Dick Van Dyke, 98, Seen For First Time After Event Cancel

Dick Van Dyke - YouTube

Actor Dick Van Dyke has been seen in public for the first time since he recently canceled an upcoming appearance. However, Van Dyke has been appearing at a few events in recent years. Added to that, the beloved actor’s 99th birthday, which he discussed in a statement is coming up.

Van Dyke Was Expected To Appear At A Three-Day Event

On television, Van Dyke’s biggest claim to fame was playing Rob Petrie on his namesake CBS sitcom, The Dick Van Dyke Show. He’s also known for his various movie roles, such as Bye Bye Birdie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Mary Poppins. With the Disney live-action/animated hybrid serving as one of his most famous films, he notably appeared in the 2018 sequel, Mary Poppins Returns.

The actor was seen running errands in Malibu. He was seen wearing a plae blue shirt, joggers, and a leopard-print walking stick. During the excursion, Van Dyke was joined up by an unidentified male companion.

Dick Van Dyke - Youtube
Dick Van Dyke – Youtube

In a video shared by the New York Post, Van Dyke said he felt “old.” When asked about his upcoming 99th birthday, which falls on December 13, he also joked that, he was “just praying that I make it.”

Van Dyke’s appearance was notable since this was one of the first times he’s appeared in public since he recently canceled a public appearance. The Disney Legend was expected to appear at the three-day FanX convention in Salt Lake City towards the end of September.

As noted by The U.S. Sun, the event organizers announced the actor would ultimately not appear. According to the statement, “We are sorry to announce that Dick Van Dyke is not able to travel to FanX. As they continued, “He expresses his gratitude to all of those who continue to support him, but at almost 99 years of age, traveling and interacting with thousands of people is more than he is able to do at this time.”

The Actor’s Birthday Is Coming Up This December

The actor previously appeared at FaxX in 2017. At the time, he joked that, “I’m looking for work if anybody has [any].” Van Dyke also gave advice to aspiring performers, saying, “You have to stick with it. You’re gonna go through hard times and a lot of auditions … but you have to stay with it.”

Despite cancelling the recent appearance, Van Dyke has been recently seen at a few other events. Earlier in September, however, Van Dyke did make an appearance at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. He also appeared at the Phoenix Fan Fusion convention back in May.

In 2023, Van Dyke was also honored with the birthday special, “Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic.” At the time, he shared that, “I hope to be remembered for making people laugh for 75 years. I’ve been in the business for 75 years. I can’t believe that I’m still here and performing.”

What is your favorite Dick Van Dyke role? Let us know your thoughts and come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.

John Witiw

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