7 surprises Dick Van Dyke revealed at Phoenix Fan Fusion 2024

“Wow, you made my day!”

When Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke stepped onstage for his Q&A panel at Phoenix Fan Fusion 2024 on Sunday, the iconic actor enjoyed the fans’ enthusiastic reaction, which included a standing ovation, uproarious cheers and chants of “Dick Van Dyke!”

It might have been the millionth time Van Dyke has graced a stage. At 98, the Hollywood legend and national treasure has spent more than 77 years in show business. His career includes starring in the original Broadway production of “Bye Bye Birdie” (for which he won a Tony Award); hit movies “Mary Poppins,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and “The Comic”; and “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”

Fans started lining up as early as 9 a.m. for Van Dyke’s 10:30 panel and the ballroom was packed by the time he strolled on stage at 10:45. Throughout the 45-minute-long event, Van Dyke answered audience members’ questions and shared anecdotes from his career, including some surprising stories and little-known facts that even superfans said they hadn’t heard before.

Here are 10 surprises Dick Van Dyke revealed during his Fan Fusion panel.

It was a homecoming of sorts for him

Van Dyke owned a ranch in Cave Creek for about a decade before moving to Malibu, California, in 1986. “I had a home in Cave Creek, where I used to ride motorcycles,” Van Dyke said. “About 50 people live there. Everybody would hang out at Harold’s Cave Creek Corral.” (Note: About 5,100 people live there now, and everybody still hangs out at Harold’s Cave Creek Corral.)

He wanted to play Willy Wonka

Van Dyke said he would have more brought “a little more movement” to the role. “I know he didn’t dance a lot.”

His favorite co-star was Mary Tyler Moore

“She was funny and creative … It was so much fun, working together. We ad-libbed a lot," Van Dyke said after being asked to pick his favorite co-star ever. "She was just sensational. I loved her.”

He’s directed some children’s plays, including ‘Mary Poppins.’

“Little kids, when they say their line, they figure they’re off camera, so they’ll wave to their parents and stuff," Van Dyke said. "I look at them and say, ‘You know, people can still see you.’”

He goes to the gym three times a week

“Everyone I worked with or know is in heaven. I’m the last of my generation. If I’d known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.”

He fell from ‘heaven’ during a stage performance of 'Bye Bye Birdie'

“In the end, I had wires on, and they hand me a lily and I ‘go to heaven.’ I had two wires, and they finished the dance number, and I was up there watching," Van Dyke said. "And one night, one of the wires went ping! And I’m hanging by one wire. And I thought, ‘I’m either gonna kill an extra or myself.’ And I started to turn. I fell on my face, and I was so dizzy.”

He also played the role of the old banker, Mr. Dawes, in 'Mary Poppins'

Bert wasn’t Van Dyke’s only role in “Mary Poppins.” The actor also donned makeup, a wig, and prosthetics to play the crotchety old banker, Mr. Dawes Sr., in the film. Van Dyke has previously said he donated $4,000 to a charity of Walt Disney's choice for the cameo role, but during his Fan Fusion panel, he also revealed that there was an impromptu audition of sorts involved. "I went back and pretended to pee in the bushes," Van Dyke said with a chuckle.