Acting legend Dick Van Dyke turns 98 on December 13th – and is in love like a teenager. Shortly before his birthday, a video was published in which he paid his wife Arlene Silver (52) a charming compliment.
The couple, who have been married since February 2012, attended the taping of the CBS special “Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic.” The show is set to air on December 21st in honor of the legendary “Mary Poppins” star. In a video shared on Instagram, Van Dyke smiled at his glamorously dressed wife and praised her: “You look like a movie star.” Photographer Laura Johansen captured the sweet moment in the dressing room and uploaded the scene. “She really does, doesn’t she?” Van Dyke affirmed as Silver smiled at him in her dark blue dress and cape. “I saw her first!” the actor then added jokingly.
The couple met in 2006 at the SAG Awards, where she was working as a makeup artist. She supported him after the death of his long-time love Michelle Triola, who died of lung cancer in 2009, and fell in love with him. The 46-year age difference doesn’t seem to be an issue for the couple. But Van Dyke is still surprisingly fit: another recent video shows him performing a quick dance number backstage, using his walking stick as a prop. “Just keep going,” was the caption. “Dick’s Secrets to a Good Life: Positivity, Don’t Walk Sideways Down the Stairs, and Just Keep Moving!”
The star is pleased that a birthday show is being dedicated to him: “I started under contract with CBS in 1955, with the CBS Morning Show, then with The Dick Van Dyke Show and Diagnosis Murder,” he recalled in a statement about the upcoming special. “I’ve been part of the CBS family for nearly 70 years and I couldn’t be prouder. I’m incredibly honored that CBS will host a special for my 98th birthday.” He then added: “I can’t wait to be part of the show!”
