Malibu Times Magazine • Summer 2022

By Judy Abel

O

n most days, tucked away on a quiet street in Serra Canyon in Malibu, you’ll find Arlene and Dick Van Dyke enjoying each other’s company in their warm Spanish hacienda. The verdant gardens that surround the house create a serene setting.

Inside is a treasure trove of memorabilia that celebrates the legendary entertainer’s nearly unmatched sevendecade career in showbiz.

One shelf alone holds five Emmys, most received for his work on his classic eponymous TV sitcom. There’s a Grammy, Tony and a Kennedy Center honor, which was just received last year.

But one award especially meaningful to him is unrecognizable among the other iconic accolades displayed. It’s a hefty, handcrafted award, made of gold bits and bobs. The beloved entertainer explained the one-off assemblage was awarded to him by the crew of “Mary Poppins” where his indelible performance as Bert, alongside his Academy Award winning co-star Julie Andrews, cemented his status as a Disney living legend.

Arlene calls her husband simply “magical.”

And the feeling is mutual.

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