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Dick Van Dyke almost didn’t get his most famous role as the Cockney chimney sweep in Mary Poppins.
The beloved 99-year-old actor recently reflected on his life’s work as he and his wife, Arlene Silver, hosted Van Dyke High Tea, a benefit event to raise money for the Van Dyke Foundation for the Arts and the Dick Van Dyke Museum currently in development.
When asked how he landed the role of Bart in Mary Poppins, Van Dyke admitted the process was “very easy.”
“It’s insane. I did an interview once where I said, ‘I don’t think there’s enough entertainment for kids,'” the actor recalled. “Walt Disney heard about it and called me and gave me the role. It was a no-brainer.”
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Disney was involved in the casting, but original author Pamela Lyndon Travers said she was not a fan of Van Dyke playing the lead role or being involved in the film.
“She wasn’t into anything,” Van Dyke said. “The woman who wrote the book didn’t think I was right. She didn’t think Julie[Andrews]was right. She wanted all the animation removed.”
Mr. Van Dyke claimed that Mr. Travers went to Disney to ask for changes, but was told that “ship has sailed.”
Van Dyke famously starred in the 1964 film as a jack-of-all-trades chimney sweep named Bert, opposite Andrews, who played the magical nanny of the film’s title. “Mary Poppins” won five Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Andrews, now 90 years old, as well as Best Original Score and Best Original Song.
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In 2024, Van Dyke was interviewed as part of ABC News Studios’ special program, “The Untold Story of Mary Poppins: A Special Edition of 20/20,” coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the unforgettable Disney film.
In a clip shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Van Dyke recalls crying the first time the Sherman Brothers played the now-iconic song for him.
“I couldn’t believe every single song,” he said. “I cried. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”
Elsewhere at the Vandy High Tea event, produced by Chris Isaacson Presents and held at Van Dyke’s home in Malibu, Calif., the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star reflected on other highlights of his career, including his upcoming 100th birthday, and even sang to his young fans.
When asked how he maintains his chipper spirit all these years after decades of bringing “happiness” to the masses, Van Dyke is quick to mention his wife, whom he married in 2012.
“Well, for the last 15 years, she’s made me happy,” he said of Silver. “It took me a while to get my girlfriend to marry me. But 15 years…well, I think that’s why I was able to reach 100 years old.”
