Dick Van Dyke, 99, makes rare remark on his and wife Arlene's 46-year age gap
While reflecting on their 13-year marriage, the Hollywood legend, 99, gushed to People that he and his spouse, 53, 'get along so well.'
'Everybody said it wouldn't work,' Van Dyke recalled, before Silver chimed in to say. 'Yeah, I mean it's like eerie how well it works. People the same age don't last.'
She also raved that they 'just care about each other so much' and are 'very supportive of each other.'
'He's made me feel like I can do anything,' she said.
Van Dyke noted that they both 'just love being home' and described Malibu as their 'favorite place.'
'We're so grateful. Our house did get hit by the Franklin fire, but in the scheme of things, we got very lucky,' he said at Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp.
On Sunday, the couple hosted the second 'Vandy Camp' to aid fire relief in Malibu.
During the fundraiser, Van Dyke took to the stage in front of a sold out crowd with his wife Arlene and his a cappella band, The Vantastix.
The group sang songs, answered audience questions and shared memories of the 99-year-old's life and career.
Ticket proceeds benefitted the Community Brigade and CA Wildlife relief - as efforts to rebuild continue after the devastating fires in Los Angeles earlier this year.
For the occasion, he sported a 'Spoonful of Sugar' sweater and opened the show singing about senility and joking about how he struggled to remember things.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight last year, Van Dyke recalled his first encounter with Silver.
'I never approached a strange woman in my life,' the legendary Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star said. 'And she walked by and I jumped and I said, "Hi, I'm Dick." I had no idea she was half my age. Beautiful.'
The Dick Van Dyke show actor said he later found out Arlene was a makeup artist.
'She had one [business] card left, which I took and hired her,' he added.
'I had never seen the Dick Van Dyke Show, I never saw anything he was in,' Silver said while speaking about meeting her husband for the first time.
But they didn't start dating right away. They developed a friendship and by the time things turned romantic between them, their big age difference didn't matter to them or to any of Arlene's friends.
'We were friends for so long that when I told people that I know, they were happy about [our relationship], and I was scared,' Silver admitted.
Meanwhile, Silver previously told The Huffington Post that she remembers seeing Van Dyke for the first time 'at the catering table with his bow tie and his big smile.'
'Right when I sat down, he was sitting next to me. He said, "Hi, I'm Dick." The first thing I asked him was, "Weren't you in Mary Poppins?"'
During his career, that spans more than seven decades, Van Dyke earned five Emmys, a Tony, a Grammy, a BAFTA, the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the Television Hall Of Fame, which was due in large part to his role as Rob Petrie in The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966), as well as The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971-1974) and The Carol Burnett Show (1977).
The actor's most recent project is a role in the upcoming film, Capture The Flag, which is currently in pre-production. Van Dyke and Silver will celebrate 10 years of marriage next February.
He has four children: sons Barry and Christian and daughters Stacy and Carrie that were born during his first marriage to Margie Willett, which lasted from 1948 until their divorce in 1984.
