As Dick Van Dyke approaches his 100th birthday on December 13, those who worked alongside him say the legendary entertainer has never lost the mischievous spark that made him so unforgettable on screen.
For Karen Dotrice, who played Jane Banks in Disney’s beloved 1964 classic Mary Poppins, Van Dyke wasn’t just a co-star — he was the heartbeat of the set.
“It was so much fun, especially because of Dick,” Dotrice, now 70, recalled with a laugh. “The moment the camera wasn’t on him, he was just a badly behaved little boy.”
Even their first meeting perfectly captured Van Dyke’s playful nature. Dotrice, just nine years old at the time, was attending a costume fitting at Burbank Studios when she encountered the future icon in the most unexpected way.
“I walked in, and he was bent over double having a plaster cast made of his bottom,” she said, laughing. “You can only imagine him peeking around the corner, giggling. That was my first meeting with the legendary Dick Van Dyke.”
From that moment on, keeping a straight face around him proved nearly impossible.
“He’d make you laugh so much,” Dotrice said. “Then the camera light would go on, and you had to pull yourself together — which was incredibly difficult because you just couldn’t stop giggling.”
One unforgettable moment unfolded during the famous tea party sequence. True to form, Van Dyke refused to simply sit still.
“Dick being Dick, he was doing flips and turns,” Dotrice recalled. “Everyone below was going crazy, and my chaperone kept saying, ‘Stop it, Karen, stop.’ We were having a blast. I’m surprised we didn’t all die.”
More than six decades later, Dotrice says Van Dyke’s energy remains remarkably unchanged. Living in Malibu like her former co-star, she still runs into him in everyday places — even the grocery store.
“I’ll see him behind the frozen peas,” she shared fondly. “He loves going out, meeting people, and connecting with his public. He’s a super special, legendary American.”
According to Dotrice, Van Dyke’s longevity comes down to his love of life and constant movement.
“He has this incredible joie de vivre,” she said. “He’s beyond alive and kicking — literally. He still does those sideways kicks he’s famous for.”
She added that Van Dyke remains physically active, visiting the gym daily and maintaining the same discipline and joy that fueled his career for decades.
As Van Dyke celebrates a century of life, laughter, and artistry, his legacy will also be honored in the upcoming PBS American Masters documentary, Starring Dick Van Dyke, which explores his extraordinary career and enduring influence.
For Dotrice, the celebration is deeply personal.
“I’ve known you since I was eight,” she said lovingly. “You’ve always been like a second daddy to me. You made me feel part of the family from day one on Mary Poppins.”
At 100 years old, Dick Van Dyke isn’t just remembered for the roles he played — but for the joy, kindness, and youthful spirit he brought to everyone around him. And for those who knew him best, that “badly behaved little boy” never really grew up — and the world is better for it.
