Dick Van Dyke turns 100 and says he plans to live much longer as iconic actor reveals secrets for longevity
Topics: Hollywood, Celebrity, Film and TV
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
Topics: Hollywood, Celebrity, Film and TV
Happy birthday, Dick Van Dyke! The legendary actor is celebrating his 100th birthday today (December 13), and he has no plans to slow down anytime soon.
Born in 1925 in West Plains, Missouri, the actor lived through wars and witnessed huge technological advancements, and he made a name for himself in Hollywood with some incredible performances.
After starring in Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Dick Van Dyke Show, just to name a few, the 100-year-old is one of the most recognised names in the industry.
And while he has reached the incredible centurion milestone today, Van Dyke has declared that he plans to live much longer, sharing his secret to a long and healthy life.
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"The funny thing is, it’s not enough. 100 years is not enough. You want to live more," Van Dyke shared on Good Morning America.
He also reflected on his career, adding that he always played old men as 'angry and cantankerous', but that 'it’s not really that way'.
"I don’t know any other 100-year-olds, but I can speak for myself," he continued, adding: "I’ve got one game leg from, I don’t know what… I still try to dance."
Ahead of his milestone birthday, Van Dyke released his new novel, 100 Rules for Living to 100, which documented his secrets to longevity.
He said: "The funny thing is, it’s not enough. 100 years is not enough. You want to live more, which I plan to."
Van Dyke credited his wife, Arlene Silver, 54, for giving him a new lease of life.
“Arlene is half my age, and she makes me feel somewhere between two-thirds and three-quarters my age, which is still saying a lot,” he revealed in his new book.
"Every day she finds a new way to keep me up and moving, bright and hopeful and needed."
Silver also spoke to Good Morning America, saying it's a 'privilege' to be with Van Dyke, adding: "It’s like a privilege and an honour to take care of him and make him happy."
In an interview with Today on November 18, he detailed one of his secrets to living a long life: singing.
"Singing is the best thing you can do for yourself," the actor, who still performs with his acapella group, the Vantastix, said. "Usually I wake up with an old tune going through my head."
Van Dyke's incredible career has been recognised by many, including with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1993. He was also inducted into the Television Hall of Fame some 20 years ago in 1995.