The proud family man now also has five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The acting icon will turn 100 in December.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
13 hours ago
- Metro
Oscar-nominated actress insures her mouth for $2,000,000
Cynthia Erivo revealed her mouth has been insured for $2 million (around £1.55 million). As the face of Listerine's new Wash Your Mouth campaign, the Wicked star is the latest celebrity to lend some sparkle to a high-concept marketing stunt. But while the mouthwash brand insists the move highlights the importance of oral hygiene, it also places Erivo squarely in one of Hollywood's most surreal traditions: celebrities insuring their body parts for large sums of money. Erivo, known for her powerhouse vocals and signature gap-toothed smile, described mouth care as essential to her daily rituals: 'Brushing my teeth and using mouthwash- Listerine specifically – for some reason, really opens me up,' she told People. 'It gives me a restart before I go on and sing or speak.' For her, oral hygiene is less about vanity and more about confidence, readiness, and performance. It's the final step before stepping into the spotlight. But an enormous insurance policy on a mouth – even a famous one – inevitably invites comparison with some other examples of celebrities insuring body parts. Jennifer Lopez has long been the unofficial patron saint of celebrity insurance lore, with stories of her butt being insured for as much as $27 million (around £20.9 million) — a rumour she's repeatedly denied, though never quite erased. Kim Kardashian has reportedly done the same, with her backside allegedly covered for $21 million (approx. £16.2 million) at the insistence of then-husband Kanye West. Whether fact or myth, noone can quite say. Mariah Carey's reported $70 million (around £54.2 million) insurance policy – $35 million (approx. £27.1 million) each for her legs and vocal cords – emerged during her 2016 Sweet Sweet Fantasy tour, and while some outlets went as far as to suggest she had insured her voice for $1 billion (approx. £775 million), that figure seems more urban legend than reality. Supermodel Heidi Klum once revealed that her legs were insured for around £1.1 million (approx. $1.4 million) – though she noted one was valued less than the other due to a childhood scar. Gordon Ramsay is said to have insured his taste buds and tongue for $10 million (around £7.75 million). More Trending Even Nick Cannon recently joined the list, announcing a $10 million (approx. £7.75 million) policy on his testicles as part of a tongue-in-cheek ad campaign. Soccer legends Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham each had their legs insured for nine-figure sums – Ronaldo's for over €100 million (approx. £85 million) and Beckham's reportedly for $195 million (around £151 million), one of the largest sports-related policies ever recorded. America Ferrera's smile was insured for $10 million (approx. £7.75 million) by Aquafresh during a campaign. Some of these stories are undoubtedly exaggerated or outright invented. Still, the campaign knows exactly what it's doing. A million-dollar smile backed by a million-dollar policy guarantees headlines, whether or not anyone ever intends to file a claim. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson had the 'strangest sex scene' in Naked Gun reboot MORE: Donald Trump 'seriously considering' a presidential pardon for Sean 'Diddy' Combs MORE: Billie Eilish faces backlash for telling Irish audience 'everybody looks exactly like me'
Graziadaily
13 hours ago
- Graziadaily
From Brooke Shields to Pamela Anderson: Liam Neeson's Relationship History
It's the couple no one saw coming. In recent weeks, the internet has been obsessed with the fact that Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson appear to be dating. The speculation of a budding romance between the pair ramped up this week, thanks to reports suggesting they are officially dating. They are said to have started a romance after getting close on set of The Naked Gun together. Now, a source close to the movie has told PEOPLE: 'It's a budding romance in the early stages. It's sincere, and it's clear they're smitten with each other.' The source added that Liam and Pamela are 'enjoying each other's company.' It's early days, but they have previously gushed about each other in interviews. Liam stayed single for pretty much 16 years following his wife, Natasha Richardson's, tragic death in 2009. Here's what we know about his dating history... LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 22: Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson attend "The Naked Gun" UK Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on July 22, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by) In recent weeks, Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson have shared a number of cosy red carpet moments, which has people wondering whether they are dating. The pair addressed the speculation during an appearance on Today. Craig Melvin quipped: 'You're both single right now. There's clearly chemistry on display throughout this film. Are you two an item?' Liam replied: 'Craig!' while Pamela seemed to thwart the Craig's query: 'I don't understand the question.' Liam responded by praising his co-star. 