Latest news with #ArleneVanDyke
Fox News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Dick Van Dyke's wife says living to 100 can be 'a curse'
For Dick Van Dyke, living to almost 100 can be "a curse." The "Mary Poppins" star described how he and longtime pal Ed Asner, who died in 2021 at age 91, were teaming up for a remake of the classic comedy "The Odd Couple." "That would've been such fun, and we lost it," said the 99-year-old at the "Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp" event in Malibu, California, as reported by People magazine. "He's outlived everybody," said Van Dyke's wife Arlene, 53. "That's the curse of living to almost 100." Still, Arlene noted that the star is "still so positive" despite losing so many friends and co-stars over the years. "Well, life's been good to me," said Van Dyke. "I can't complain." The actor told People magazine at the event that he's determined to perform instead of easing into retirement. Van Dyke will turn 100 in December. "I'm a ham," he said. "I love it. I get a jolt of energy from an audience." According to the outlet, "The Odd Couple" was first introduced as a Broadway play in 1965. A movie followed in 1968 starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. A TV series, developed by Garry Marshall, premiered in 1970 and ran for five seasons. It starred Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. The story follows Felix, a neat freak, who moves in with his messy best friend Oscar in a New York City apartment following his divorce. It's there where their friendship is put to the test. WATCH: 'DICK VAN DYKE SHOW' STAR NEVER BECAME CLOSE WITH MARY TYLER MOORE Van Dyke had already made his mark headlining "The Dick Van Dyke Show" when he was cast alongside Julie Andrews in 1964's "Mary Poppins." His sitcom, where he played a comedy writer named Rob Petrie, ran from 1961 to 1966. He described how Andrews, 89, was "as sweet as she could be and so patient with me" as he struggled with the singing aspects of his role. "I'm not a real singer, so I tend to be under, fighting to get up there and sing on top of the note," he told the outlet. "Just took me forever in the recording. But [Andrews] was just as patient as could be and kept helping me, saying, 'Think high. Think up there.' And it turned out great." "She was wonderful," he gushed. "We had a wonderful time together." In December 2024, Van Dyke opened up about his life while appearing in a new music video for Coldplay's "All My Love." The song wasn't initially written about Van Dyke, but the music video was a look back on his incredible career. Filmed at the legendary actor's Malibu home, the video features footage of Van Dyke's many accolades and awards, sweet clips of him and his extended family, and emotional moments of reflection. "I'm acutely aware that I could go any day now, but I don't know why. It doesn't concern me. I'm not afraid of it," Van Dyke said in the video. "I have that feeling, totally against anything intellectual, that I'm going to be alright." "I think I'm one of those lucky people who got to do for a living what I would have done anyway," he added. "When you think how lucky I am — I got to do what I do, play and act silly."
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dick Van Dyke's wife says there's a 'curse' that comes with her husband living to almost 100
There is a downside to living such a long life like Dick Van Dyke. "He's outlived everybody," his wife Arlene, 53, said. "That's the curse of living to almost 100." As the world faces an aging population, loneliness among older adults is becoming a growing public health concern. Dick Van Dyke may be 99 years old and leading an active life, but longevity comes with its own set of challenges too. During a "Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp" event in California, the actor and his wife, Arlene, spoke about the heartbreaking reality that comes with him living to almost 100. Van Dyke reflected on the death of his longtime friend Ed Asner and shared that they were supposed to remake "The Odd Couple," a 1965 Broadway play about two roommates that has been adapted into a movie and a TV sitcom over the years. Asner died in 2021 at the age of 91. "That would've been such fun, and we lost it. I've lost a lot of friends," Van Dyke said, per People. "He's outlived everybody," his wife, 53, said. "That's the curse of living to almost 100." Despite losing so many friends and costars over the years, the "Mary Poppins" star is "still so positive," she said. "Well, life's been good to me. I can't complain," he added. This isn't the first time that Van Dyke has spoken about aging and longevity. In a 2023 CBS interview, the "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" actor said he would have taken better care of himself if he had known he was going to live such a long life. He also reflected on outliving his friends Norman Lear, who died a few weeks before the interview, and Carl Reiner, who died in 2020 at 98. "Everybody I knew and worked with, there's no one left," Van Dyke said. In 2024, Van Dyke told Entertainment Tonight that regular exercise has been the "secret" to his longevity. "I've often tried to think, 'What did I do to live this long?' and I can't figure out," he said. "The only thing is I've always exercised. We still go to the gym three days a week and work out." According to the CDC, the average life expectancy in the US is 74.8 years for males and 80.2 years for females. However, the number of centenarians in the US is projected to increase from 107,000 in 2025 to about 444,000 in 2055, per estimates from the United States Census Bureau. But living that long often means outliving friends, partners, and peers, making loneliness a growing concern among older Americans. Additionally, Rose Anne Kenny, a professor at Trinity College Dublin whose work focuses on aging, said that research has shown that having social interactions and good friendships could be as important as exercise and diet for longevity. Several baby boomers told BI that they are finding budget-friendly ways to maintain a healthy social life, including taking up new hobbies and returning to work. A representative for Van Dyke did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours. Read the original article on Business Insider
