At 99 years old and on the cusp of turning 100 this December, Dick Van Dyke continues to defy every expectation of what ageing looks like, and he’s doing it with the same joyful flair that made him a Hollywood icon.
The Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star, whose career has spanned over seven decades, has long credited a strict workout routine with keeping him vibrant and active well into his nineties. Now, a new photo has reminded the world just how serious he is about staying fit.
Musician Rick Springfield shared the image on Instagram after a chance encounter with Van Dyke at a Malibu gym on September 26. Far from quietly going through the motions, Springfield was astonished to see the nonagenarian “working out on every machine”, and even pulling off a little dance move as he stepped away from the chest press.
“Dick has lived in Malibu for about 30 years and is an awesome human being,” Springfield wrote. “I thought I was doing well at 76, but Dick got up from the chest press machine and did a little dance step before I left!”
Fans flooded the comments in awe of the legendary actor’s vitality. “Two living legends showing us what true strength looks like. Proof that passion, health, and joy keep you timeless,” one wrote.
Van Dyke himself has long insisted that consistency is key. Speaking earlier this year on Ted Danson’s Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, he said, “I’ve always exercised three days a week. We go to the gym, still, three days a week, and I think that’s it.” Danson, who has crossed paths with Van Dyke mid-workout, confirmed that the star “would not walk” but “dance” between machines, a fitting image for one of cinema’s most beloved entertainers.
Beyond his workouts, Van Dyke remains full of life and gratitude. Recently, he celebrated his wife Arlene’s 54th birthday with a heartfelt message to guests: “We’ve been married 13 years. In two and a half months I’m going to be 100 years old, I hope, and I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman in my life than this one.”
For a man whose screen presence has always been defined by joy and movement, it seems fitting that Van Dyke’s secret to longevity is simple: keep moving, keep dancing, and never stop celebrating life.
