Dick Van Dyke has revealed how he wants to be remembered by his fans.
“For laughter; for making people laugh for 75 years. I’ve been in the business for 75 years,” said Van Dyke after his big win at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety Series for Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic, per Deadline.
He quipped, “I can’t believe that I’m still here and performing. I’m looking for work if anybody is asking.”
Reflecting on his recent show, Van Dyke stated, “The 5 years on The Dick Van Dyke Show was the most fun I ever had. It was a pleasure to come to work.”
“It was that group: [co-stars] Mary [Tyler Moore], Morey [Amsterdam] and Rosie [Marie]. We just had a ball every day. Half the show was ad-libbed. We did it in front of an audience which most sitcoms don’t and it makes all the difference,” explained the Mary Poppins actor.
He remarked, “You know what? Our laugh track is now being rented to other sitcoms, which means a lot to me.”
During his acceptance speech, Van Dyke joked about his mortality, saying, “I invited everyone to my memorial. I don’t have a date yet but I’m not feeling too well.”
The Bye, Bye Birdie actor also shared valuable advice with future thespians.
“You have to stick with it. You’ll go through some hard times and many auditions, but you have to stay with it. Be patient if you have the confidence in yourself,” he pointed out.
Van Dyke added, “It’s very important to believe that you can do it. I don’t know how I did it, to tell you the truth.”