Showbiz

Dick Van Dyke, 99, makes rare remark on his and wife Arlene’s 46-year age gap

Dick Van Dyke, 99, makes rare remark on his and wife Arlene’s 46-year age gap

Beloved actor, singer and dancer, Dick Van Dyke, shared some rare insight into his relationship with wife Arlene Silver. 

While reflecting on their 13-year marriage, the Hollywood legend, 99, gushed to People that he and his spouse, 53, ‘get along so well.’ 

‘Everybody said it wouldn’t work,’ Van Dyke recalled, before Silver chimed in to say. ‘Yeah, I mean it’s like eerie how well it works. People the same age don’t last.’ 

She also raved that they ‘just care about each other so much’ and are ‘very  supportive of each other.’ 

‘He’s made me feel like I can do anything,’ she said. 

Van Dyke noted that they both ‘just love being home’ and described Malibu as their ‘favorite place.’  

Beloved actor, singer and dancer, Dick Van Dyke , shared some rare insight into his relationship with wife Arlene Silver; seen in 2021

Beloved actor, singer and dancer, Dick Van Dyke , shared some rare insight into his relationship with wife Arlene Silver; seen in 2021

‘We’re so grateful. Our house did get hit by the Franklin fire, but in the scheme of things, we got very lucky,’ he said at Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp.

On Sunday, the couple hosted the second ‘Vandy Camp’ to aid fire relief in Malibu.

Read MoreBREAKING NEWS Dick Van Dyke, 98, shares shock update on missing cat Bobo after Malibu wildfire article image

During the fundraiser, Van Dyke took to the stage in front of a sold out crowd with his wife Arlene and his a cappella band, The Vantastix.

The group sang songs, answered audience questions and shared memories of the 99-year-old’s life and career. 

Ticket proceeds benefitted the Community Brigade and CA Wildlife relief – as efforts to rebuild continue after the devastating fires in Los Angeles earlier this year. 

For the occasion, he sported a ‘Spoonful of Sugar’ sweater and opened the show singing about senility and joking about how he struggled to remember things.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight last year, Van Dyke recalled his first encounter with Silver.

‘I never approached a strange woman in my life,’ the legendary Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star said. ‘And she walked by and I jumped and I said, “Hi, I’m Dick.” I had no idea she was half my age. Beautiful.’

While reflecting on their 13-year marriage, the Hollywood legend, 99, gushed to People that he and his spouse, 53, 'get along so well' (seen on Sunday hosting the second Vandy Camp to aid fire relief in Malibu)

While reflecting on their 13-year marriage, the Hollywood legend, 99, gushed to People that he and his spouse, 53, ‘get along so well’ (seen on Sunday hosting the second Vandy Camp to aid fire relief in Malibu)

Dick took to the stage in front of a sold out crowd with his wife Arlene and answered audience questions while raising money for the Community Brigade and CA Wildlife relief

Dick took to the stage in front of a sold out crowd with his wife Arlene and answered audience questions while raising money for the Community Brigade and CA Wildlife relief

The Dick Van Dyke show actor said he later found out Arlene was a makeup artist.

‘She had one [business] card left, which I took and hired her,’ he added.

‘I had never seen the Dick Van Dyke Show, I never saw anything he was in,’ Silver said while speaking about meeting her husband for the first time.

But they didn’t start dating right away. They developed a friendship and by the time things turned romantic between them, their big age difference didn’t matter to them or to any of Arlene’s friends.

‘We were friends for so long that when I told people that I know, they were happy about [our relationship], and I was scared,’ Silver admitted. 

Meanwhile, Silver previously told The Huffington Post that she remembers seeing Van Dyke for the first time ‘at the catering table with his bow tie and his big smile.’    The acting icon will turn 100 in December (seen on September 07, 2024)

The acting icon will turn 100 in December (seen on September 07, 2024)

‘Right when I sat down, he was sitting next to me. He said, “Hi, I’m Dick.” The first thing I asked him was, “Weren’t you in Mary Poppins?”‘ 

During his career, that spans more than seven decades, Van Dyke earned five Emmys, a Tony, a Grammy, a BAFTA, the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the Television Hall Of Fame, which was due in large part to his role as Rob Petrie in The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966), as well as The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971-1974) and The Carol Burnett Show (1977).

The actor’s most recent project is a role in the upcoming film, Capture The Flag, which is currently in pre-production. Van Dyke and Silver will celebrate 10 years of marriage next February.

He has four children: sons Barry and Christian and daughters Stacy and Carrie that were born during his first marriage to Margie Willett, which lasted from 1948 until their divorce in 1984.

The proud family man now also has five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The acting icon will turn 100 in December. 

Related Posts

Love Island’s Maura Higgins lookalike Megan Clarke reveals what she REALLY thinks about being compared to show icon ahead of new series

Love Island’s Maura Higgins lookalike Megan Clarke reveals what she REALLY thinks about being compared to show icon ahead of new series

Love Island hopeful Megan Clarke has revealed how she really feels about being compared to show icon Maura Higgins ahead of the upcoming series.  The 24-year-old musical theatre…

Robbie Williams takes a dig at Beyonce with playful jibe as they both bring their tours to London

Robbie Williams takes a dig at Beyonce with playful jibe as they both bring their tours to London

Robbie Williams has taken a playful swipe at Beyonce as the two both played concerts in London over the weekend. The former Take That singer, 51, took to…

Lily James puts on a leggy display in purple mini dress after stepping out in black mini skirt during day in NYC

Lily James puts on a leggy display in purple mini dress after stepping out in black mini skirt during day in NYC

Lily James put on a leggy display as she attended a screening of her film Relay at the SVA Theater in New York City on Saturday. The actress,…

Nicole Scherzinger reveals when she will FINALLY tie the knot with fiancé Thom Evans after he popped the question two years ago

Nicole Scherzinger reveals when she will FINALLY tie the knot with fiancé Thom Evans after he popped the question two years ago

Nicole Scherzinger has revealed when she will tie the knot with fiancé Thom Evans after he popped the question almost two years ago.  The former Pussycat Doll is currently…

Take That star cuts a casual figure in a mustard shirt and peach shorts as he unveils surprise new career at Cheshire Oaks’ 30th anniversary gig

Take That star cuts a casual figure in a mustard shirt and peach shorts as he unveils surprise new career at Cheshire Oaks’ 30th anniversary gig

Take That star Howard Donald cut a casual figure as he unveiled a surprising new career path during Cheshire Oaks’ 30th anniversary gig in Wirral, Merseyside, on Friday.  The…

Jessie J ‘hinted at secret health battle weeks before announcing her breast cancer diagnosis’

Jessie J ‘hinted at secret health battle weeks before announcing her breast cancer diagnosis’

Jessie J appeared to drop a hint about her cancer diagnosis weeks ago during a performance in London. The singer, 37, announced she has been diagnosed with breast cancer in…