As Hollywood prepares to celebrate one of its most beloved legends turning 100, Dick Van Dyke is defying time itself — still glowing with the same warmth, humor, and spark that made him a household name nearly seven decades ago. 
Now, just weeks away from his milestone birthday, the Mary Poppins star has finally revealed the secret behind his endless energy and radiant joy — and it’s not fame, fortune, or fitness. It’s love. 
According to Steve Boettcher, director of the upcoming documentary Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration, the actor’s secret weapon is none other than his wife, Arlene Silver, 54 — the woman who, as he puts it, “keeps me vibrant, alive, and ready to dance.”
“Honestly, I think she’s been the key force in keeping him so young at heart,” Boettcher told People. “Their love affair is amazing — they’re like two big kids who never stopped playing.”
A Love That Defied the Odds
Dick and Arlene’s story began backstage at the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards, where she worked as a makeup artist. The moment he saw her, the TV legend’s heart skipped a beat.
“I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman in my life,” Dick recalled. “She walked by, and before I could think, I jumped up and said, ‘Hi, I’m Dick.’”
That chance encounter would blossom into a love story Hollywood never saw coming. Despite a 46-year age gap, the couple insists it’s never been an issue.
“We just get along so well,” Dick said fondly.
Arlene added, “It’s eerie how well it works. He made me feel like I could do anything.”
The two married in 2012 — he was 86, she was 40 — and ever since, they’ve been inseparable.
Healing After Heartbreak
Their romance came after deep personal loss. Dick had lost both his longtime partner, Michelle Triola, and his first wife, Margie Willet, within two years. Heartbroken and alone, he found unexpected comfort in Arlene’s kindness.
“She used to bring me food, check in on me,” he said. “And before I knew it, she had brought laughter back into my life.”
That laughter — and her love — turned out to be his greatest medicine.
The Spirit of a Dancer
At nearly 100, Dick’s boundless energy still amazes everyone around him. He continues to exercise three times a week and swears by stretching, yoga, and his lifelong habit of staying active.
“I’m doing a lot of stretching, sit-ups, yoga-type things,” he shared on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast.
Host Ted Danson even laughed about seeing Dick “dance from one exercise machine to another” at the gym.
It’s that same rhythm — that joy for movement — that keeps the Hollywood icon so full of life.
Counting Down to 100
As he approaches his centennial birthday, Dick Van Dyke remains a beacon of joy, resilience, and love. Fans across the world are already preparing to celebrate the man whose laughter and music have brightened generations.
But ask Dick what truly keeps him young, and his answer will always come back to the same thing:
“It’s Arlene,” he smiles. “She’s my heart — and my reason to keep dancing.”
