Dick Van Dyke says he may be the only person still living 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 Poppins, the legendary actor reflected on his special connection to the founder of the studio during a recent Vandy High Tea event at his Malibu home.
Van Dyke, now 99, remembered meeting Disney in the early 1960s, only a few years before Disney passed away in 1966.
He described him fondly, calling him “a wonderful guy,” and then added with humor and honesty, “He just smoked too much! Doggone.”
The conversation soon turned toward Van Dyke’s own habits from the past. When his son Barry noted that his dad didn’t overdo smoking, Van Dyke laughed and corrected him.
“I smoked a lot, actually!” he admitted, sharing that it wasn’t until his 50s when 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, many years ago is likely a major reason he has lived such a long life.
“So I got rid of booze and cigarettes and all that stuff, which is probably why I’m still here,” he told guests.
In 1972, he checked into a hospital for help with alcoholism, and later worked just as hard to quit smoking, which he has openly said was even tougher to overcome.
With his 100th birthday now just days away on Dec. 13, Van Dyke told 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 that optimism for keeping him young at heart. Avoiding negativity, he believes, has been just as important as healthy habits.
“Anger is one thing that eats up a person’s insides. and hate,” he said.
“I never really was able to work up a feeling of hate. I think that is one of the chief things that kept me going.”
Living proof of Hollywood history, still joyful, still grateful, Dick Van Dyke continues to shine, just as he did when he worked alongside Walt Disney himself.
