One of the most adored painters of his generation, Dick Van Dyke was born Richard Wayne Van Dyke in West Plains, Missouri. Renowned for his versatility, Van Dyke’s career took off after he won a Tony Award for his performance in the 1960 film adaptation of “Bye Bye Birdie,” which he later performed in the 1963 version.
However, he met Margie Willett, his future first wife, while still a young man in Danville, Illinois, before he became well-known.
“I started dating Margie Willett, a local girl I had known for years while growing up in Danville, Illinois, when I was 20,” Van Dyke said.
Willett, who her ex-husband described as “earthy and artistic,” did not find Hollywood glitz appealing. “We were frequently confused for brother and sister because she avoided makeup and wore her hair short,” Van Dyke recalled.
Rather, she focused on their expanding family despite her husband’s success. Their marriage was not without its sorrows, though. Despite a miscarriage she experienced early in life, the couple went on to raise four children together.
Michelle Triola, a former actress and legal secretary, was introduced to Van Dyke during this trouble. Triola was more familiar with the pressures of show business than Willett was, and the two hit it off right away.
As the “Mary Poppins” actor acknowledged, “She was feisty, smart, and, unlike Margie, knew the showbiz world inside and out.” Initially an affa:ir, Van Dyke and Willett’s relationship became an official partnership following their 1984 divorce.
In 2008, Willett died of pancreatic cancer, which was tragic.
“I was deeply affected, even though we were long divorced,” Van Dyke said, despite their lengthy separation. I lost a piece of who I was when she passed away.
The actor was in his lowest point and had no idea that he would fall in love again. At the SAG Awards in 2006, Van Dyke met Arlene Silver, a cosmetics artist who was 46 years his junior.
He acknowledged that he had never in his life approached an unknown woman. “And I jumped and said, ‘Hello, I’m Dick,’ as she passed by.” She was half my age, and I didn’t realize it. Gorgeous.
When they first met, their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship following Triola’s death. The pair then got married in 2012.
Van Dyke dispelled the worries about their marriage’s notable age difference.
According to him, “we don’t feel the age gap.” To be honest, I doubt I would be here at all. I love her more every day, and she feeds me and keeps me in shape. Simply said, we’re drawing nearer.
Van Dyke’s longevity has been greatly influenced by the couple’s physical activity over the years. He remained dedicated to his regular fitness regimen, frequently joining Silver at the gym for light-weight training.
