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Dick Van Dyke turns 100 years old, but says a century ‘is not enough’

Dick Van Dyke, winner of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special for “Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic,” attends the 76th Creative Arts Emmys Winner’s Walk on Sept. 7, 2024 in Los Angeles.  (Getty Images )
By KiMi Robinson USA Today USA Today

Dick Van Dyke is showing no signs of stopping as he celebrates his milestone 100th birthday.

“The funniest thing is it’s not enough. A hundred years is not enough; you want to live more,” the actor, who turned 100 on Saturday, said. “Which I plan to (do).”

Speaking with ABC News’ Chris Connelly in a segment that aired Friday, the “Mary Poppins” star gave credit for his good spirits, in part, to his wife Arlene Silver, 54.

“She kept me young,” Van Dyke said. “She gives me energy, she gives me humor and all kinds of support.”

Of course, he still feels the effects of aging.

“I miss movement,” he said when asked about what is “hard” about being 100 years old. “I’ve got one game leg from I don’t know what. And I still try to dance.”

He opened up about his physical limitations in a Sunday Times essay published in November, which described various ailments, from foot problems to declining eyesight. He added that he has trouble maintaining focus in group conversations and frequently complains about his hearing aids.

“It’s frustrating to feel diminished in the world, physically and socially,” he wrote. He added, “If I miss too many gym days, I really can feel it – a stiffness creeping in here and there. If I let that set in, well, God help me.”

Dick Van Dyke’s gym regimen keeps him active three days per week

Van Dyke, who recently published the book “100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life,” has maintained an impressive gym regimen for years.

“I’ve always exercised three days a week. We go to the gym, still, three days a week,” Van Dyke told Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen on the Jan. 22 episode of the “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” podcast.

“I get down and do a lot of stretching and yoga-type things, sit-ups. And they have machines … something for almost every exercise.”

Van Dyke often takes opportunities to display his spryness by dancing in public, including in Coldplay’s “All My Love” music video in 2024. In the seven-minute director’s cut, he imparted his musings on a long career in Hollywood as well as the meaning of love.

“I think I’m one of those lucky people who got to do for a living what I would have done anyway,” he said. “I got to do what I do. Play and act silly.”

This article originally appeared on USA Today

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