Dick Van Dyke was celebrating his big win tonight at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety Series for Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic when he broke into dance on stage just three months shy of his 99th birthday.
The CBS special, which celebrated his legendary career, was released in December. The project is currently available to stream via Paramount+.
“For laughter; for making people laugh for 75 years. I’ve been in the business for 75 years,” shared Van Dyke while backstage at the awards regarding how he hopes he’ll be remembered. “I can’t believe that I’m still here and performing. I’m looking for work if anybody is asking,” Van Dyke joked.
Across his lengthy career, Van Dyke has starred in a variety of projects on the stage and screen. They most notably include Mary Poppins (1964), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), Bye, Bye Birdie (1963) and his favorite, the TV series The Dick Van Dyke Show.
“The 5 years on The Dick Van Dyke Show was the most fun I ever had. It was a pleasure to come to work,” he said. “It was that group: [co-stars] Mary [Tyler Moore], Morey [Amsterdam] and Rosie [Marie]. We just had a ball every day. Half the show was ad-libbed. We did it in front of an audience which most sitcoms don’t and it makes all the difference. You know what? Our laugh track is now being rented to other sitcoms, which means a lot to me.”
For his portrayal of Rob Petrie on the hit NBC comedy created by Carl Reiner, Van Dyke won three Primetime Emmys—including his first ever. “Who would expect it at my age? There was such great competition,” he said. “Maybe there was a little sentiment involved in this award. I hate to say it but it probably was,” Van Dyke said with a wide cheeky grin.”
Van Dyke shared many jokes about his mortality this evening, like in his acceptance speech when his CBS special received the statuette for Outstanding Variety Special. “I invited everyone to my memorial. I don’t have a date yet but I’m not feeling too well,” he jested.
The Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner is just one award away from reaching EGOT status, an Oscar. “Posthumously, possibly,” he teased about a possible timeline for him to receive his Oscar. His wife, Arlene, was by his side on stage, sharing in the laugh.
For future generations of thespians, he leaves behind a legacy of comedy and the following advice.
“You have to stick with it. You’ll go through some hard times and many auditions, but you have to stay with it. Be patient if you have the confidence in yourself. It’s very important to believe that you can do it. I don’t know how I did it, to tell you the truth,” Van Dyke concluded.
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