Dick Van Dyke, 98, talks about 46-year age gap with wife Arlene Silver, 52, as he claims he had 'no idea she was half my age' when they first met

Dick Van Dyke reflected connected nan 46-year property quality pinch his wife.  

The legendary Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star, 98, said he had nary thought his woman Arlene Silver was half his property erstwhile he met her backstage astatine nan SAG Awards successful 2006.

Van Dyke – who is nan oldest Emmy victor successful history – was sitting connected a sofa erstwhile Arlene walked by and he recovered himself stunned by her beauty.   

'I ne'er approached a unusual female successful my life,' Van Dyke said successful an question and reply pinch Entertainment Tonight.

'And she walked by and I jumped and I said, "Hi, I'm Dick." I had nary thought she was half my age. Beautiful.'

The Dick Van Dyke show character said he later recovered retired Arlene was a constitution artist.

'She had 1 [business] paper left, which I took and hired her,' he added. 

'I had ne'er seen nan Dick Van Dyke Show, I ne'er saw thing he was in,' Silver said while speaking astir gathering her hubby for nan first time.

But they didn't commencement making love correct away. They developed a relationship and by nan clip things turned romanticist betwixt them, their large property quality didn't matter to them aliases to immoderate of Arlene's friends.

'We were friends for truthful agelong that erstwhile I told group that I know, they were happy astir [our relationship], and I was scared,' Silver admitted. 

'I mean, nan facts, our property difference. But it's truthful irrelevant. I deliberation erstwhile you spot america together, it's for illustration you don't deliberation astir it. We don't deliberation astir it, we conscionable meet successful nan middle,' Silver added.

Van Dyke, ever nan funny man, chimed in: 'I was fortunate that I didn't turn up.'

They moved successful together successful 2011 and tied nan knot successful 2012. 'We were meant to be,' Van Dyke gushed.

And Arlene feels nan same. 'I've ne'er met anyone for illustration him,' she said. 

'He's ever happy and conscionable positive. Always singing, and I would ne'er singing successful public. He sewage maine to sing. He sewage maine to singing up connected a shape and sang successful beforehand of 1,500 group for nan first time.'

She continued: 'He's conscionable nan astir joyful person. He influences everybody other to beryllium much joyful, playful,' she affectionately explained.

In 2022, Van Dyke called Silver nan 'best wife' successful an question and reply pinch nan Malibu Times.

'She is nan champion wife. She's made maine nan happiest man successful nan world. Our life is truthful bully together,' he said. 

Van Dyke was antecedently joined to Margie Willett from 1948 to 1984. They welcomed 4 children: Christian, Barry, Stacy and Carrie Beth.

He was besides successful a 30-year narration with Michelle Triola Marvin from 1976 until her decease from lung crab successful 2009.