Last week, the Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke made history when he became the oldest person to ever win an Emmy at 98. Now, he and his 52 year-old wife Arlene Silver have scored a touching honor.
Van Dyke And His Wife Honored
The theater at Malibu High School has officially been named after Van Dyke and Silver!
“We’re going to make actors out of all your kids!” Van Dyke told a crowd gathered at the high school.
Silver was given the honor of cutting the ribbon at the Arlene and Dick Van Dyke Theater during an event last Saturday that included performances paying tribute to both her and her husband. This event was a fundraiser for the Van Dyke Endowment for the Arts, which strives to raise money for arts education for public schools in Malibu.
Making sure that kids have access to the arts is a cause that is dear to Van Dyke’s heart.
“I’ve lived here for 40 years in Malibu and we’ve been pushing, you know, to get more theater, especially in a high school,” Van Dyke said. “There’s not enough theater. We’re gonna get that done!”
“I’m just so honored to live my life with him and share him with the world, and this is an incredible honor to have this happening,” Silver added.
Related: Dick Van Dyke, 98, Brings The House Down Performing With His 52 Year-Old Wife Arlene Silver
Seinfeld Star Emcees
This event was emceed by the former Seinfeld star Jason Alexander, a longtime close friend of Van Dyke’s.
“If we don’t have the facilities and we don’t have the resources and these kids don’t get introduced to these kinds of humanities and arts, a lot of great future artists just never get born,” Alexander said.
Other famous faces who took the stage at Van Dyke’s fundraiser included Tom Bergeron, Mark Hamill, Melissa Manchester, and Peter Cincotti.
Van Dyke has been a beloved Hollywood star for decades. He’s starred in iconic TV shows like The Dick Van Dyke Show and Prescription Murder. Van Dyke has also starred in such timeless classic movies as Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his legendary status, Van Dyke has always stayed humble, which only makes him more lovable.
“I think he doesn’t understand, he still doesn’t understand what he means to people,” Silver explained. “He’s a good, good person and he influences people to be better.”
Though Van Dyke will be turning 99 in December, he has no plans to retire.
“Everyone in my circle of friends and fellow actors are dead,” he during his fundraiser. “I’ve outlasted everybody. And I’m going to make 100 while I’m doing my sitcom!”
Related: Dick Van Dyke Reveals Why He Won’t Be Retiring After Becoming Oldest Emmy Winner At 98
Van Dyke’s Historic Emmy Win
This comes one week after Van Dyke made history when he won Best Guest Performer In A Daytime Drama Series for his role as Timothy Robicheaux on Days Of Our Lives. With this win, he became the oldest person to ever take home an Emmy.
In his acceptance speech, which he delivered onstage with Silver, Van Dyke made it clear just how stunned he was by this victory.
“I don’t believe this. I feel like a spy from nighttime television,” he said, adding that he “brought this lady up because she, by trouble and strife, is the love of my life, but because she was in the show — she played the cop who arrested me.”
Van Dyke went on to say that he has “been playing old men all my life. If I had known I would live this long I would have taken care of myself. You guys are a real family and just took me in and treated me so nicely.”
As he exited the stage, Van Dyke added, “I’m 98 years old, can you believe it? This really tops off a lifetime of 80 years in the business.”
Check out Van Dyke’s full speech in the video below.
Van Dyke is a true legend, and he deserves all of the accolades in the world. We wish Van Dyke many years of health and happiness to come!
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