Dick Van Dyke, 100, Is the Life of the Party During Malibu Outing

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The life Dick Van Dyke leads is full of dancing. 

The centenarian demonstrated this firsthand on April 26th while attending a community event in Malibu with his wife, Arlene Silver.

Dick Van Dyke, the star of Mary Poppins, was enjoying a performance and dancing to the music when he received a surprise visit from famous musician Herb Alpert. Alpert introduced himself, and the moment was captured by Van Dyke’s photographer, Laura Johansen.

She shared on Instagram that she was simply enjoying her music when, out of the blue, Herb Alpert walked up and introduced himself.

Van Dyke cheerfully explained his dance steps to Alpert, telling the 91-year-old in the video with a laugh, “You’ve got to keep moving!”

As Dick Van Dyke approaches his 100th birthday in December, he’s been thinking about his life and has previously discussed how he’s handled getting older.

Shortly before turning 100, Dick Van Dyke shared with People magazine that he feels great. ‘I have good days and not-so-good days when it comes to energy,’ he said, ‘but I always wake up feeling positive.’

His secret weapon for maintaining good health? His wife of 14 years. 

He complimented the 54-year-old, whom he’d met at the SAG Awards about twenty years ago, saying they inspired him to be more active.

He told People that she helps him stay present and brings joy to his life. He said she consistently made him happy and has a knack for getting him to relax and have fun, all while managing a lot on her plate.

Silver recently celebrated her 14th wedding anniversary on March 1st, sharing a sweet message on Instagram about her ‘very special guest.’

In an Instagram post, Dick Van Dyke shared how much joy his wife brings to his life. He said they’ve shared many wonderful experiences together, and his love for her grows stronger each day. He credits her with making him the person he is today and jokingly added that he wouldn’t have reached the age of 100 without her love and support.

Dick and Arlene aren’t the only celebrities who’ve found lasting love. Here are some other famous couples with long and happy marriages…

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always said laughter is essential to a lasting relationship, and that’s something I truly believe. I recently read about Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue’s marriage, and it really resonated with me. Phil shared that he never expected so much joy in his marriage, and that their ability to find it is core to who they are as a couple. He beautifully described it as knowing your partner loves you despite your flaws – that’s true grace!

What I also found fascinating is how they handle disagreements. They don’t let arguments linger. One of them will actually use humor – a joke about what they were fighting about! It’s a way of testing the waters, saying, ‘I might not admit I was wrong, but can we find our way back to connection?’ When they can do that, they know things are heading in the right direction. It’s a fantastic reminder that even after a tough conversation, a little levity and willingness to reconnect can make all the difference.

The couple has managed to avoid major changes in their relationship by continuing to follow the advice they received before getting married in 2003. They prioritize connection, maintaining weekly date nights even with five children, and choosing activities other than watching TV.

Chip emphasizes the importance of consistently pursuing your partner, comparing it to being relentlessly drawn to someone. After twenty years, he still approaches the relationship as if he’s trying to win her over. He jokes that while he can’t guarantee anything, his wife wouldn’t be unfaithful because he consistently shows his love and appreciation through gestures like flowers and remembering special occasions.

Kevin Bacon jokingly advises against taking relationship advice from celebrities, a sentiment echoing their famous motto: “Keep the fights clean and the sex dirty.” They use this phrase to quickly shut down any further questions about their marriage.

In reality, they prioritize resolving disagreements quickly and avoid prolonged arguments. As Bacon’s wife explained to Thomas and Donahue, they focus on finding solutions rather than winning. They simply don’t enjoy fighting and want to restore harmony as quickly as possible. Ultimately, she emphasized that they are fully committed to making their marriage work, as there’s no alternative plan.

After over 37 years of marriage, these actors have learned how to argue constructively. As one of them explained, they avoid bringing up past hurts. Many couples focus on their partner’s weaknesses and use them against them, but they don’t do that.

They do have disagreements, of course. One admits he often tries to retract things he’s said when he realizes he’s been foolish, but he knows that doesn’t solve anything. Instead, he lets his wife take the lead and gives her space when she needs it. She, in turn, practices understanding, reminding herself that even if something hurtful is said, it doesn’t negate the good qualities of the person who said it. She chooses to believe he didn’t intend to cause pain.

Speaking on Today in December 2024, just before their 40th wedding anniversary, Curtis shared that her husband still makes her laugh more than anyone else. She playfully added that he must see something she likes in her too, even if she isn’t sure what it is.

Oh my gosh, Neil Patrick Harris just gets relationships, you guys! He was talking about how he and David have stayed together for so long, and it’s because they don’t even try to define what their relationship is – it just… evolves! He’s been an actor, David became a chef with his cookbook, we’ve raised twins Gideon and Harper, and we’ve been through everything together, and he said marriage is never static. He was so honest! He even admitted that, you know, after years, things can get a little…routine, and you have to work at rediscovering that spark, finding new ways to be attracted to each other as you both change. It’s like, first you fall for their personality, then their soul, and then, thankfully, their body again! He said it’s constantly changing, which is so true! It’s like they keep re-falling in love, in different ways, over and over. It’s honestly the sweetest, most real thing I’ve ever heard!

The comedic duo genuinely believe their laughter extends their lives, not just over their 19 years together. As the actress from Can You Ever Forgive Me? explained, they playfully calculate how much life a particularly hilarious moment adds. “Whenever we have a really good laugh, especially one that leaves us breathless, we estimate how many months it’s added to our lives,” she said, “and I’m always keeping a running total!”

