Dick Van Dyke on Being Honored at 98, What’s Still on His Bucket List and What He Hopes His Legacy Will Be (2024)

Dick Van Dyke hasn’t worked a day in his life. At least, that’s how it feels to him now.

“Everything I did was play. I didn’t grasp that until I watched that whole show,” he said of sitting in the audience for his recent CBS special, “Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic.” The comedy legend added: “I enjoyed everything I did, and not a lot of people can say that.”

His enjoyment is evident in his projects — from “Bye Bye Birdie” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show” to “Mary Poppins” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” — and, he believes, the audience can see it.

“People can tell how you’re feeling. They can see beyond an actor’s performance. People sense if you’re having a good time. I try to avoid things that aren’t any fun,” he said in our interview, conducted before the June 7 Daytime Emmys ceremony. “I’m up for an Emmy for a part I did on a soap opera. And although it was a serious part … if I win for a soap opera, that’ll kind of be the cherry on top.”

That evening, Van Dyke became the oldest-ever Daytime Emmy winner — his sixth — for his guest role in Peaco*ck’s “Days of Our Lives.” And a soap wasn’t something he ever thought he’d do.

“They called me out of the blue, and I liked the part,” he said. “I played a father, and I’m a great-grandpa in real life! We had fun; my wife got to play my attendant. I was in a wheelchair.”

The unexpected role may open the door to an item on his bucket list.

“I’d like to do one more dramatic thing. I said to the guys who produced the special, ‘I did like some dramatic work.’ They said, ‘Nobody wants to see you be serious,’” he laughed. “Maybe I can get a little show together showing some of my dramatic work.”

The two-hour special features music and dance spectacles, touching performances and many special guests. And watching it, he ate up every minute: “When they said they were going to do a show, I said, ‘Well, it’s about time, guys.’”

Among the memorable moments were Jason Alexander performing “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” Beth Behrs and Tichina Arnold putting a twist on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” Rita Ora singing “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and Weird Al taking on “The Dick Van Dyke” theme song. Many admirers and long-time friends of the comedian appeared as well, including Julie Andrews, Judd Apatow, Mel Brooks, Carol Burnett, Jim Carrey, Stephen Colbert, Jane Seymour and Ted Danson.

Some of the on-stage sketches attempted to re-create Van Dyke’s famous physical comedy, a skill he says can’t necessarily be learned.

“I think you have to have it in you. I really believe that. There’s an instinct or something in your body. I was practicing falls when I was a little kid, copying Laurel and Hardy,” he said, referencing comedy team Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. “I just love that work. And I think some of it is inborn somehow.”

He was definitely born with it, and at 98, he still has a strong sense of humor. For example, when I thank him for taking time to reflect, without a beat he responded, “I like to talk about myself!”

But while Van Dyke is still making audiences laugh, there aren’t many comedians that make him laugh. Instead, it’s “people who are not known for comedy,” like Stanley Tucci, who he said, “tickles me to death.

“I can’t think of any comedians that are around,” he added. “Good guys like Jonathan Winters and Robin Williams are gone. They were sensational. I always loved Peter Sellers. All the good ones are gone. I’m all by myself!”

Luckily, he can still laugh at himself — and does.

“As a matter of fact, I woke up this morning and turned on cable and there was ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ playing. You don’t see many 60-year-old movies on television,” he said. But he watched it. “I’m critical [when watching myself]. I think of things I should have done. Once in a while, I watch ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show.’ My wife caught me laughing at myself!”

Most days, however, he doesn’t watch much scripted television but instead watches the news. “I just try to keep up with what’s happening in the world, which is frightening,” he said. And when he needs a break, he loves to turn on something heartwarming. But that’s not as easy as it sounds.

“There are some light comedies out there that, I hate to say it, in my view, missed the point. They don’t quite get there,” he said. And as far as uplifting films, he noted, “I think you’ve got to go all the way back to ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ with Jimmy Stewart, which is, I think, the feel-good movie of all time. And it still has the same effect that it did back then. And ‘The Wizard of Oz.’”

Luckily, he’s provided more than enough feel-good content for his audience, which he says is mostly children now — at least that’s who his letters are from. “All my mail is from kids now,” said Van Dyke. “I’m on my third generation.”

That is why he does his job — the children. And that’s what he hopes his legacy will be when he’s gone.

“I left a good example for a young generation. I think I have a positive effect on kids. And I can tell by the mail I get from kids that I’ve had a good effect,” he said. “They want to emulate that behavior. And that, I think, is why what we really accomplish is worthwhile. I’m so happy the impact I had was a positive one, and I’m perfectly satisfied with that.”