At Almost 103, He Remains One of Hollywood’s Oldest Living Stars
The image above shows a classic portrait of a handsome man in a dark suit and tie, with the text: “At 103, He Remains the Oldest Star Still With Us.” The man in the photograph is Dick Van Dyke, the legendary entertainer who turned 100 on December 13, 2025 .
Van Dyke is celebrated for a career that has spanned more than seven decades, earning him five Emmys, a Tony, a Grammy, a BAFTA, and the adoration of generations of fans . Even as he entered his 100s, he remained active and engaged, often sharing his positive outlook on life and his passion for staying creative.
A Career That Defined an Era
Dick Van Dyke was born Richard Wayne Van Dyke on December 13, 1925, in West Plains, Missouri . He grew up as “the class clown” in Danville, Illinois, admiring and imitating the silent film comedians .
His career began on Broadway in 1960 with Bye Bye Birdie, for which he won a Tony Award . In 1961, his superstar status was solidified with the debut of The Dick Van Dyke Show on CBS. He won three Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy over the course of its six-season run .
On the big screen, he starred in Bye Bye Birdie and Mary Poppins (1964), one of the most beloved films of all time. Other films include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), Dick Tracy (1990), the Night at the Museum films, and Mary Poppins Returns (2018) .
In his 70s, he played a physician-sleuth on Diagnosis: Murder, which ran from 1993 to 2001 .
His Secrets to Longevity
Van Dyke has shared his approach to living a long and happy life, detailing his habits in his book, 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life.
Staying Active
Van Dyke exercises regularly, going to the gym three days a week for circuit training . He also does yoga and stretching. “The doctors can’t believe it when I touch my toes,” he said . He has even shared videos of himself using an inversion table to stretch his full body, captioning it: “Keep moving” .
A Playful Attitude
Van Dyke’s approach to aging is to avoid being the “get off my lawn” guy. Instead, he taps into his sense of playfulness, which “keeps me connected to the child inside me” . He also has three cats and a dog, and he sings every day. “I hum, too,” he said. “It does everything for my mental health” .
Saying Yes
Being open to new experiences has been good for his brain health and emotional well-being. When a local theater asked him to direct grade-school children, he immediately accepted. He also agreed to dance barefoot in a Coldplay music video called “All My Love” .
Avoiding Anger and Hate
Van Dyke credits his longevity in part to his ability to avoid anger and hatred. “I’ve always thought that anger is one thing that eats up a person’s insides — and hate,” he said. “I think that is one of the chief things that kept me going” .
A Century of Memories
Reflecting on his milestone birthday, Van Dyke said: “A hundred years is not enough; you want to live more. Which I plan to (do)” . He gave credit for his good spirits, in part, to his wife Arlene Silver, saying she “kept me young” and gives him “energy, humor and all kinds of support” .
He also acknowledged the challenges of aging. “When you reach 100, a lot of things don’t work too well,” he said. He wears a hearing aid and his eyesight is dimming. But “sometimes I feel like I’m 15 again” .
