Dick Van Dyke, 98, Reveals the Secret to His 70-Year Career: Embracing Leisure
Dick Van Dyke, the legendary actor at 98, reflects on his illustrious 70-year career and humorously confesses to being pretty lazy when it came to actively seeking acting projects Discover the delightful anecdotes and candid insights from this Hollywood icon
Upon reaching the age of 98, Dick Van Dyke took a moment to look back on his career and acknowledged that he has been somewhat lackadaisical when it comes to pursuing acting opportunities. In an interview on CBS' Sunday Morning on December 17, Van Dyke admitted that he tended to sit back and wait for the phone to ring after completing a movie, rather than actively seeking out new roles. "As a businessman, I'm not much good. I would do a movie and come home, and just sit down and wait for the phone to ring. I wasn't aggressive," he shared. This approach led to periods of unemployment, as he candidly shared, "I was out of work a lot because I didn't go out and look for it."
The renowned actor confessed to lacking "a lot of drive" but attributed his success to being "very lucky" in life. Van Dyke's career has endured for over seven decades, with iconic performances in memorable films such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins.
Van Dyke expressed that his "entire career has relied on" enjoying himself.
“If I’m not enjoying myself, I’m really bad,” he said during Sunday’s interview. “It’s such a blessing to find a way of making a living that you love, that you’d do for nothing. I feel so sorry for people who hate their jobs. I look forward to going to work every morning.”
In honor of his 70-year career, CBS will air Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic, a special featuring a modernized version of The Dick Van Dyke Show set, as well as musical tributes to the legendary star.
"I'm now on my third generation and receiving letters from young children, which is what I truly cherish," he said. "They watch my movies repeatedly, and I receive much more mail today than during the peak of my career."
Van Dyke celebrated his 98th birthday on December 13, and upon reflecting on his life, he remarked that there is one thing he would change.
"If I had known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself. Yeah, because I went through that whole period of alcoholism,” he said during the Sunday Morning interview, emphasizing that his wife, Arlene Silver, ensures he works out three times a week.
Dick Van Dyke expressed that it is unsettling for him to realize that all of his friends in Hollywood are no longer around. To combat his sadness, the actor focuses on making new friends and trying new things.
When it comes to his tribute special, Van Dyke was in the audience watching the two-hour show for the live taping.
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"I never thought I would deserve something like this, but it's hard to put into words how I'm feeling," he shared with People. "I got home and thought, 'You know, it's going to take a few days for this to truly sink in.' I never imagined receiving this level of recognition. My entire life flashed before my eyes. I didn't realize how much I had accomplished in my 75 years in show business."
Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic premieres on CBS Thursday, December 21 at 9 p.m. ET.
