The actor suffered “minor injuries,” police say.
Dick Van Dyke was involved in a car crash in Malibu, Calif., and suffered “minor injuries,” police have confirmed.
The single-car crash happened on the morning of March 15, when Van Dyke’s silver Lexus collided with a gate, though his involvement is only just now being confirmed. It’s believed that the rainy conditions in Los Angeles that morning contributed to the accident. A spokesperson for the Malibu police department said the fire department had been notified about the crash but did not share further details about the 97-year-old actor.
TMZ reported that Van Dyke was bleeding from the nose and mouth and may have suffered a concussion, and while paramedics treated him at the scene, he declined to go to a hospital. The BBC reports that he was driven home by a friend.
Last year, Van Dyke appeared on Fox’s The Masked Singer as “The Gnome,” shocking the audience and the judges when his identity was revealed. “The whole world loves you so much. It’s an honor to have you on our show,” said judge (and former Pussycat Doll) Nicole Scherzinger. Host Nick Cannon said Van Dyke was “the most seasoned and most decorated we’ve had on our show.” The Tony, Emmy, and Grammy winner was the oldest contestant to appear on the program.
In a February 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Bye Bye Birdie and Mary Poppins star opened up about what it’s like to have played such enduring roles. “We’re on our third generation and I would get little kids who will see me and say, ‘It’s [his Mary Poppins character] Bert!’ And I love that, that kids are just discovering those movies now.”
He also shared one gripe about the way television has evolved since his days of hosting the Dick Van Dyke Show: There are too many commercials. The comedian lamented how there are now twice as many ad breaks as there used to be and when watching reruns of his show, it’s very noticeable: “We put [the episodes] together so carefully, and now they just don’t work too well. That makes me mad,” he said.
In 2021, Van Dyke appeared on The TODAY Show and spoke to Al Roker about his nearly 80-year-long career. Reflecting on his illustrious body of work, he told Roker, “I think I’m most proud of Mary Poppins,” but added, “The Van Dyke Show with Carl and Mary was the most fun I ever had.” Overall, he said that while it feels great to be such a decorated performer, “As an entertainer, you do it because you love it, not for the money’s sake or awards.”
