Dick Van Dyke, the legendary “triple threat” who starred in Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, turned 100 on Saturday.
The iconic actor is having a simple celebration for his centennial birthday, his wife Arlene Silver told People.
“He doesn’t want to do anything,” Silver, 54, said on Monday. “He wants to be in his room watching Jeopardy! reruns with me."
Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri, on December 13, 1925. He has four children with his first wife, Margie Willet, whom he officially divorced in 1984. He married Arlene Silver in 2012.
The lead-up to Van Dyke’s momentous birthday has been highly anticipated, not unlike the media craze around Betty White’s 100th birthday. Back in 2021, there was significant fanfare for Betty White’s 100th birthday, but just weeks before the big day, she died at age 99.
“I’ve never met anyone else who was 100, so I don’t know how to act,” Van Dyke told People in a pre-birthday interview.
Fans of The Dick Van Dyke Show star can watch a new documentary on his life to commemorate the actor’s milestone birthday. Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration is playing in theaters across the country during his birthday weekend. The film includes behind-the-scenes moments and clips from his numerous movies, as well as rarely seen videos from the actor’s prolific life.
“It’s wonderful; a total surprise for me,” Van Dyke said in a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle. “If you don’t think luck has a lot to do with it, then you’re mistaken.”
The famed actor, who’s been called a “triple threat” for his excellence in film, music, and theater, has plenty of awards to back it up. Van Dyke has won six Emmys, a Grammy, a Tony, and a Lifetime Achievement Honor.
He told ABC News’ Chris Connelly on Friday that he’s “so lucky.”
“I don’t have any ache or pain,” he said in an interview airing on Good Morning America. He added that he goes to the gym three days a week, and that his wife is “a health nut.” The actor also released a new book in November called 100 Rules for Living to 100.
“Well, I had a few more things I wanted to say. I wanted to pass down some of my wisdom to the younger generations,” he said, about publishing the book.
Some of his wisdom includes his straightforward advice on longevity.
“Singing is the best thing you can do for yourself,” he told Al Roker in a November interview on the Today Show. “Usually, I’ll wake up with an old tune going through my head.”
He then started singing “My Gal Sal” by Paul Dresser.