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Dick Van Dyke, 99, reveals what the 'curse' of living to almost 100 is
Dick Van Dyke has opened up about the reality of living to be a nonagenarian. The 99-year-old legendary filmmaker — who recently remarked on his 46-year age gap with wife Arlene Van Dyke — reflected on his long life during a Q&A at their Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp event. During the conversation, Dick revealed he and his late friend Ed Asner had planned to do a remake of The Odd Couple before his death at age 91 in August 2021. 'That would've been such fun, and we lost it. I've lost a lot of friends,' the actor noted, according to an account from People. His 53-year-old wife added, 'He's outlived everybody. That's the curse of living to almost 100.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. When asked by his significant other what the secret to remaining positive is despite his losses, he answered, 'Well, life's been good to me. I can't complain.' Dick, who turns 100 in December, said he continues to perform at his age because it energizes him. 'I'm a ham. I love it. I get a jolt of energy from an audience,' the star told People at the Malibu, California gathering. While there, he performed live with his musical group, the barbershop quartet The Vantastix. He also highlighted his role as Albert Peterson in Broadway's Bye Bye Birdie from April 1960 to October 1961. '[It's] the one that got me off the ground,' Van Dyke explained. 'It was the biggest thrill. And I got a Tony [Award] later.' He went on to reprise the role in the 1963 movie adaptation while simultaneously starring in his self-titled sitcom. On The Dick Van Dyke Show, the Hollywood hot commodity played played a comedy writer named Rob Petrie for five years. The success of the show led to him being cast in dual roles — chimney sweeper Bert and bank chairman Mr. Dawes Sr. — for 1964's Mary Poppins starring Julie Andrews. He reflected about working with Andrews, now 89, 'I'm not a real singer, so I tend to be under, fighting to get up there and sing on top of the note. Just took me forever in the recording. '[Andrews] was just patient as could be and kept helping me, saying, "Think high. Think up there."'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dick Van Dyke Was Set to Team Up with Ed Asner for Remake of 'The Odd Couple 'Before His Death: ‘Curse of Living to Almost 100'
Dick Van Dyke revealed that he and longtime friend Ed Asner were set to do a remake of The Odd Couple before the Asner's death at age 91 in 2021 The Odd Couple — which has had iterations as a Broadway play, movie and TV sitcom — chronicles the comedic interactions of friends Felix and Oscar, who decide to live together despite one being messy and the other neat "That would've been fun, and we lost it. I've lost a lot of friends," Van Dyke said of the planned project with AsnerDick Van Dyke had a special project in the works with Ed Asner before the latter actor's death. Dick, 99, revealed during a Q&A with his wife, Arlene Van Dyke, that he and longtime friend Asner — who died in August 2021 at the age of 91 — were set to team up for a remake of the classic comedy The Odd Couple. "That would've been such fun, and we lost it. I've lost a lot of friends," Dick said during the conversation at the Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp event in Malibu, Calif. "He's outlived everybody," Arlene, 53, chimed in about her husband. "That's the curse of living to almost 100." Arlene then noted that the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star is "still so positive" despite having lost so many beloved friends and former costars over the years and asked him the secret to his cheerful mindset. "Well, life's been good to me. I can't complain," Dick simply replied. Fans were first introduced to The Odd Couple's iconic duo Oscar and Felix in Neil Simon's Broadway play in 1965. A movie followed in 1968, starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Felix, a neat freak, moves in with his messy best friend Oscar following his divorce, and their relationship is put to the test — and then some. A TV series, developed by Garry Marshall, then premiered in September 1970 and ran for five seasons. Jack Klugman portrayed Oscar, and Tony Randall played Felix, and their differing household standards led to lots of comedic clashes as the pair shared a New York City apartment. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. While chatting with PEOPLE at the Malibu event, where Dick performed with his barbershop quartet, The Vantastix, the actor — who will turn 100 in December — shared why he continues to perform and go out onstage instead of easing into retirement. "I'm a ham," he says. "I love it. I get a jolt of energy from an audience." Reflecting on his decades-long entertainment career, Dick singled out his turn as Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie on Broadway from April 1960 to October 1961 as the role that most stands out for him. "[It's] the one that got me off the ground," he explains. "It was the biggest thrill. And I got a Tony [Award] later." The Broadway gig led to him kickstarting his film career by playing Albert in the 1963 movie adaptation of Bye Bye Birdie. At that time, Dick was also headlining The Dick Van Dyke Show, a sitcom in which he played a comedy writer named Rob Petrie. Amid the show's successful five-year run, he was also cast alongside Julie Andrews in 1964's Mary Poppins in not one, but two roles: chimney sweep Bert and bank chairman Mr. Dawes Sr. Dick recalled to PEOPLE how Andews, 89, was "as sweet as she could be and so patient with me" — especially as he struggled with the singing aspects of his performance. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! "I'm not a real singer, so I tend to be under, fighting to get up there and sing on top of the note. Just took me forever in the recording," he says. "But [Andrews] was just patient as could be and kept helping me, saying, 'Think high. Think up there.' And it turned out great," he continues. "She was wonderful. We had a wonderful time together." Read the original article on People
