Today is a day for the history books, a day that feels almost as magical as a painting you can jump into. Today, December 13, the incomparable, effervescent, and utterly ageless Dick Van Dyke turns 100 years old.
One hundred.
It’s a number that usually conjures images of frailty, of slowing down, of quiet reflection. But when you apply the number “100” to Dick Van Dyke, it just doesn’t seem to fit. It feels like a clerical error at the cosmos department. How can the man who still possesses that mischievous twinkle in his eye, that elastic grin, and that seemingly irresistible urge to break into a soft-shoe routine actually be a centenarian? Today, we aren’t just celebrating a length of time; we are celebrating a quality of life. We are celebrating a man who has spent a century spreading unadulterated joy, and who taught generations of us that the secret to life might just be refusing to ever fully grow up.
For many of us, the love affair started in black and white. As Rob Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show, he redefined the sitcom lead. He wasn’t just the funny dad; he was a physical comedy genius wrapped in a sharply tailored suit. He was a human rubber band. He could convey volumes of panic just by widening his eyes, and his ability to trip over that ottoman in the opening credits—sometimes nailing it, sometimes sidestepping it—became a weekly masterclass in timing. He made clumsiness elegant, charming, and hilarious.
Then came the role that cemented him as a legend for children everywhere. In Disney’s Mary Poppins, he gave us two wildly different performances that showcased his incredible range. As Mr. Dawes Sr., the ancient, creaky bank chairman, he was unrecognizable behind layers of makeup, proving he could play “old” even when he was young. But as Bert, the jack-of-all-trades chimney sweep, he was pure kinetic energy. He danced with penguins, leaped across rooftops in “Step in Time,” and brought a warmth to the screen that was palpable. And yes, we have to mention the Cockney accent. It remains, famously, one of the most questionable accents in cinema history. Yet, somehow, it only makes us love him more. It was delivered with such sincerity and gusto that you couldn’t help but be charmed by it.
What is truly astounding about Dick Van Dyke isn’t just his golden era work; it’s his refusal to stop. He charmed a whole new generation in the 90s with the cozy mystery series Diagnosis: Murder, often acting alongside his real-life son, Barry. But his later years have provided some of the most inspiring moments of his career. Who didn’t get choked up seeing him, well into his 90s, dancing on a desk in Mary Poppins Returns—performing the choreography himself, no less? Or the moment he was revealed on The Masked Singer at age 97, leaving the judges in tears and the audience roaring as he belted out “When You’re Smiling”?
Dick Van Dyke is more than an entertainer; he is an antidote to cynicism. In a world that can often feel heavy, he is lighter than air. He has often attributed his longevity to simply “keeping moving.” He never stopped dancing, never stopped singing, and, crucially, never stopped laughing at himself. He is living proof that while the body may age, the spirit doesn’t have to. He held onto the childlike wonder that most people lose in their twenties and nurtured it for eight more decades. So today, let’s raise a glass—or perhaps a chimney sweep brush—to a true national treasure. Happy 100th Birthday, Dick Van Dyke. Thank you for the laughs, the songs, and the pratfalls. And thank you for showing us all that “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” isn’t just a word; it’s a way of life.