On Saturday, comedic legend Dick Van Dyke will celebrate his 100th birthday.
The legendary screen and stage actor’s 60-plus-year career includes TV’s “Dick Van Dyke Show,” Broadway’s original production of “Bye Bye Birdie,” and the now iconic “Mary Poppins” movie — as well as dozens of other stage, TV, and big screen productions.
Van Dyke, famously positive and equally active, maintained his jam-packed schedule through his 80s and 90s, including a music video for the Coldplay song “All My Love” last December. In November, he released his autobiography, “100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life.”
Here & Now‘s Robin Young was invited by Van Dyke’s team to fly out to his home in Malibu for an interview. As a lifelong fan, she was over the moon! But when she got there, he was under the weather. With his 100th birthday approaching, the interview was canceled.
So, what to do? Young once worked with fellow comedian and long-time friend of Van Dyke’s, Mel Brooks, also 99. So, she drove to his house and rang the bell.
Brooks talks about Van Dyke, their relationship and what it feels like to head toward the century mark.
Why do you love Dick Van Dyke?
“I love Dick Van Dyke because he was so good-natured, so sweet, original. We’d meet at Norman Lear’s house once a month, and we had sandwiches without crusts, like egg salad sandwiches and tuna fish, but no crust. But Dick would always pop up and say, ‘I got a crust here.’ And he drove us crazy.”
Why was that moment so funny?
“It’s funny because he always found something irregular and he pointed it out. And sweet as sugar. I just love Dick Van Dyke. Also, we both loved Carl Reiner. And I always thought Carl was my best friend, and every time Dick would say, ‘No, I think he’s my best friend.’ And if you ask Carl, it was the one who called him. We both loved Carl Reiner an awful lot.”
You and Carl Reiner met while writing on Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows.” You created the 2,000-year-old man.
“Yep, we did. I was sitting in the writer’s room and Carl walked in and he sat down next to me. And out of the blue, Carl said, ‘I understand that you’re 2,000 years old. Can you verify that?’
“ I miss him. Dick Van Dyke misses him as much as I did. Carl Reiner was very important to both of us. He was so giving and loving and sweet and bright, and he played an important part in our lives.”
Is reminiscing on your work with Reiner bittersweet?
“ It is. It is bittersweet. He was so, so caring, so loving and both Dick and I were very lucky to have Carl in our lives because he knew what to hit on and he drew out the best comedy in both of us.”
Reiner created “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”
“ And well, Carl was supposed to play Rob Petrie, the writer. And the show wasn’t selling. And then one of the producers said to Carl, ‘Don’t worry about it. We’ll get a good actor.’ And Carl said, ‘Well, what’s the matter with me?’ ‘You’re not good enough.’ And so Carl helped finding the brilliant Dick Van Dyke.”
Talk about Van Dyke’s physical comedy.
“Physically, he was a bit of a genius. He was dancing until a week ago. I mean, he could still do a soft shoe. He was a great song and dance man, and here he is on the verge of 100, still singing and dancing. It’s amazing. He’s amazing.”
You’ll be 100 in June. Van Dyke turns 100 on Saturday. What’s his secret?
“I don’t know, because the angel of death said, ‘Ah, let’s give this guy a break. He’s such a sweetheart.
And what’s your secret?
“Well, I hide. I’m never in one place for very long because I’m not looking for this guy to catch up with me.”
How do you feel heading toward 100?
“ I’m leery and scared. But I’m also not too worried ’cause I’m light on my feet and if I see trouble I can dodge away.”
In his 90s, Dick Van Dyke said he would call Carl Reiner every time he came across an old “Dick Van Dyke Show.” You should do that.
“We do. Once in a while, we do. And he’s so delightful. He’s so delicious to be with. I never met anybody who had a bad word to say about Dick Van Dyke. Dick Van Patten, yes, we would curse him. But never Dick Van Dyke.”
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This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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