Last Updated on 08/09/2024 by Arun jain
Dick Van Dyke was celebrating its big win tonight at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety Series Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic When he broke into a dance on stage just three months shy of his 99th birthday.
A CBS special celebrating his legendary career was released in December. The project is currently available to stream via Paramount+.
“For laughter; Making people laugh for 75 years. I’ve been in the business for 75 years,” Van Dyke shared while backstage at the awards about how he hopes he will be remembered. “I can’t believe I’m still here and performing. I’m looking for work if anyone asks,” joked Van Dyke.
During his long career, Van Dyke has starred in a variety of projects on stage and screen. They include the most significant Mary Poppins (1964), Chitty chitty bang bang (1968), Bye, bye birdie (1963) and his favorite, the TV series The Dick Van Dyke Show.
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“On this 5 years The Dick Van Dyke Show I had the most fun ever. Nice to come to work,” he said. “It was that group: [co-stars] Mary [Tyler Moore]More [Amsterdam] And Rosie [Marie]. We had a ball every day. Half the show was ad-libbed. We did it in front of an audience that most sitcoms don’t and that makes all the difference. You know what? Our laugh track is now being rented out to other sitcoms, which means a lot to me.”
For his portrayal of Rob Petrie on the hit NBC comedy created by Carl Reiner, Van Dyke won three Primetime Emmys—including his first. “Who would expect that at my age? There was such great competition,” he said. “Perhaps there was some emotion involved in this award. I hate to say it but it probably was,” Van Dyk said with a wide-cheeked smile.
Van Dyke shared several anecdotes about his mortality this evening, such as in his acceptance speech when his CBS special received the statuette for Outstanding Variety Special. “I invited everyone to my memorial. I don’t have a date yet but I’m not feeling well,” he joked.
The Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner is just one award away from reaching EGOT status, an Oscar. “Posthumously, possibly,” he teased about a possible timeline for his receiving the Oscar. His wife, Arlene, was beside him on stage, sharing in the laughter.
For future generations of thespians, he leaves behind a legacy of comedy and the following advice.
“You have to stick with it. You will go through some tough times and many auditions, but you have to stick with it. If you are confident, be patient. It is very important to believe that you can do it. I don’t know how I did it, to tell you the truth,” Van Dyk concluded.
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