Veteran actor Dick Van Dyke is soon set to celebrate his 99th birthday – and he’s marking the occasion with a guest TV appearance.
The Mary Poppins star, who will turn 99 on Friday, December 13, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday, December 5.
Van Dyke and Chris Martin teamed up for a TV appearance to discuss Coldplay’s latest music video for “All My Love”. The video features the actor alongside his 73-year-old son, Barry.
Sharing a funny moment on set, Martin, 47, recalled witnessing the father-son dynamic between Dick and Barry.
“I saw Barry come up to Dick and say, ‘Dad, can I turn the pool slide on?’” Martin said. “It was so sweet because it was like a son and his dad. But they’re collectively 176 [years old],”
Continuing the conversation of what it’s like being a parent to elderly children, Van Dyke acknowledged the advanced age of his children. (Dyke is also father to Christian, 74, Stacy, 68, and Carrie, 62, all of whom he shared with his late ex-wife Margie Willett).
“I’m old enough to be Joe Biden’s father,” he joked.
Earlier this year, Van Dyke said in jest that he hoped to be still alive to celebrate his 99th birthday.
“I’m pretty old,” Van Dyke told a photographer in September, per Page Six.
When asked if he had any plans to celebrate his birthday in December, he joked, “Just praying that I make it.”
That same month Van Dyke sparked concerns after canceling a string of planned appearances, including a Utah-based fan convention.
“We are sorry to announce that Dick Van Dyke is not able to travel to FanX,” read a statement from FanX, the company hosting the three-day event. “He expresses his gratitude to all of those who continue to support him but, at almost 99 years of age, traveling and interacting with thousands of people is more than he is able to do at this time.”
He also pulled out of the 2024 Emmy Awards on September 15 despite plans for him to be one of the night’s celebrity presenters.
However, he did attend the 2024 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 7 where his CBS special, Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic, won the award for Outstanding Variety Special.
As well as joking he was “still looking for work”, Van Dyke shared his hope that his legacy would be “laughter”.
“For making people laugh for 75 years,” he told reporters of what he wanted to be remembered for. “I’ve been in the business for 75 years, I can’t believe it that I’m still here and performing!”
Van Dyke also flexed his funny bone during a speech at the Daytime Emmy Awards in June when he made history to become the oldest ever winner.
“Thank you. I don’t believe this. I feel like a spy from nighttime television,” Van Dyke said in his acceptance speech. “I’m the oldest nominee in history. I’ve been playing old men all my life. If I’d known I was going to live this long I’d have taken better care of myself.”
Prior to the speech, the Mary Poppins star voiced his disbelief at the accolade in an interview with ET that same month.
“Am I really the oldest? I didn’t know I was the oldest,” he told ET. “I’ll be darn. I think I’m the last of my generation, really. I’m 98. I have almost all my marbles. I can’t remember what I had for breakfast.”
