Arlene Silver and Dick Van Dyke at the CBS special ‘Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic’.Photo:Monty Brinton/CBSDick Van Dykeis prolific and beloved in Hollywood, but the acting legend admits the roles didn’t necessarily come because he was a go-getter from the start.“As a businessman, I’m not much good. I would do a movie or something and come home, and just sit down and wait for the phone to ring. I wasn’t aggressive. So I was out of work a lot, because I didn’t go out and look for it.” Van Dyke said on this weekend’sCBS’News Sunday Morning. “I didn’t mind it.“Instead, Van Dyke said his “whole career has depended” on having fun.“If I’m not enjoying myself, I’m really bad,” he continued, adding, “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.”Dick Van Dyke turned 98 on Dec. 13.Courtesy of Laura Johansen/CBSThe actor, who turned 98 on Dec. 13, will be honored Thursday with the two-hour tribute specialDick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic,featuring archival footage and live performances of songs from his decades-long career.“I’m on my third generation. I’m getting letters from little kids, and that is what I love,” he said. “They watch the movies over and over. I’m getting so much more mail today than I did during the heyday of my career.”Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber in ‘Mary Poppins.'.Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/GettyWhile he’s grateful for his life, one that includes his marriage with makeup artistArlene Silverandfour children— Christian, Barry, Stacy and Carrie Beth — with late ex-wifeMargerie Willett, Van Dyke admitted he would change one thing.“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 explained, adding that Silver “makes sure” he goes to the gym three times a week.Ahead of his 98th birthday, Van Dyke also told PEOPLE that he still finds joy and gratitude “every day of my life.”“My wife brings me a cup of coffee in the morning. I get it in bed. I get treated like a king around here,” he said, referring to his Southern California home.Dick Van Dyke and Jane Seymour step out for ‘fun and scares’ on Halloween.Jane Seymour / InstagramDespite the joy, Van Dyke is also in the midst of a “sad moment” as he outlives friends includingNorman Lear, whodiedat the age of 101 on Dec. 5.“I [once] had a bunch of friends there to say nice things,” he admitted, “butMary Tyler Moore, Morey [Amsterdam] and [Rose Marie],Carl Reiner, Norman Lear — all the people that I always loved and associated with are gone, so I’m having to make new friends.“Luckily, the acting legend doesn’t have to go far to do that. “I’m happy to say people come to me,” he added. “I don’t have to go out looking.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magicpremieres Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
Arlene Silver and Dick Van Dyke at the CBS special ‘Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic’.Photo:Monty Brinton/CBS
Monty Brinton/CBS
Dick Van Dykeis prolific and beloved in Hollywood, but the acting legend admits the roles didn’t necessarily come because he was a go-getter from the start.“As a businessman, I’m not much good. I would do a movie or something and come home, and just sit down and wait for the phone to ring. I wasn’t aggressive. So I was out of work a lot, because I didn’t go out and look for it.” Van Dyke said on this weekend’sCBS’News Sunday Morning. “I didn’t mind it.“Instead, Van Dyke said his “whole career has depended” on having fun.“If I’m not enjoying myself, I’m really bad,” he continued, adding, “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.”Dick Van Dyke turned 98 on Dec. 13.Courtesy of Laura Johansen/CBSThe actor, who turned 98 on Dec. 13, will be honored Thursday with the two-hour tribute specialDick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic,featuring archival footage and live performances of songs from his decades-long career.“I’m on my third generation. I’m getting letters from little kids, and that is what I love,” he said. “They watch the movies over and over. I’m getting so much more mail today than I did during the heyday of my career.”Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber in ‘Mary Poppins.'.Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/GettyWhile he’s grateful for his life, one that includes his marriage with makeup artistArlene Silverandfour children— Christian, Barry, Stacy and Carrie Beth — with late ex-wifeMargerie Willett, Van Dyke admitted he would change one thing.“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 explained, adding that Silver “makes sure” he goes to the gym three times a week.Ahead of his 98th birthday, Van Dyke also told PEOPLE that he still finds joy and gratitude “every day of my life.”“My wife brings me a cup of coffee in the morning. I get it in bed. I get treated like a king around here,” he said, referring to his Southern California home.Dick Van Dyke and Jane Seymour step out for ‘fun and scares’ on Halloween.Jane Seymour / InstagramDespite the joy, Van Dyke is also in the midst of a “sad moment” as he outlives friends includingNorman Lear, whodiedat the age of 101 on Dec. 5.“I [once] had a bunch of friends there to say nice things,” he admitted, “butMary Tyler Moore, Morey [Amsterdam] and [Rose Marie],Carl Reiner, Norman Lear — all the people that I always loved and associated with are gone, so I’m having to make new friends.“Luckily, the acting legend doesn’t have to go far to do that. “I’m happy to say people come to me,” he added. “I don’t have to go out looking.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magicpremieres Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
Dick Van Dykeis prolific and beloved in Hollywood, but the acting legend admits the roles didn’t necessarily come because he was a go-getter from the start.
“As a businessman, I’m not much good. I would do a movie or something and come home, and just sit down and wait for the phone to ring. I wasn’t aggressive. So I was out of work a lot, because I didn’t go out and look for it.” Van Dyke said on this weekend’sCBS’News Sunday Morning. “I didn’t mind it.”
Instead, Van Dyke said his “whole career has depended” on having fun.
“If I’m not enjoying myself, I’m really bad,” he continued, adding, “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.”
Dick Van Dyke turned 98 on Dec. 13.Courtesy of Laura Johansen/CBS
Courtesy of Laura Johansen/CBS
The actor, who turned 98 on Dec. 13, will be honored Thursday with the two-hour tribute specialDick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic,featuring archival footage and live performances of songs from his decades-long career.
“I’m on my third generation. I’m getting letters from little kids, and that is what I love,” he said. “They watch the movies over and over. I’m getting so much more mail today than I did during the heyday of my career.”
Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber in ‘Mary Poppins.'.Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty
While he’s grateful for his life, one that includes his marriage with makeup artistArlene Silverandfour children— Christian, Barry, Stacy and Carrie Beth — with late ex-wifeMargerie Willett, Van Dyke admitted he would change one thing.
“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 explained, adding that Silver “makes sure” he goes to the gym three times a week.
Ahead of his 98th birthday, Van Dyke also told PEOPLE that he still finds joy and gratitude “every day of my life.”
“My wife brings me a cup of coffee in the morning. I get it in bed. I get treated like a king around here,” he said, referring to his Southern California home.
Dick Van Dyke and Jane Seymour step out for ‘fun and scares’ on Halloween.Jane Seymour / Instagram
Jane Seymour / Instagram
Despite the joy, Van Dyke is also in the midst of a “sad moment” as he outlives friends includingNorman Lear, whodiedat the age of 101 on Dec. 5.
“I [once] had a bunch of friends there to say nice things,” he admitted, “butMary Tyler Moore, Morey [Amsterdam] and [Rose Marie],Carl Reiner, Norman Lear — all the people that I always loved and associated with are gone, so I’m having to make new friends.”
Luckily, the acting legend doesn’t have to go far to do that. “I’m happy to say people come to me,” he added. “I don’t have to go out looking.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magicpremieres Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
source: people.com
