Dick Van Dyke, 99, reveals all the weird jobs he took in his youth to get himself ‘out of poverty’

by

Dick Van Dyke has talked about the early years of his career when he was struggling.

The 99-year-old actor revealed to People magazine that he struggled financially and had to take on odd jobs to support his family.

When I first started my family, we didn’t have much money, so my main focus was simply earning enough to provide a home for us,” the Mary Poppins star shared.

The actor, known for his role in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, suggested his family may not have received as much attention as they deserved because he was so focused on escaping poverty.

The singer and dancer had four children with his former wife, Margie Willett: Christian, 75, Barry, 74, Stacy, 70, and Carrie, 64. He is currently married to Arlene Silver, whom he wed in February 2012. She is 54 years old.

Then he finally got his home.

I eventually managed to buy a house using the GI Bill, but before that, I really did a bit of everything to make ends meet. I even did game shows and performed in nightclubs. There was a period where I was doing a very early morning radio show, and then spending my nights performing in clubs with a partner.

Back then, Van Dyke was only sleeping three or four hours between performances, but he was completely dedicated to building his career and establishing himself.

Once he did, he ‘enjoyed every minute of it.’

Dick Van Dyke will celebrate his 100th birthday on December 13th. To mark the occasion, he’s released a new book called 100 Rules for Living to 100, which is now available in bookstores and online.

He has also said that he is grateful for his career. 

Many people spend their days working in an office, but I still feel grateful and excited to go to work each morning. I truly love what I do, and I’d happily do it even if I wasn’t paid.

The comedian praised his wife Silver for keeping his spirit young.

He described his wife as someone who helps him appreciate the present. He said she consistently brought happiness into his life and was a constant source of joy. She could always lift his spirits and get him to have fun, all while managing a lot on her own – and he feels incredibly fortunate to have her.

In October Van Dyke has joked that it would be ‘funny’ if he ‘didn’t make’ his 100th birthday.

The famous actor will turn another year older on December 13th, but jokingly said he doesn’t know if he’ll make it to 100.

At a recent event in California called Vandy High Tea, Dick joked about turning 100 in December. He said it was only two months away and playfully added that it would be ironic if he didn’t reach the milestone.

Dick joked that if he’d known he’d live this long, he would have taken better care of himself. He also playfully claimed that marrying his second wife was the smartest thing he’d ever done.

He admitted that while he often jokes about reaching a hundred years old, he wishes he’d lived a healthier life if he’d known he would live this long.

It’s frustrating because I’m not sure what I did to deserve this. Honestly, aside from Arlene, I don’t feel like I did anything particularly well.

The famous actor has been recognized by audiences since the 1960s, but he once admitted he didn’t intend to pursue a career in acting.

I was reading an interview with Van Dyke in New York Magazine recently, and he said something that really resonated with me. He described his life as completely unplanned – just a series of amazing opportunities falling into place, one after another. He genuinely never made any long-term plans, he just went with the flow!

I fell into work and just kept going, because I genuinely enjoy it. I’m a performer at heart – whenever I’m given a chance to express myself, I feel energized and come alive.

I wouldn’t have survived in any other profession. There’s truly nothing comparable to performing on stage, for those who are able to. I feel sorry for those who never get that experience. It was absolutely exhilarating!

Read More

2025-12-01 23:36