Dick Van Dyke Feared His Younger Wife Would Face 'An Outcry' And Accusations Of Gold Digging

Mar 16, 2022 by apost team

Dick Van Dyke is a legendary actor, comedian, writer, singer, and dancer who has impressed audiences with his performances on film, television, and the stage. In 1961, he starred in the original production of "Bye Bye Birdie," and the role earned him a Tony Award for best actor in a musical. That was also the year his series, "The Dick Van Dyke Show," first aired, and it would continue until 1966. This was the show that made the actor a household name.

Van Dyke is also well-known for his role in the children's fantasy musical films "Mary Poppins" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." He was a memorable guest star on "The Carol Burnett Show" and "Columbo." Then from 1993 to 2001, Van Dyke starred in the television series "Diagnosis: Murder" where he played Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crimes with his son. 

The incredible actor has also been the recipient of many accolades throughout his long career in Hollywood. He has received five Primetime Emmy Awards, one Tony, and a Grammy Award. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995 and has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2013, Van Dyke was the recipient of the Screen Actor Guild's highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. He was just awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 2021. 

Van Dyke was born on December 13, 1925, in West Plains, Missouri. He grew up in Danville, Illinois, and is the son of Hazel Victoria and Loren Wayne "Cookie" Van Dyke. His mother was a stenographer, while his father was a salesman. 

When he was young, Van Dyke first considered a career in ministry. However, he took a drama class in high school that made him fall in love with acting, and he decided to become a professional entertainer. Since he was a child, the actor has always loved to sing and dance.

Van Dyke is known for his physical comedic acting abilities, and CBS This Morning described him as elastic-limbed with impeccable timing. Van Dyke told the program, "I had always been an admirer of Buster Keaton and Laurel and Hardy. So as a kid I practiced falling. And I had worked it all out."

The actor's initial claim to fame was performing in "Bye Bye Birdie" on Broadway and then in the "Dick Van Dyke Show," but he is most well-known with younger audiences for appearing in "Mary Poppins." Van Dyke said that working for Walt Disney was wonderful, and the producer was very attentive. "Walt was there every day watching over it. Yeah, there was a spirit about it. Everybody was having such fun doing it," Van Dyke told CBS. 

Van Dyke has been very honest about his life, specifically his struggle with alcoholism. He spoke about the addiction on "The Dick Cavett Show" in 1974. "By the time I realized I was in trouble I was too deluded, like most alcoholics are, to understand what was wrong with me. I had friends who said, 'You're crazy.' But it seemed to — it seemed to help a lot of people. I got a lot of mail from people who said, 'You know, if you can do it, I can do it,'" Van Dyke told Cavett.

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Today, Van Dyke is 96 and has been healthy and sober for years. The performer is still full of life and makes sure to keep up an active lifestyle. In his interview with CBS This Morning in June 2021, he took the crew into the backyard to show them how he does sit-ups.

Van Dyke told the team: "I'm 95, and a lot of my friends won't do these… So all you old guys out there, listen to me, I'm telling you: You can keep going for a long time — I'm still dancing! And singing!"

Van Dyke has been married to his current wife Arlene Silver, since February 29, 2012. The pair met six years prior at the SAG Awards. Van Dyke was 86 at the time, while Silver – a make-up artist – was 40.

Van Dyke talked a lot about his marriage to NPR. He said that she loves to dance as well, a hobby and passion they share:

"I have a beautiful, young wife who sings and dances, so there's a lot of duetting going on at my house."

When questioned on their age gap, Van Dyke said:

"I sometimes forget that we're doing a great experiment here — 46 years difference. And we work at it to some extent, there's got to be some understanding, find out what old habits don't work anymore. It takes some adjusting and fitting in but that's part of the fun of it."

Van Dyke's marriage to Silvers is not his first time around the marriage rodeo, of course. The star was married twice previously and both marriages lasted decades.

In February 1948, 22-year-young Van Dyke married his first wife, Margerie Willett. The couple stayed married for 36 years and had four children together. Sadly, they separated several years before they officially divorced in 1984. While already separated from his still-wife, Van Dyke started dating actress Michelle Triola Marvin in 1976. Although the two kept dating and lived together for several decades, they never married. Marvin sadly developed lung cancer in her later years and even underwent surgery in 2008 to combat it. Unfortunately, she finally succumbed to the illness in 2009 at the age of 76.  

Van Dyke was left in mourning and admitted to Closer Weekly that he thought he would not find another love during his life. However, following his longtime girlfriend's death, Van Dyke slowly grew closer to Silvers, whom he had met and struck up a friendship with in 2007.

Speaking to Closer Weekly, Silvers remembered their first meeting:

"He said, 'Hi, I'm Dick.' The first thing I asked him was, 'Weren't you in 'Mary Poppins?"" recalls Silvers. "We got along immediately as friends, so it didn't feel like he was so much older than me." She added: "He is the most perfect human being. I've never met anyone so happy, so genuine, so amazing. He's just like a happy pill."

Van Dyke also confided to Closer Weekly that he had not been sure their relationship would be well-received and was pleasantly surprised when this wasn't an issue:

"I thought there would be an outcry about a gold digger marrying an old man, but no one ever took that attitude."

Silvers and Van Dyke married in early 2012, making this the third relationship and second marriage Van Dyke has been in that lasted at least a decade. Here's to hoping the happy couple will have more years to come!

What do you think about Dick Van Dyke and Arlene Silver's relationship? Are you surprised to see the actor is still so active? Let us know, and be sure to send this to your loved ones.