Dick Van Dyke is still going strong at 98 in his extensive and varied long-standing career.
The legendary actor has been in show business for over 70 years now, his work expanding across film, theater and TV. In an Interview with Deadline he talked about his life, his career and what’s next. He disclosed that it’s hard for him to see himself in the words of legend, icon and hero: “I don’t see myself that way and I can’t comprehend myself as that.”His career and success, he proclaimed to the outlet, “has been pure kismet” and he “never had any real drive.” He explained that it’s the fact that he revels in what he does. “Well, it was a matter of just enjoying myself,” the 98-year-old said. “I always loved what I was doing. If it had felt like work, I probably would have stopped it a long time ago,” he laughs, “But I just loved it.”
Dick has been in so many things from his big break in Bye Bye Birdie on Broadway in 1960 then the reprising his stage role in the 1963 film version to Mary Poppins (1964) and the revival in 2018 (Mary Poppins Returns) to his own TV sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966). He also starred in Night of the Museum (2006), a 2020 TV show called Kidding and made an appearance on The Masked Singer in 2023. He considered his work to be called “my play,” which he kindly corrected Deadline for saying in their interview.
Last year, the veteran actor was surprised by a two-hour tribute consisting of archival footage and live performances of some of the biggest and greatest moments in his career. The CBS special was called Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic to honor his 98th birthday. Throughout the performances such as Rita Ora doing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Amber Riley performing Chim Chim Cheree, Dick could be seen in a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (the 1968 film musical he starred in) car replica with wife Arlene Silver, smiling and singing along.
After the special he spoke with PEOPLE about the honor, “It’s difficult to say how I felt.”
“I came home, and I said, ‘You know something? It’s going to be a couple of days before this actually sinks in that it happened.’ I never expected that kind of recognition,” he shared. “My whole life went before me. I didn’t realize I had done so many things while I was 75 years in show business.”
The father-of-four has no plans to retire. He recently was on Days of Our Lives in a guest starring role which led to a history-making nomination as the oldest person to earn a Daytime Emmy nomination for Guest Performer in a Drama Series. He portrayed Timothy Robicheaux for four episodes on the soap opera in 2023. This was Dick first’s soap opera which he shared with Deadline with excitement.
There is still one more thing Dick wants to do. “I’d still like to do a one man-show,” he said. “Cary Grant did it. And Gregory Peck. Went on the road and talked about their careers. I think it’d be fun.”