Beloved entertainer Dick Van Dyke has opened up about the secret to his successful marriage to Arlene Silver, despite their notable 46-year age difference. The Mary Poppins star, who is set to turn 100 in December, shared his heartfelt insights in a recent interview with People magazine.
The Secret to a Happy Union
Van Dyke, who married Silver in 2012, confessed that while they initially thought the age gap might cause issues, it has proven to be a non-factor. "We thought it might be [a problem] in some regard, to some extent, but it hasn't really," the actor explained. He attributes this harmony to their complementary personalities, famously stating, "I'm infantile to start with. I think I'm about 13, so that's been a problem and she's quite mature for her age, so I don't think we haven't had any problem with age at all."
The veteran performer credits his wife, a makeup artist aged 54, for infusing his life with joy and vitality. "She's responsible for keeping me in the moment," he said affectionately. "She's kept me happy every day of my life, every day. She's a joy. She can get me singing or dancing and she carries so much responsibility."
Defying the Doubters
This is not the first time the couple has addressed public curiosity about their relationship. Back in April, Van Dyke also told People that their significant age difference is precisely why they "get along so well." His wife echoed this sentiment, adding, "We just care about each other so much."
They take pleasure in having proven their sceptics wrong. "Everybody said it wouldn't work," Van Dyke recalled, with Silver noting, "Yeah. I mean it's like eerie how well it works. People the same age don't last."
A Love Story That Began at the SAG Awards
The couple's journey started at the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards. Silver was working at the event, and Van Dyke was a guest. At the time, he was 81 and she was 35. Their romance, however, did not blossom until after the passing of Van Dyke's longtime partner, Michelle Triola Marvin, who died from lung cancer in 2009.
Van Dyke was previously married to Margie Willett from 1948 until their divorce was finalised in 1984. Willett passed away in 2008. From his first marriage, he has four children: Christian, 75, Barry, 74, Stacy, 69, and Carrie, 63.
Secrets to a Centenarian's Life
As he promotes his new book, Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Aging, Van Dyke has been sharing the principles that have guided his long and vibrant life. He firmly believes that avoiding anger and hate has been "one of the chief things that kept me going."
The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star confessed he has "never really been able to work up a feeling of hate" and attributes his longevity to his "brighter outlook." He elaborated, "I've always thought that anger is one thing that eats up a person's insides – and hate. There were things I didn't like, people I don't like and disapprove of. But I never really was able to do a white heat kind of hate."
Despite his positive disposition, Van Dyke recently acknowledged feeling the weight of his years in a health diary for The Times. He confessed to feeling "diminished" both "physically and socially," and revealed the profound loneliness of outliving his peers, stating, "every single one of my dearest lifelong friends is gone, which feels just as lonely as it sounds." Yet, with Arlene Silver by his side, he continues to find daily joy and a reason to sing and dance.
