Get to Know Arlene Silver, Dick Van Dyke’s Wife, as He Celebrates His 100th Birthday
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NEED TO KNOW
- Dick Van Dyke married Arlene Silver on February 29, 2012, six years after they first met.
- The couple met at the SAG Awards, where Silver worked as a makeup artist.
- Van Dyke, who celebrated his 100th birthday on December 13, is 46 years older than Silver.
Dick Van Dyke attributes his youthful spirit to his wife, Arlene Silver. “She’s responsible for keeping me in the moment,” he shared in a November 2025 interview. “She’s kept me happy every day of my life. She’s a joy. She can get me singing or dancing and carries so much responsibility… I’m just lucky.”
The Mary Poppins star and Silver first crossed paths at the SAG Awards in 2006. Feeling an instant connection, Van Dyke hired her for subsequent projects. They eventually tied the knot in 2012.
“She is the best wife,” Van Dyke told the Malibu Times. “She’s made me the happiest man in the world. Our life is so good together.”
Silver echoed similar sentiments, stating, “We take very good care of each other… I’m aware that I have a national treasure on my hands. He’s the perfect human being but also the perfect partner.”
This year, Silver provided assistance to Van Dyke after he sustained minor injuries in a car accident in Malibu. Fortunately, paramedics treated him at the scene, and he was not hospitalized.
As the couple navigates their lives together, much interest surrounds their relationship, particularly regarding Silver’s role in Van Dyke’s rich career.
They Met on the Job
Arlene Silver and Dick Van Dyke.
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Silver met Van Dyke at the SAG Awards in 2006 while she was working as a makeup artist. “There was something about her beautiful eyes,” Van Dyke remarked.
Although Silver recognized him, she couldn’t immediately place where she knew him from, stating, “I knew him; I just didn’t know how I knew him. I like that I knew him as a man before I knew him as a performer.”
In 2023, the couple appeared together on the soap opera Days of Our Lives, where Van Dyke humorously noted, “I played an old guy, of course, in a wheelchair. My wife played my attendant.”
They Fell in Love After Loss
Arlene Silver and Dick Van Dyke.
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After the passing of his longtime partner Michelle Triola from lung cancer in 2009, Silver supported Van Dyke through his grief. “Arlene would come by after work and bring me food,” he recalled. “She was such a support, I fell in love.” Silver moved into Van Dyke’s Malibu home in 2011.
Van Dyke, who enjoys companionship, remarked on the importance of love in his life: “You gotta have somebody to love.” They overcame skepticism regarding their age difference, with Silver noting, “it’s eerie how well it works. People the same age don’t last.”
Van Dyke shared the unique experience of meeting Silver, noting he had never been so forward with anyone before. “I just jumped up and said, ‘Hi, I’m Dick,’” he recalled.
They Wed in 2012
Arlene Silver and Dick Van Dyke.
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Silver and Van Dyke were married on February 29, 2012, a date they affectionately celebrate every year on February 28, unless it’s leap year. Van Dyke recounted their spontaneous decision to marry on Leap Day, stating, “It was on the spur of the moment.” Van Dyke’s publicist, Bob Palmer, remarked, “Despite their obvious age difference, Dick has never been happier. She brings a lot of light into his life.”
Van Dyke’s Family Welcomed Her
Arlene Silver and Dick Van Dyke.
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Despite initial concerns about family acceptance due to their significant age difference, Van Dyke’s family embraced Silver. “My grandkids call her Grandma,” he shared. “My four kids just love her.”
She’s a Singer and Dancer
Arlene Silver and Dick Van Dyke.
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The couple shares a cherished love for music, evident in their performances with the a cappella group Vantastix, which Van Dyke formed years ago. They often sing and dance together, a joy that has enriched their relationship. “I’ve learned so many songs with Dick. Countless,” Silver noted, emphasizing her commitment to keeping the music alive between them.
In a 2015 interview, Van Dyke remarked on their daily life, saying, “My wife is a good singer and dancer, so there’s a lot of singing and dancing going on around here.” He humorously recalled a morning where Silver was tap dancing while doing the dishes.
She Directed a Music Video
Arlene Silver and Dick Van Dyke.
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In February 2022, Silver directed a music video for her band, Arlene & the Vantastix. The video, featuring their rendition of Doris Day’s “Everybody Loves a Lover,” showcased her husband as the co-star. The choreography references The Dick Van Dyke Show, cleverly nodding to his career.
Another delightful aspect of the video includes their playful use of sweaters from the Dick Van Dyke Collection from the 1960s.
They Love a Red Carpet
Dick Van Dyke and Arlene Silver.
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Van Dyke and Silver frequently grace red carpets together, often donning elegant attire for high-profile events. At the premiere of Mary Poppins Returns, Silver wowed in a maroon gown, complementing Van Dyke’s appearance as he received accolades for his extraordinary career.
She Inspired His Masked Singer Performance
In February 2023, Van Dyke made an appearance on the season 9 premiere of The Masked Singer, performing Frank Sinatra’s “When You’re Smiling.” After his performance, he credited Silver for helping choose the song, saying, “They wanted me to do something current, and I know nothing from rock. She’s the one that came up with it and I liked the song, too.”
She Appeared in a Coldplay Music Video with Van Dyke
Ahead of his 99th birthday in December 2024, Van Dyke filmed a director’s cut music video for Coldplay’s “All My Love,” featuring him and Silver performing a choreographed dance. Van Dyke poignantly shared, “What is love? It certainly is a feeling of caring about the welfare and the life of the other person as much as you care for yourself,” emphasizing the depth of their bond.
