Opinion
Dick Van Dyke, who turned 98 earlier this month, has had an incredibly successful Hollywood career that has spanned over seven decades. That’s why it came as a massive shock to many when Van Dyke revealed in a recent interview that he sees himself as a “lazy person” who never aggressively pursued a career in Hollywood.
Van Dyke Leaves Interviewer Stunned
When asked by CBS news correspondent Tracy Smith if he ever planned his Hollywood career, Van Dyke was quick to reply, “No. I never did. As a businessman, I’m not much good. I would do a movie or something and come home and just sit down and wait for the phone to ring.”
“I wasn’t aggressive. So I was out of work a lot because I didn’t go out and look for it,” Van Dyke added with a smile.
“And how did that sit with you?” Smith asked, to which Van Dyke replied with a laugh, “Well, I didn’t mind it. I’m pretty lazy really. When I’m having fun, you know, all right. But I’m a lazy person.”
“Really?” a visibly stunned Smith asked in response.
“I lack a lot of drive. I’ve been very lucky,” Van Dyke continued, to which Smith could only say, “Wow.”
“There’s always somebody to pick me up and put me over there,” Van Dyke added.
“That’s wonderful, it just sort of happened,” Smith replied, with Van Dyke saying in agreement, “It did. It just happened.”
Related: Dick Van Dyke Has Sad Moment As He Celebrates 98th Birthday – ‘I’m Having To Make New Friends’
Van Dyke’s Career ‘Depended On’ Having Fun
Van Dyke went on to say that his “whole career has depended on” having fun.
“If I’m not enjoying myself, I’m really bad,” he confessed. “It’s such a blessing to find a way of making a living that you love, that you’d do for nothing. I feel so sorry for people who hate their jobs. I look forward to going to work every morning.”
Even after so many years in show business, Van Dyke is still feeling the love from fans of all ages.
“I’m on my third generation. I’m getting letters from little kids. And that’s what I love,” the Mary Poppins star said. “They watch the movies over and over. I’m getting so much more mail today than I did during the heyday of my career.”
Check out this full interview with Van Dyke in the video below.
Related: Dick Van Dyke Praises 52 Year-Old Wife Arlene Silver As He Prepares To Turn 98
Van Dyke’s Birthday Special
CBS honored Van Dyke with the television special “Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic,” which aired last week. After filming the special, Van Dyke couldn’t deny that he was touched by this chance to look back at his career.
“You think, ‘I don’t deserve this,’ but it’s difficult to say how I felt,” he told People Magazine earlier this month. “I came home, and I said, ‘You know something? It’s going to be a couple of days before this actually sinks in that it happened.’”
“I never expected that kind of recognition,” he added. “My whole life went before me. I didn’t realize I had done so many things while I was 75 years in show business.”
Van Dyke is a true living legend, and there will never be another one like him. We’d like to wish him a very happy 98th birthday, and many more to come!
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