'I had never met Pamela before,' he said. 'We met on set. And we discovered we had a lovely, budding chemistry—as two actors.' He added: 'It's like, 'Oh, this is nice. Let's not mold this. Let's just let it breathe,' and that's what we did.' In an interview with Entertainment Weekly last month, Pamela echoed a similar sentiment. 'Our chemistry was clear from the start. We have the utmost respect for one another,' she told the outlet, detailing how the pair shared professional but intimate dinners together. 'I invited him and his assistant over for romantic dinners with me and my assistant so our relationship stayed "professionally romantic" during filming.' NEW YORK, NY - MAY 29: Liam Neeson and Freya St. Johnston attend the Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Rangers playoff game at Madison Square Garden on May 29, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images) Neeson only dated one person after the death of Natasha, and that was Freya St. Johnston. Freya, who is a public relations executive, had a two year relationship with Neeson. Reports at the time suggested Neeson split from Freya to spend more time with his family. 'Liam is heading back to America at the start of next month to work on his new film Non-Stop ,' a source told the Daily Mail. 'He told Freya that he wants to take a break and concentrate on his family.' LONDON - OCTOBER 17: Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson arrive at the BFI 52 London Film Festival: 'The Other Man' Premiere at the Odeon West End on October 17, 2008 in London, England. (Photo by) Apart from Freya, Liam Neeson hasn't been romantically linked to anyone since his wife, Natasha Richardson. The pair met when they worked on a Broadway play in 1993, and married in 1994. As well as being a Broadway star, Natasha starred in a number of big films. including The Parent Trap, The Handmaid's Tale and Asylum. The couple had two children - Micheál in 1995 and Daniel in 1996. Natasha sadly died in 2009 after a head injury on a skiing trip in Quebec. Speaking about her death, Neeson called it a 'horrible thing to happen.' Her son Micheál took Natasha's last name instead of Neeson's to honour his mother. LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 11: Liam Neeson and Dame Helen Mirren attend the Reinvented and Reimagined Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London relaunch party on June 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/for Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park) Actress Helen Mirren dated Liam Neeson in the 1980s - something the pair publicly acknowledged in a 2018 appearance on the Graham Norton show. The conversation arose when Norton brought up the topic during the programme. 'We didn't date. We lived together for four years,' said Helen Mirren. 'We were a serious item for a while. Lucky me!' Neeson even recalled the moment he fell in love with Mirren. 'I remember being on the set and standing with Ciarán Hinds as Helen walked towards us dressed in her full Morgana Le Fey costume and we both went, 'Oh fuck,"' he remembered. 'I was smitten. I think Ciarán was too, but I was very smitten!' Mirren replied: 'I never knew that. You've never told me that before. It's amazing.' Helen has shared equally fond memories of their time together. In a 2022 interview with AARP, she said: 'We loved each other. We were not meant to be together in that way, but we loved each other very, very much. I love him deeply to this day. He's such an amazing guy.' NEW YORK - CIRCA 1992: Brooke Shields and Liam Neelson circa 1992 in New York. (Photo by Raoul/Images/Getty Images) Liam dated Brooke Shields in the early 1990s - a relationship Brooke detailed in her 2014 memoir. 'He wooed me with his brogue, his poetry, and his shitty choice of cheap pinot grigio wine,' she wrote. Liam reportedly proposed to Brooke twice over the course of their relationship, before the pair went their separate ways at the end of 1992. Liam Neeson has been linked to several other A-listers in the past. He reportedly dated Barbra Streisand from 1991 to 1992, although they kept most of their relationship out of the public eye. He has also been romantically linked to Janice Dickinson and Sinead O'Connor. Alice Hall is the Staff Writer at Grazia UK. She was previously a Junior Features Writer for The Daily Telegraph. At Grazia, she writes news and features about pop culture, dating, health, politics and interiors.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
RHONJ star reveals cruel ridicule she endured over her weight on TV before dropping the pounds with medication