They also limit how long disagreements last. Following the advice to not go to bed angry, Falcone shared that she once tried letting an argument linger overnight, only to realize she’d forgotten what she was even upset about. She believes trying to resolve things when everyone is tired or has had a drink is pointless. She’s never had a late-night argument end with a satisfying resolution and a signed truce.

Both having been married previously, they met in 1995 and soon found themselves navigating a new marriage and the challenges of becoming step-parents to each other’s two children. The Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist actor remembers realizing early on that the children already had mothers, and that wasn’t her role. Instead, she decided to be a supportive presence. “I figured out they needed a cheerleader – you can never have too many of those,” she explained. She intentionally avoided setting rules or trying to teach them right from wrong, understanding that was the job of their biological parents. The Cheers actor completely agreed, adding that offering friendship is a smart approach. “It’s about saying, ‘I’m not here to discipline or judge, I’m here to spend time with you and support you.’ Just genuinely be there for them.”

When same-sex civil unions became legal in Britain, musician Elton John and his husband, David Furnish, had a ceremony on December 21, 2005. They then legally married on the same date nine years later. However, they celebrate their relationship beginning with a chance meeting at a dinner party in 1993 at John’s home in Windsor, England – a party arranged by a friend.

Every Saturday, no matter where they are, they write each other handwritten notes. Over the years, they’ve exchanged approximately 1,352 letters. Furnish explains that handwriting feels deeply personal and that the cards allow them to reflect on the past week and discuss the week ahead. John agrees, saying that consistent communication is key to a long-lasting relationship and a major factor in their success together.

They quietly built their 40-year marriage, almost as if by fate (“I had dreams about meeting my future husband six months before it happened”), and have consistently made it a central part of their lives, even as everything else has changed.

“We both prioritize our marriage, and that means we actively work at it and reconnect when we lose focus,” she explained. If this surgeon could offer one piece of advice, it would be to always put that connection first. “Simply put, I would do anything for her – face any challenge, make any sacrifice. I might even do things that upset her, but I would never let anything come between us,” he vowed.

He added that if you believe marriage is key to your happiness, “you’ll protect it at all costs.”

ABC News reporter Roberts admits she doesn’t enjoy casual phone calls. “I don’t like just checking in,” she said. “If you’re calling just to ask ‘What’s up?’, I really don’t like that.” However, a close friend who loves to chat on the phone eventually changed her perspective.

One friend pointed out, “Maybe he just feels comfortable hearing your voice – it makes him feel like everything is okay.” Roberts realized this was a sweet thought she hadn’t considered before. “If it means something to him, then it should matter to me,” she explained.

Now, she takes a moment to respond kindly: “I’ll take a breath and say, ‘Sweetie, I’m busy, but what’s happening with you?’ It makes all the difference to him, and it doesn’t take much effort on my part to be nice for a couple of minutes.” They celebrated their 29th anniversary in September 2024.

Their strong marriage of almost 30 years started building from the beginning. Even small arguments – like the time the actor threw the talk show host’s ring out the window – felt potentially devastating. The talk show host explained that early in a marriage, minor issues can quickly escalate, especially with financial or career pressures, or the challenges of raising children while exhausted. However, her husband taught her to step away and calm down, realizing that not every disagreement needed to be a major crisis.

Now, as parents of three, they’re seeing the rewards of that approach. The actor believes that truly happy couples have overcome difficult times together, and that’s something to celebrate.

She describes herself as an introvert, almost a loner, while he’s incredibly outgoing – he jokingly calls himself “the mayor of everywhere.” She’s a bit messy, and he’s a perfectionist, as she put it. But after being married since 2003, they’ve learned to accept each other’s differences.

That’s the advice the lead actress from How to Get Away With Murder gives to friends who are getting married. She explains that marriage doesn’t begin at the wedding ceremony. It starts when you realize something about the person you love will likely annoy you, but you accept it anyway. It’s that moment of recognizing a potentially frustrating trait and still choosing to love them that truly marks the beginning of a marriage.

Maintaining a long-term relationship, like any lasting over 50 years, requires quickly resolving conflicts. Jane Fonda, star of Grace and Frankie, often takes the lead in smoothing things over. She explained that she readily apologizes because she cherishes her partner and can’t stand to see them upset, even for a short time. Ideally, she avoids situations where apologies are even necessary. Her biggest piece of advice? Remember that saying something hurtful in anger will ultimately cause you more pain later. You’ll regret the words and feel angry twice – which isn’t good for your health or the relationship.

Honestly, it just screams Judy and Jerry, doesn’t it? Him admitting their whole marriage works because he lets her win? It’s perfect! But it’s deeper than that, at least for her. She says it’s about accepting someone for who they are, even when you don’t always love the outcome. They divorced years ago – 1990, can you believe it? – because he couldn’t be the support she needed after her dad passed. But they got back together so quickly and remarried, and she knew exactly what she was getting into. She’s said it herself – she never expected him to suddenly become Mr. Fix-It or take charge of everything. She explained it so simply: unhappiness in a relationship comes from trying to change someone. It’s like, why bother if you’re not accepting them as they are? She’s so right – you shouldn’t marry anyone hoping to mold them into something they’re not. It’s just… brilliant, honestly. It’s the Judy truth!

The actor from Lost credits his wife with being the rock of his family. He told TopMob News in April 2025 that her patience and support while he pursues various jobs has been invaluable, keeping their family grounded and stable. They’ve been married since 1993.

The actor described his wife as incredibly patient, and said she and their two sons help him stay grounded, no matter the situation.

“They shape my values,” he added. “It’s great to have that perspective and North Star.”

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2026-04-29 20:48