Dick Van Dyke described himself as a “lazy person” while reflecting on his prolific career in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning ahead of an upcoming tribute special.
The 98-year-old legendary entertainer was asked in an interview with CBS News correspondent Tracy Smith about his plans for a career that has spanned more than seven decades in film, television and stage.
'NO. I never did. I'm not particularly good as a businessman. I was making a movie or something and came home and just sat down and waited for the phone to ring,” Dick said during their sit-down interview.
“I wasn't aggressive. That's why I was unemployed a lot because I didn't go out and look for it,” Dick said, smiling.
“And how did you like that?” Tracy asked.
Dick Van Dyke described himself as a “lazy person” as he reflected on his career in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning ahead of an upcoming tribute special
“Well, I didn’t mind. I'm really quite lazy. If I'm having fun, that's fine. “But I’m a lazy person,” said Dick, laughing.
“Really?” Tracy asked incredulously.
“I lack a lot of drive.” “I was very lucky,” said Dick.
“Wow,” Tracy said.
“There’s always someone to pick me up and take me there,” Dick said.
“This is wonderful, it just happened,” Tracy said.
“It did. “It just happened,” Dick said.
Dick starred in the popular children's films “Mary Poppins” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” as well as the classic TV sitcom “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”
The 98-year-old legendary entertainer was asked in an interview with CBS News correspondent Tracy Smith about his plans for a career that has spanned more than seven decades in film, television and stage
“Well, I didn’t mind. I'm really quite lazy. If I'm having fun, that's fine. “But I’m a lazy person,” said Dick, laughing
“This is wonderful, it just happened,” Tracy said
Fans can watch the special on CBS, the same network that aired his beloved sitcom “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” in which he stars with Rose Marie
He will be celebrated in the two-hour tribute special “Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic,” airing Thursday on CBS and streaming on the Paramount+ service.
The old Dick Van Dyke Show set was recreated for the tribute special, a variety spectacle featuring singing, dancing and special guests.
Dick attended the taping of the special with his wife Arlene Silver, 52.
The special will also feature old footage that includes some of the highlights of his diverse career on stage, film and television.
Dick began his acting career during World War II, dropping out of high school to join the U.S. Army Air Corps and eventually ending up in the military as a radio announcer and entertainer for the troops.
He worked as a nightclub performer in the 1950s and then moved into television – eventually starting his tenure at CBS in 1955, when he was hired to replace Jack Paar as host of The Morning Show.
However, he first became a big name on Broadway as the lead actor in the successful 1960 stage musical Bye Bye Birdie.
Featuring music by Charles Strouse, of later Annie fame, “Bye Bye Birdie” satirized the enthusiasm of Elvis Presley fans and earned Dick a Tony Award.
His appearance on stage also caught the attention of Carl Reiner, who took him to Hollywood, where The Dick Van Dyke Show began.
An instant classic, The Dick Van Dyke Show ran from 1961 to 1966 and made its namesake and its leading lady, Mary Tyler Moore, a national star.
Dick's Hollywood career skyrocketed in the 1960s, landing him appearances in movie musicals such as “Mary Poppins,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and the film adaptation of “Bye Bye Birdie.”
He took on more dramatic roles in the 1970s, playing alcoholics in “The Comic” and “The Morning After” and then confessing that he had acted out in real life.
He became a regular on The Carol Burnett Show and alternated between guest roles on the top TV series of the 1970s and 1980s, from Columbo to The Golden Girls.
Dick's Hollywood career skyrocketed in the 1960s, landing him in film musicals such as “Mary Poppins,” in which he stars with Oscar-winning lead actress Julie Andrews
Amid the glorious 1960s, which included his sitcom and most popular films, he also starred in the classic Hollywood musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (pictured).
Dick and his son Barry Van Dyke then starred together in Diagnosis: Murder, a hit crime comedy that ran for eight seasons from 1993 to 2001.
A classic showbiz guy, he continued to work throughout his 80s and 90s, including in the 2018 film Mary Poppins Returns with Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
In recent years, he has been showered with accolades for his life's work, including a Kennedy Center award and being named a Disney Legend.
But despite plenty of laurels to rest on, he has stayed in the game, appearing on The Masked Singer and Days Of Our Lives this year.