Dick Van Dyke turns 100 on Dec. 13, and he credits his milestone birthday to a daily ritual his wife faithfully maintains.
The actor, best known for his roles in “Mary Poppins” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” is the subject of a new documentary, “Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration,” which will be in theaters over his birthday weekend on Dec. 13 and 14.
Filmmaker Steve Boettcher told Fox News Digital that Van Dyke’s secret to staying remarkably youthful at 100 is surprisingly simple. He said the star’s wife, Arlene Silver, keeps him active every day — singing, dancing and constantly being up and moving.
DICK VAN DYKE, 99, CREDITS DITCHING TWO BAD HABITS FOR HIS NEAR-CENTURY LONGEVITY
And they start their day with music.
“Arlene is a key force — I truly believe that,” said Boettcher. “I think there’s something about those two. They’re like kids together. They both love to sing, and they wake up in the morning singing. They sing, and they dance, and they perform together.”
“I really believe that she’s been such an influential force to keep him so vibrant, entertaining and connected to music,” he shared. “I think that’s a part of the key to living that long.”
CONVERT: DICK VAN DYKE CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF LAUGHTER, LIFE AND LEGACY
Van Dyke and his wife, 54, married in 2012. Despite their 46-year age difference, the star insists they’re a perfect match.
“I think one thing that’s magical about their relationship is that he always says, ‘I’m pretty immature,’” Boettcher said with a laugh. “So they actually even out perfectly, age-wise. I think they’re just two big kids who love to be together. And you can see that he smiles when she’s around. I think that’s something really magical.”
Boettcher said Van Dyke begins his day with music, makes a point to laugh often throughout the day and always finds a way to fit in daily exercise — whether it’s dancing at home or hitting the gym.
Also, getting plenty of sunshine helps.
“He smiles, he sings, he works out — he just lives a perfect life,” said Boettcher. “He’s in Malibu. There’s nothing wrong with Malibu, just to let you know. It’s such a magical place for him to be. And I think that’s part of the key. He’s living his perfect life.”
Van Dyke previously wrote an essay for The Times U.K., where he described how staying active has been key to keeping himself physically strong and mentally sharp.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
“I still try to hit the gym three times a week,” he explained. “I don’t know why this is something I still want to do, but it is. I’m not a ‘wake up and go back to bed’ type just yet, unless it’s cold and rainy. If I miss too many gym days, I really can feel it — a stiffness creeping in here and there. If I let that set in, well, God help me.”
“At the gym, I usually do a circuit, going from one machine to the next without a break, in a circle,” he said. “I start with the sit-up machine. Arlene says I could do 500, but that might be exaggerating. Then I do all the leg machines religiously because my legs are two of my most cherished possessions. And then the upper body.”
“The secret ingredient is the music,” he continued. “Most of my humming and singing really happens when I’m going from one machine to another. By ‘going’ I mean dancing. You heard me — dancing! And if I’m really feeling it, I’m no quiet warbler; I’m a Broadway belter.”
Van Dyke also gave up cigarettes and alcohol decades ago.
And when he’s not breaking a sweat, Van Dyke makes it a priority to find something to be grateful for each day.
“He came out of a small Midwestern town,” Boettcher said. “He wrote a couple of books ago about his hometown, Danville: ‘There’s a rich side of town, and there’s a poor side of town, but there’s not a bad side of town in Danville.’ I think he has a way to see that everything is great in life. He believes there’s always 90% of life that is great and 10% that’s probably not as great — and he’s always focused on that 90%.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Over the years, Van Dyke managed to avoid Hollywood scandals and is hailed as one of the nicest guys in showbiz.
“He truly is,” said Boettcher. “He’s been so gracious to us in making this film, and his wife, Arlene, has also been very gracious. I truly believe he has a great heart. He came out of the Depression. He didn’t know what poverty was, even though he lived it. I think that really comes from being raised in this small town, which was a great influence on his upbringing. It shaped him all the way through his life.”
Looking back at his decades-long success in Hollywood, Van Dyke doesn’t have many regrets. Over the past 30 years, Boettcher has spoken with many of his closest friends and collaborators to learn about his 80-plus years in entertainment. He interviewed Mary Tyler Moore, Carl Reiner and Chita Rivera, among others — all of whom have since died.
Along the way, Boettcher discovered some fun facts about the beloved legend.
“He auditioned for ‘The Price Is Right,’” said Boettcher. “He went home and told his first wife, ‘It’s a show about guessing prices. How is this ever going to last? It’s not going to last six weeks!’ Now, it’s been on the air for decades. But he just laughs it off and says, ‘I guessed wrong.’ The show is amazing, and he could have been the host, but I think we’re better off with the path he chose.”
But one part he lamented passing up was the chance to play 007.
On Nov. 19, during an appearance on “Today,” Van Dyke said he was approached to play James Bond after Sean Connery departed from the role.
“[Producer] Albert Broccoli came to me and said, ‘Would you like to be Bond?’” Van Dyke recalled. “And I said, ‘Have you heard my British accent?’ Click!”
Van Dyke admitted he never pursued the role because he feared audiences wouldn’t “accept it from me.” Still, he conceded that stepping into Bond’s shoes “would have been a great experience.”
“He really was suited to family entertainment,” said Boettcher. “He kicked around in New York, where CBS tried to find a place for him — whether it was the news, which wasn’t quite right, or early children’s shows, which weren’t quite right either.”
“It took a while for him to figure out where he belonged,” Boettcher continued. “He ended up on Broadway doing ‘Bye Bye Birdie,’ and that’s where people discovered him — where Walt Disney and Carl Reiner, creator of ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show,’ found him.”
For all the music and movement that continue to fuel him every day, Van Dyke believes his real imprint endures in the work that touched generations.
DICK VAN DYKE IGNORED WARNINGS ABOUT 46-YEAR AGE GAP WITH WIFE ARLENE SILVER
“When you ask Mr. Van Dyke how he wants to be remembered, it’s all about the work,” said Boettcher. “It’s about the family entertainment he brought — whether it’s ‘Mary Poppins,’ ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ or ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show,’ those will live on. He knows that’s his legacy.”
