“And Chita said, ‘You know, Dick doesn’t have anything to do in the first act. Why don’t you give it to him?’ And my life changed, right there.” He then starred in the sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” from 1961 to 1966. Next was his portrayal of Bert the chimney sweep in the 1964 musical “Mary Poppins” opposite Julie Andrews. He also gained popularity for the 1996 film “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”

Having previous health scares, he tries to keep himself fit and healthy through exercise.

Dick Van Dyke is a celebrated television, stage, and film actor. For his work in the entertainment industry, he has received a Tony, a Grammy, and five Primetime Emmy Awards and was honored by the Kennedy Center in May 2021.

Born on December 13, 1925, in West Plains, Missouri, Van Dyke had a natural talent for entertaining people. Over the years, the actor has dabbled in various genres, from vaudeville to nightclub shows to radio. But the masses know him more from his work in television and movies.

His milestone performances include “Bye, Bye Birdie,” which took the public by storm on the stage from 1960 to 1961 and in a film adaptation two years later. In it, he sang “Put On a Happy Face,” which became a fan favorite. Speaking about how he got the song, thanks to his co-star Chita Rivera, the actor explained:

“And Chita said, ‘You know, Dick doesn’t have anything to do in the first act. Why don’t you give it to him?’ And my life changed, right there.”

He then starred in the sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” from 1961 to 1966. Next was his portrayal of Bert the chimney sweep in the 1964 musical “Mary Poppins” opposite Julie Andrews. He also gained popularity for the 1996 film “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”