We learned that Dick Van Dyke is 100.  I’m one of those who goes out of my way to celebrate anyone who reaches that magic birthday mark.  And it appears that Van Dyke is enjoying every minute:

“If I’d known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself,” Dick Van Dyke told Business Insider in 2023.

Now, Dick Van Dyke is about to do something almost no one in Hollywood, or anywhere, gets to do: celebrate his 100th birthday.

In a recent reflection for the British outlet The Times, the actor looked back at some of his most memorable roles, including one many viewers never realized was him: the ancient bank president Mr. Dawes Sr. in “Mary Poppins.” In the film’s credits, the character is attributed to “Navckid Keyd,” an anagram of his own name.

“I’m not playing super-old any more,” he wrote. “I am a super-old.”

Super-old, but with lots of flair.

Van Dyke, when he was known as Rob Petrie and married to the pretty Laura, has a special place in my heart.  It was The Dick Van Dyke Show, as some of you may remember.

Back in our early days in the U.S., my dad had two jobs and would often work at a hotel to make extra tips.  That meant that many weeknights, my mom and the three of us would sit there watching those shows, from Batman to Get Smart to the aforementioned Van Dyke show.

My late mom had serious problems understanding the jokes in English.  She just didn’t get the punch lines, especially from his sidekick, Buddy.  I laughed at his stuff, but it was really hard to translate that to my mom.  I tried.  My brother tried.  My sister tried, but it was hard.  Eventually my mom would pick up the idea from the body language and crack a smile.

So happy birthday Dick Van Dyke.  It was quite a memory at our home whenever he came on TV, especially falling down on that piece of furniture.  His show taught us a lot of English many years ago.

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Image: Dick Van Dyke.  Credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.