Beloved actor Dick Van Dyke is marking a major milestone today (December 13) as he turns 99 years old.
The legendary American star, known for his iconic roles in Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, has been celebrating his birthday in style, including a heartwarming appearance in Coldplay’s latest music video for ‘All My Love’, where he shares a song and laughter with lead singer Chris Martin.
As fans marvel at Van Dyke’s remarkable health and vitality at his advanced age, the Missouri-born actor revealed his secrets to staying young earlier this year.
In a June interview with Forbes, alongside his 53-year-old wife Arlene Silver, whom he’s been married to for 12 years, Van Dyke discussed his passion for acting and his fitness routine that keeps him agile and robust in his nineties.
“[Fitness] is getting more important,” he confessed. “I’m only about five months from 99, so I find it the legs I would tell everybody who’s getting old get your legs together. If you’re going to get around, you’re alright, and that’s what I’m working on.”
Van Dyke credits his enduring energy and career longevity to ‘keeping moving’, highlighting the importance of exercise and a dynamic lifestyle.
“My mother lived within months of 96 everyone else went in their sixties and seventies,” he reminisced. “I put a book out years ago called Keep Moving, so I still exercise everyday. We try to go to the gym and do a little bit of light weight training and everything. I believe that’s it keeping moving.”
He then expressed his profound appreciation for his wife, attributing his well-being to her presence. “Oh my God! I don’t think I’d even be here, to tell you that truth,” he reflected on the thought of life without her. “She keeps me in shape, feeds me and I love her more everyday. We’re just getting closer and close.”
Silver also acknowledged how Van Dyke has positively influenced her life, as she said: “I was very cynical, I think, when I first met him. He’s such a great human being and he’s so pure in his thoughts and his heart, that it’s rubbed off on me. Just all the wholesome things of life that’s what he has and he’s just made me a better person.”
The story caught the attention of Reddit users recently, sparking discussions about the actor. One user praised: “This actor is not just a legend. He shows us why it is important to stay fit and healthy into our golden years.” Another replied: “A big part of it is getting in shape while you’re young(er) and to maintain it. Easier to keep things maintained than to fix problems.”
A further nostalgic fan confessed: “He reminds me a lot of my late father who was a very smiley, friendly kind of guy, so I have a very special place in my heart for Dick Van Dyke.”
The accolades didn’t stop there, with another admirer adding: “Such a talented man.”
In a heartwarming tribute, one person shared their firsthand experience, revealing: “My friends worked at a deli in Cave Creek Az and they said he came in all the time. They said he was super cool.”
