, sporting a light gray sweater and navy pants. The Post say he can often be seen around Malibu, where he lives with his wife, Arlene Silver, 50, and trains at a local gym.
In fact, Van Dyke recently told Closer Weekly that he hits the gym as often as three times a week – no mean feat for a man who is closer to 100 than 90.
He revealed in 2019: “I’ve always been an exerciser and still am … I get in the pool and exercise. At my age, they say to keep moving. Put me on solid ground and I’ll start tapping.”
Van Dyke also thanked his partner, Silver, for helping him to stay youthful.
“I sometimes forget that we’re doing a great experiment here — 46 years’ difference. And we work at it to some extent,” he explained.
“There’s got to be some understanding. Find out what old habits don’t work anymore. It takes some adjusting and fitting in, but that’s part of the fun of it.”
For her part, Silver said: “He is the most perfect human being. I’ve never met anyone so happy, so genuine, so amazing. He’s just like a happy pill.”
I for one am so glad that Dick van Dyke is alive and doing well. He’s got to be one of my favorite actors of all time!
Are you a fan of Dick van Dyke? If so, what’s your favorite movie of his? Let us know in the comments box.