Grappling with the harsh reality that, for the first time, he had no companion looking out for him, Dick Van Dyke met someone nearly half a century younger who, he says, he wouldn’t even be here without. Meet the mystery woman who gave the Hollywood icon a third chance at love.
Dick Van Dyke, born Richard Wayne Van Dyke in West Plains, Missouri, rose to fame as one of the most cherished entertainers of his generation. Known for his versatility, Van Dyke’s career skyrocketed with his Tony-winning performance in “Bye Bye Birdie” in 1960, later reprised in the 1963 film adaptation.
His charm lit up the screen in classics like “Mary Poppins” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” earning him acclaim as both a comedic and dramatic actor. Over the years, he became a television icon, winning four Emmy Awards and leaving an indelible mark on Hollywood.
However, before the fame, as a young man in Danville, Illinois, he met Margie Willett, the woman who would become his first wife. “When I was 20, I began dating a local girl I had known for years growing up in Danville, Illinois – Margie Willett,” Van Dyke recalled.
Their love story began modestly, but their wedding in 1948 was anything but ordinary. Too broke to afford a proper ceremony, a radio producer offered to foot the bill for the wedding and their honeymoon if they agreed to say “I do” on a live radio show.
“So, in 1948 we exchanged our vows in front of a minister and two radio microphones while 15 million people listened!” the actor said.Willett, described by her ex-husband as “earthy and artistic,” was not drawn to Hollywood glamor. “She wore her hair short and eschewed makeup, and we were often mistaken for brother and sister,” Van Dyke shared.
Instead, she focused on their growing family, even as her husband’s star rose. However, their marriage was not without heartbreak. She suffered a miscarriage early on, but the couple went on to have four children together.Van Dyke expressed pride in their family, saying, “Margie miscarried twins, but went on to have four children who turned out to be truly admirable. Margie did the work, but I will take some credit.”
“As the father of four, the grandfather of seven and a great-grandfather four times over, why not?” he added. Despite their joys, the couple faced their fair share of challenges, including Van Dyke’s 25-year battle with alcoholism.
He openly acknowledged the impact this had on his family, admitting, “I tried to be a good role model to my children, but I was an alcoholic for 25 years, which inevitably impacted on family life.”
“When I went into therapy, I realized I was repeating my father’s mistakes,” the actor continued. Seeking help, he entered rehab, only to discover that Willett was struggling with her own addiction to antidepressants.”When I pledged to quit and entered a rehab clinic, Margie checked in as I checked out. I thought she’d come to pick me up, but it turned out she was hooked on antidepressants. I had no idea. What a pair. Our addictions were symptomatic of deeper problems in our relationship and we were drifting apart,” he said.
Amid this turmoil, Van Dyke met Michelle Triola, a former actress and legal secretary. Unlike Willett, Triola understood the demands of show business, and the two quickly developed a bond.
“She was feisty, smart and, unlike Margie, knew the showbiz world inside out,” the “Mary Poppins” star admitted. Their relationship began as an affair but evolved into a committed partnership after Van Dyke and Willett divorced in 1984.
Reflecting on this chapter, Van Dyke said, “Margie and I divorced, and Michelle and I went on to have 35 very happy years together. We talked about marrying, but I could never get her to put a date in the diary.”
Tragedy struck in 2008 when Willett passed away from pancreatic cancer. Despite their divorce, Van Dyke was deeply affected, revealing, “I was deeply affected, even though we were long divorced. With her death, I lost a part of myself.”Then, Triola was diagnosed with lung cancer. “A year later, more heartbreaking news — Michelle’s doctor found a spot on her lung. She spent her last week in a coma. Her doctor said she could still hear, so I sang and talked to her until the hospice nurses told me she was gone,” Van Dyke shared.
Her passing at their shared Malibu home in 2009 marked the end of another significant chapter in his life. Van Dyke recalled her final moments, saying, “When she asked if she was going to die, I pretended I didn’t know – the hardest acting I have ever done. After she passed, I realized I had never been without a companion looking out for me.”
Little did the actor, who was in his darkest hour, know he would find a companion again. In 2006, Van Dyke met Arlene Silver, a makeup artist 46 years his junior, at the SAG Awards. Struck by her beauty, he did something uncharacteristic — he introduced himself.
“I never approached a strange woman in my life,” he admitted. “And she walked by and I jumped and said, ‘Hi, I’m Dick.’ I had no idea she was half my age. Beautiful.”
Their first encounter marked the beginning of a friendship that blossomed into romance after Triola’s death. By 2011, Silver had moved in with him, and the couple married in 2012.
Their marriage drew attention for its significant age gap, but Van Dyke dismissed the concerns. “We don’t feel the age gap,” he explained. “I’m emotionally immature, and Arlene is very wise for her age, so we meet in the middle.”
Silver echoed his sentiments, saying, “We were friends for so long that when I told people that I know, they were happy about [our relationship], and I was scared. I mean, the facts, our age difference. But it’s so irrelevant. I think when you see us together, it’s like you don’t think about it.”
Their bond was evident to those around them, as the actor shared, “My oldest child, Christian, was the only one in the family who had doubts, but after we exchanged our vows in 2012, he said, ‘Dad, I get it.'”
Van Dyke credited Silver with bringing new energy and joy into his life, saying, “[…] I don’t think I’d even be here, to tell you that truth. She keeps me in shape, feeds me, and I love her more every day. We’re just getting closer and closer.”Silver, in turn, described Van Dyke as a transformative influence. “I mean, he’s really made me a better person. I was very cynical, I think, when I first met him,” she shared.
“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,” she added.Their shared passions extended to the arts, with Silver even convincing Van Dyke to perform with her on a public platform. In 2022, she directed a Valentine’s Day video of the couple singing and dancing to “Everybody Loves a Lover,” showcasing Van Dyke’s enduring talent and vitality at 96.
The couple’s physical activity has played a key role in Van Dyke’s longevity over the years. He remained committed to regular exercise, often going to the gym with Silver for light-weight training.