Dick Van Dyke jokes about his age ahead of 99th birthday

Veteran actor Dick Van Dyke will soon celebrate his 99th birthday – and he is marking the occasion with a guest TV appearance.

The Mary Poppins star, who turns 99 on Friday, December 13, made an appearance Jimmy Kimmel Live! Thursday, December 5.

Van Dyke was joined by Chris Martin to the TV appearance to chat about Coldplay’s new music video for “All My Love,” in which the actor appears alongside his son, Barry73.

Martin, 47, shared a funny moment on set, recalling witnessing the father-son dynamic between Dick and Barry.

“I saw Barry come up to Dick and say, ‘Dad, can I turn the pool on?'” Martin said. “It was so cute because it was like a son and his father. But they’re 176 (years old) together,”

Continuing the conversation about what it’s like to be a parent of older children, Van Dyke acknowledged his children’s advanced age. (Dyke is also the father of Christian74, Stacy68, and Carrie, 62, all of which he shared with his late ex-wife Margie Willett).

“I’m old enough to be Joe Biden‘s father,” he joked.

Earlier this year, Van Dyke jokingly said he hoped to be alive to celebrate his 99th birthday.

“I’m pretty old,” Van Dyke told a photographer in September per Page six.

When asked if he had plans to celebrate his birthday in December, he joked: “Just praying I make it.”

That same month, Van Dyke sparked concerns after canceling a number of scheduled appearances, including a Utah-based fan convention.

“We are sad to announce that Dick Van Dyke is unable to travel to FanX,” read a statement from FanX, the company hosting the three-day event. “He expresses his gratitude to all those who continue to support him, but at the age of almost 99, traveling and interacting with thousands of people is more than he is capable of at this time.”

He also pulled out of the 2024 Emmy Awards on September 15, despite plans for him to be one of the night’s celebrities.

But he attended the 2024 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sept. 7, where his CBS special, Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic, won Outstanding Variety Special.

As well as joking that he was “still looking for work”, Van Dyke shared his hope that his legacy would be “laughter”.

“To make people laugh for 75 years,” he told reporters of what he wanted to be remembered for. “I’ve been in the business for 75 years, I can’t believe I’m still here performing!”

Van Dyke also flexed his funny bone during a speech at the Daytime Emmy Awards in June when he made history by becoming the oldest winner ever.

“Thank you. I don’t believe this. I feel like a spy from late-night television,” Van Dyke said in his acceptance speech. “I’m the oldest nominee in history. I’ve been playing old men all my life. If I had known I would live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.”

Ahead of the speech, the Mary Poppins star expressed her disbelief at the accolade in an interview with ET that same month.

“Am I really the oldest? I didn’t know I was the oldest,” he told ET. “I’m freaking out. I think I am the last of my generation. I am 98. I have almost all my marbles. I don’t remember what I had for breakfast.”