Dick Van Dyke’s wife Arlene speaks out as actor misses comedy event due to illness

Dick Van Dyke was noticeably absent from a recent comedy event he was expected to co-host, drawing concern and warm wishes from fans in attendance.

The 99-year-old entertainer, whose energy and charisma have long defied his age, had been scheduled to appear alongside his wife, Arlene Silver, at the Vandy Camp event held at the Arlene & Dick Van Dyke Theater at Malibu High School.

According to People Magazine, Van Dyke had to pull out at the last minute. Taking the stage in his place, Arlene greeted the crowd with humorously saying she was "not the Van Dyke you're expecting."

“I have to inform you that Dick is not up to coming to celebrate with us today. I'm sorry,” she added.

She explained that Van Dyke was under the weather, sharing,

“When you're 99 and a half years old, you have good days and bad days ... and unfortunately, today is not a good day for him, and he's sick that he can't be here.”

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Dick Van Dyke unable to attend Vandy camp, Arlene shares emotional tribute:

Arlene remained hopeful, telling the audience she was “pretty confident” her husband would recover in time to attend the next Vandy Camp “in person.”

She also took a moment to reflect on what the event meant to her husband, emphasizing that it wasn’t just about his career, but about a shared sense of joy and nostalgia.

“It is a celebration of your childhood, all of our childhoods, the music that's in the fabric of all of us, [and] Dick Van Dyke is a big part of that,” she said.

Arlene, a 53-year-old makeup artist, praised the warmth of Van Dyke’s fans, describing them as “the greatest human beings I've ever known,” and called the event “a wonderful opportunity to have you all in the same room and meet each other.”

She also spoke candidly about the impact her husband had made on her.

“Being around [him] just as a human being has made me a better person, I would never be able to do this maybe, like, a year ago, but I've had so many experiences pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and right now I'm out of my comfort zone.” she shared.

According to an official press release, the annual Vandy Camp gathering is a celebration of Van Dyke’s lifelong love for comedy, vaudeville, and circus arts, brought to life through music and performance alongside Arlene and their ensemble.

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Dick Van Dyke on aging, loss, and the joy of performing at nearly 100:

Dick Van Dyke, who will turn 100 in December, recently reflected on the emotional weight of aging and the joy he still finds in performing.

As reported by the Daily Mail, the actor opened up about his life and career last month during a Q&A segment at one of the Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp events.

During the conversation, Van Dyke revealed that he and longtime friend Ed Asner had once planned to remake The Odd Couple. However, the project never materialized before Asner's death in August 2021 at age 91.

"That would've been such fun, and we lost it. I've lost a lot of friends," Van Dyke said.

Arlene Silver added her own observation on the cost of longevity:

"He's outlived everybody. That's the curse of living to almost 100."

When Arlene asked what helps him stay upbeat despite losing so many close companions, Dick Van Dyke responded,

"Well, life's been good to me. I can't complain."

He also shared that continuing to perform gives him vitality, saying,

"I'm a ham. I love it. I get a jolt of energy from an audience."