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Dick Van Dyke Reflects on Walt Disney and Longevity Ahead of Quiet 100th Birthday

He plans to spend Dec. 13 at home even as a new celebration film debuts and his museum effort gains support.

Overview

  • At a Nov. 30 Vandy High Tea at his Malibu home, he said he is "probably the last person alive" who truly knew Walt Disney and described their shared childlike outlook.
  • The event raised funds for The Van Dyke Endowment of the Arts and the in‑development Dick Van Dyke Museum.
  • He credited giving up alcohol and cigarettes in his 50s for his longevity, noting a 1972 hospital stay for alcoholism and saying quitting smoking was even harder.
  • He has scaled back travel but says he feels "really good for 100" and still works out regularly.
  • A documentary, Dick Van Dyke: A 100th Celebration, premiered Dec. 7 and is slated for select theater screenings Dec. 13–14, following his November book 100 Rules for Living to 100.