Legendary triple threat Dick Van Dyke turns 100 December 13. From his Tony-winning turn in Bye Bye Birdie, to dancing with penguins and Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins, to driving a flying car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, to his sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show—it's hard to imagine an American entertainment landscape without Van Dyke and his generation-defining shows.
That is why this month, there are not one, but two documentaries released about his life and career: Fathom Entertainment's Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration and PBS' American Masters – Starring Dick Van Dyke. What a way to turn 100!
When asked about the secret to his longevity, Van Dyke answered in his newest memoir, 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life: "Dance your way to the breakfast table. Boiled down, the things that have kept my life joyful and fulfilling are pretty simple: romance, doing what I love and a whole lot of laughing." Words to live by.
Flip through Van Dyke's career in the gallery below.
Dick Van Dyke made his Broadway debut in The Girls Against the Boys in 1959
Bye Bye Birdie (1961)
Dick Van Dyke and Chita Rivera in Bye Bye Birdie
Chita Rivera and Dick Van Dyke in Bye Bye Birdie
Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins (1964)
Dick Van Dyke in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
The Music Man (1980)
Meg Bussert and Dick Van Dyke in The Music Man
Iggie Wolfington and Dick Van Dyke in The Music Man
Dick Van Dyke and cast of The Music Man
Dick Van Dyke and cast of The Music Man
Dick Van Dyke and Meg Bussert in The Music Man
Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins Returns
Dick Van Dyke was honored at the 43rd Kennedy Center Honors alongside Debbie Allen, Joan Baez, Garth Brooks, and Midori
