Additional Coverage:
- Dick Van Dyke has the perfect plan for his 100th birthday and ‘Jeopardy!’ fans are going to love it (marketrealist.com)
**Dick Van Dyke’s 100th Birthday Plans? A “Jeopardy!”
Marathon, Of Course! **
As legendary actor and comedian Dick Van Dyke approaches his monumental 100th birthday, he’s got a rather low-key – and perfectly fitting – celebration in mind: a “Jeopardy!” rerun marathon. This beloved star, who has graced screens for decades, seems to be a dedicated fan of the long-running quiz show, having undoubtedly witnessed its evolution from its earliest days with Art Fleming to the iconic tenure of Alex Trebek.
The charming revelation comes courtesy of Van Dyke’s wife, Arlene Silver, who shared the centenarian’s ideal birthday scenario with People magazine. “He doesn’t want to do anything,” Silver, who is almost half her husband’s age, stated.
“He wants to be in his room watching Jeopardy! reruns with me.”
Sounds like a cozy and intellectually stimulating way to ring in a century!
Silver expressed her delight that her husband is here to witness the global appreciation for his incredible career. “I’m so happy he’s here to see what I know is going to be a global celebration of him.
I’m so glad he’s still with us,” she remarked. She’s been a champion of his public presence, noting, “I’ve always been celebrating him now, like since 2011 when I got him on social media.
It’s like a pinnacle of all that is… all these different people from different events we’ve done, [just] so cool.”
Their enduring love story began at the SAG Awards in 2006. Silver spoke with heartfelt admiration, saying, “I’m so honoured to have him in my life, take care of him, and nurture this community that we’ve built, that he’s built over the years.” The sentiment is clearly mutual; Van Dyke himself shared in November that Silver is the secret to his daily happiness.
“She’s responsible for keeping me in the moment. She’s kept me happy every day of my life, every day.
She’s a joy. She can get me singing or dancing, and she carries so much responsibility…
I’m just lucky,” he expressed.
Van Dyke even had an early birthday bash in November, as reported by People. The “Vandy High Tea” charity event, held at their Malibu home, raised funds for The Van Dyke Endowment of the Arts and the Dick Van Dyke Museum. Beyond the philanthropic efforts, Van Dyke highlighted a key motivation for these gatherings: “to revive the art of conversation.”
In a world increasingly glued to screens, Van Dyke remains a staunch advocate for face-to-face interaction. “I don’t care if you’re on a street, you’re in a bus or in a restaurant, everybody’s looking at their phones.
Nobody talks. I’ve seen young couples having dinner together, and they’re both looking at their phones,” he observed, humorously adding, “I may be the only person in the United States over 10 who does not have a cell phone.
I don’t have a phone.”
It seems for Dick Van Dyke, celebrating a century means enjoying the simple pleasures of good company, classic television, and genuine human connection.