Dick Van Dyke Believes He’s “A Lazy Person” And Credits Luck For His Decades-Long Career In The Entertainment Industry: “There Was Always Somebody Who Picked Me Up And Put Me Over There”

Dick Van Dyke has credited luck for his nearly 70-year-long acting career, and even exposed himself as being “lazy.”

The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star, who turned 98 last Wednesday (Dec. 13), reflected on his illustrious career in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning‘s Tammy Smith, explaining that he “never” planned any of it, per TMZ.

“As a businessman, I’m not much good,” he claimed, recalling with a chuckle that after finishing a project, he would “come home and just sit down and wait for the phone to ring.”

Noting that he “wasn’t aggressive,” he claimed that he “was out of work a lot because [he] wouldn’t go out and look for it.” However, he “didn’t mind it.”

“I’m pretty lazy, really,” he shared. “When I’m having fun, you know, alright, but I’m a lazy person. I don’t have a lot of drive. I’ve been very lucky. There was always somebody who picked me up and put me over there.”

He also highlighted the importance of “having fun” while working, claiming that his “whole career has depended on that.”

The beloved star of "Mary Poppins," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" is being celebrated in a two-hour CBS tribute special, "Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic." The ever-youthful Van Dyke talks about winning new generations of fans.https://t.co/fur8nYRjCq pic.twitter.com/MtErg9i3KB

— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) December 17, 2023

“If I’m not enjoying myself, I’m really bad. I am,” he said. “It’s such a blessing to find a way of making a living that you love, that you do for nothing. I feel so sorry for people who hate their job. I look forward to going to work every morning.”

Van Dyke has proven himself as a timeless actor, having recently made his soap opera debut on Days Of Our Lives at the ripe age of 97. The recent interview arrived ahead of a two-hour tribute entitled Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic, which is set to air on CBS — the network where The Dick Van Dyke Show first debuted in 1955 — later this week.

“I’ve been with the CBS family for almost 70 years, and I couldn’t be prouder,” Van Dyke said in a press release. “I’m incredibly honored that CBS will be throwing a 98^th birthday special for me. Can’t wait to be part of the show!”

Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic airs on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 9/8c on CBS. Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers may livestream the special, while Paramount+ Essential subscribers have access to next-day streaming.