A Real Housewives of New Jersey star is recalling the cruel ridicule she endured over weight on national television. , the daughter of RHONJ star Caroline Manzo, appeared on the hit Bravo series alongside her famous family from 2012 to 2013, followed by the spin-off, Manzo'd with Children. But she found herself subjected to cruel scrutiny about her physical appearance: 'On TV at 21, people would tell me I was fat and disgusting,' she told People. While she has now dropped an impressive amount of weight with the help of the medication Mounjaro, memories of her struggles remain. 'I could be full to the point where I was in pain, but my brain was still, "It's time to eat,"' the 37-year-old said. On top of the numerous diets she tried out over the years, she even went under the knife in an effort to drop the pounds, undergoing lap band surgery. While she lost weight, she found herself beginning to vomit - a concerning sign she ignored 'because I was skinny.' The lap band was removed but she ended up putting on an 'insane' amount of weight. Eventually, she weighed 208 pounds. But it wasn't until recently that she found something that truly worked for her. With the help of weight loss medication Mounjaro, Lauren is now in incredible shape - and last year she wore a bikini for the first time during a trip to Florida, she shared with People. She credits the medication for saving her life. 'I really believed [Mounjaro] saved my life,' she said. 'What they say about food noise – I had never heard that term.' She has been honest with fans about her weight loss journey on her social media accounts, sharing impressive before-and-after photos capturing her transformation. 'From surgery, functional medicine (which changed my life) giving up gluten & dairy (sob emoji). I still miss it but it's been worth it!' she posted to Instagram back in 2023, along with a jaw-dropping before and after photo. 'And of course, my experience with Mounjaro to lose my last 30lbs. I have been promising you guys I'd do a video on all the details soon and I promise it's on my to do list for when Markie starts school again! Thank you all for your kind words and support. I'm feel amazing and happy to feel like 'Me' again. I don't even know that girl on the left & i'm proud of how far I've come!' While she was thanking fans for the support, not all the feedback she has been receiving has been positive. Last year she was forced to defend herself after social media trolls criticized her decision to use the medication. She addressed the scrutiny surrounding her slimmed-down figure as she explained to her followers that she is 'finally at a healthy weight.' After receiving a mean message under another post, claiming it was 'sad' she has become nearly unrecognizable, the TV personality admitted she was 'just confused' and 'sick of these comments.' 'They make no sense,' she said in the recording. 'I'm 5 foot, 3 inches and 115 pounds. The only thing I need to do to make myself healthier is build muscle... which I admit I'm too lazy to do.' Lauren continued to defend her impressive weight-loss while pointing out that she doesn't 'look sick' and how 'nobody would question' her size if she still looked the same. 'As [long as] I feel good, I'm okay,' Manzo added. 'I'm fine. This isn't sad. I just ate a ciabatta sandwich with a bunch of deli meat on it, a load of mayonnaise and Fritos. I'm fine.' She concluded: 'Nothing sad here.' The Manzo'd With Children alum, who welcomed her daughter Marchesa 'Markie' Anna Scalia with ex Vita Scalia in 2017, previously revealed she underwent lap band surgery. During a previous appearance on Page Six's Virtual Reali-Tea podcast, the mother-of-one spoke about going gluten and dairy-free for a over a year, before going on Mounjaro. 'I get it — people don't like it, people don't applaud it, people aren't whatever, but it's a shot in your stomach once a week, it's the same as Ozempic,' she explained. Lauren continued: 'And honestly, I really do believe that obesity and things like that — they are a major issue with people — it is causing mental health issues for me.' 'You guys have seen the struggle with this since I'm 20 years old, and it's been really hard for me,' she told listeners. 'I understand that people that are prediabetic or that are diabetic do need this, but I also do believe that [the Ozempic trend has] helped people [with food issues too].' 'I mean, I'm not gonna lie, I feel like there have been times that I've been on the brink of an eating disorder or had issues myself. And this is the one thing — even above weight loss surgery — that has helped me a lot and cured me and mentally made me so much better. And I'm really grateful for it.' Her mom said she could not understand why her daughter had weight on her: 'She was working out like an animal [and] eating right' but 'she just could not lose weight.' The weight loss comes amid another major transition for Lauren - life as a single woman. She officially finalized her divorce from Vita Scalia earlier this year. The former couple got married on July 18, 2015 at a church in New York City and then separated after eight years together. They share one daughter together: eight-year-old Marchesa 'Markie' Scalia.
