Dick Van Dyke, 98, gushes over wife Arlene Silver, 52, after a decade of marriage

13 December 2023, 11:32

The Hollywood icon first met his wife in 2006. Picture: Alamy

The Mary Poppins actor admitted he was still spellbound by his spouse's beauty.

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Dick Van Dyke, 98, was captured gushing over his wife Arlene Silver, 52, during filming for a brand new TV special paying tribute to the life and career of the Mary Poppins star.

The beloved actor, who is celebrating his birthday today, was caught on camera gazing at his spouse of 12 years and couldn't help but pay her a compliment as he stared at her adoringly.

"You look like a movie star," the Tony Award winner told the make-up artist, whilst taping a special called Dick Van Dyke 98 Years Of Magic for US TV network CBS.

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A voice from behind the scenes was captured agreeing, saying: "Doesn't she?" to which the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star said: "She really does, doesn't she?"

The Hollywood superstar turned 98 on 13th December 2023. Picture: Alamy

With a glint in his eye, the iconic performer then flashed his charming smile across the room, adding: "She really does, doesn't she?" before joking: "I saw her first!"

The married couple are clearly still very much in love after tying the knot in Malibu back in February 2012, when Dick was 86 and Arlene was 40.

The pair first met at the SAG Awards in 2006 and struck up a friendship as the American entertainer was still in a relationship with his long-term partner Michelle Triola Marvin.

After she sadly passed away from cancer in 2009, the duo grew closer and eventually fell for each other before deciding to make it official.

"There was something about her beautiful eyes," Dick previously confessed to People.

Dick Van Dyke and Arlene Silver have been married since 2012. Picture: Alamy

Their relationship grew from strength to strength and now, over a decade later, Dick appears to still be mesmerised by his glamorous partner.

"She is the best wife," the Hollywood legend previously told the Malibu Times. "She's made me the happiest man in the world. Our life is so good together."

Arlene, who is 46 years younger than Dick, also spoke of their loving marriage, telling the Huffington Post: "We take very good care of each other.

"I'm very aware that I have a national treasure on my hands. He's the perfect human being but he's also the perfect partner."

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Despite their strong romance, Arlene admitted she wasn't actually sure who her famous husband was when they first crossed paths almost 20 years ago.

"I remember seeing Dick at the catering table with his bow tie and his big smile. Right when I sat down, he was sitting next to me. He said, "Hi, I'm Dick." The first thing I asked him was, "Weren't you in Mary Poppins?" I wasn't sure,' she told the Huffington Post in 2013.

"I knew who he was but I wasn't sure why I knew who he was. I was not familiar with all his work. He has so much work I can't believe I missed it."

Dick famously played chimney sweep Bert in Mary Poppins. Picture: Alamy

Dick Van Dyke is best know for his starring roles in Mary Poppins (1964), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), Dick Tracy (1990), and Diagnosis: Murder (1993-2001).

His film and TV credentials, which have won him multiple awards over his 70-year career, also include Bye Bye Birdie (1963), The Comic (1969), Columbo (1974), The Carol Burnett Show (1977), and more recently Curious George (2006), Night At The Museum (2006), Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb (2014) and Mary Poppins Returns (2018), among others.