Dick Van Dyke, 98, Credits His Wife Arlene Silver For Keeping Him Feeling Young
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Actor and singer Dick Van Dyke was honored with a CBS special for his 98th birthday.
He recently said that he credits his wife, Arlene Silver, with helping him stay young.
The couple met in 2006 and have been married since February 2012.
Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke—best known for iconic films like Mary Poppins, Night at the Museum, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang—is turning 98 this month, and to celebrate, CBS aired a special titled Dick Van Dyke 98 Years Of Magic on December 21 at 9 p.m. ET.
Since the early days of his career, the actor has always managed to charm moviegoers with his wit, humor and charismatic smile—but it's not just fans who are captivated by the star. He's been lucky to have wife Arlene Silver at his side for almost two decades.
Dick and Arlene's love story dates back to 2006, when the couple met at that year's SAG Awards ceremony. At the time, Arlene was working as a makeup artist, and Dick was attending the ceremony as a guest. The two were introduced, but Arlene didn't quite put the pieces together that the man she was speaking with was the Dick Van Dyke.
"I knew him, I just didn't know how I knew him," she told People in 2012. "I like that I knew him as a man before I knew him as a performer." Despite Arlene's unfamiliarity with Dick's work—not to mention their 46-year age difference—the two hit it off and they began working together.
While the now-married duo's relationship eventually turned romantic, it initially started out as strictly professional, as Dick was in a long-term romance with his partner of over three decades, Michelle Triola (Dick was previously married to Margerie Willett for almost four decades before they divorced in 1984). But when Michelle died from cancer in 2009, Arlene became a shoulder to lean on for Dick, while he grieved the loss of his partner.
"Arlene would come by after work and bring me food," he told People. "She was such a support, I fell in love."
After two years of dating, Arlene moved into Dick's Malibu home in 2011. The two married in an intimate ceremony on February 29, 2012. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the bride decided to break tradition by wearing a fuchsia wedding gown.
When Dick's publicist Bob Palmer confirmed the marriage to ABC News, he iterated how much Arlene's presence played a role in his client's happiness. "It's a really nice relationship, most people like [Arlene] a lot," he said at the time. "Despite their obvious age difference, Dick has never been happier. She brings a lot of light into his life."
Throughout the couple's 11-year marriage, Dick and Arlene haven't shied away from the spotlight, and have been known to frequent Hollywood events. When Dick was honored at the 2021 Kennedy Center Honors, Arlene was right by his side, just as she was when he appeared in 2018's Mary Poppins Returns. They also have a mutual love of singing, which Dick revealed when he appeared on The Masked Singer season 9, performing Frank Sinatra's "When You're Smiling" on her suggestion.
"They wanted me to do something current and I know nothing from rock," Van Dyke told People in February about his appearance. "So we picked out one which typifies me.[Arlene's] the one that came up with it and I liked the song, too."
So, after almost two decades of being together, what's Dick and Arlene's secret? Well, according to the actor, it stems from having someone who is easily adaptable to all the things in his life.
"We share an attitude," he told Closer in March 2022. "She can go with the flow. She loves to sing and dance, which we do almost every day. She’s just delightful."
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