Dick Van Dyke says he may be the only person still alive who truly knew and worked with Walt Disney, a piece of history he’s proud to carry.
Known to fans as Mr. Dawes Jr. in Disney’s 1964 classic Mary Poppinsthe legendary actor reflected on his special connection to the studio’s founder during a recent Vandy High Tea event at his Malibu home.
Van Dyke, now 99, recalled meeting Disney in the early 1960s, just a few years before Disney died in 1966.
He described him fondly, calling him “a wonderful guy,” then added with humor and honesty, “He just smoked too much! Doggone.”
The conversation quickly turned to Van Dyke’s own past habits. When his son Barry noted that his father was not overdoing his smoking, Van Dyke laughed and corrected him.
“I actually smoked a lot!” he admitted, saying that it wasn’t until his 50s that he realized he had “an addictive personality.” If he liked something, he said, he tended to take it too far.
The beloved actor explained that giving up cigarettes and alcohol years ago is probably a major reason why he has lived such a long life.
“So I got off the booze and cigarettes and all that, and that’s probably why I’m still here,” he told guests.
In 1972 he checked into a hospital for help for alcoholism and later worked just as hard to quit smoking, which he has openly said was even harder to overcome.
With his 100th birthday now just days away on Dec. 13, Van Dyke said PEOPLE he feels “really good” for his age.
While some days bring more energy than others, he says one thing remains constant, a cheerful mindset. He never wakes up in a bad mood.
He credits this optimism with keeping him young at heart. Avoiding negativity, he believes, has been as important as healthy habits.
“Anger is a thing that eats up a person’s insides. and hatred,” he said.
“I was never really able to work up a sense of hatred. I think that’s one of the main things that kept me going.”
A living testament to Hollywood history, still happy, still grateful, Dick Van Dyke continues to shine just as he did when he worked with Walt Disney himself.
