Dick Van Dyke Will Guest Star on Days of Our Lives at 97 Years Old! What to Know
You know him, you love him, and now he's adding soap opera star to his resume.
Throughout the 58 thrilling seasons of Day of Our Lives, dozens of iconic guest stars have appeared, and it looks like yet another entertainment icon is making his way to the Peacock series. The hilarious comedian and powerhouse performer Dick Van Dyke will guest star in an upcoming episode, and it's bound to be packed with twists and turns.
Read on to find out what you need to know about the icon's debut on the soap opera.
When will Dick Van Dyke be on Days of Our Lives?
The 97-year-old actor has already taped an episode of Days of Our Lives, which is set to air this fall, though there is no exact date yet. In an interview with Access Hollywood, Van Dyke revealed he's looking forward to the chance to add some authenticity to his portfolio.
"I have played old men before but comedy old men. First time I ever just played my 97-year-old self," Van Dyke says of the upcoming Days of Our Lives appearance.
Van Dyke has starred in countless legendary projects like Mary Poppins and Bye Bye Birdie, Diagnosis: Murder, and the hilarious and Emmy-winning Dick Van Dyke Show.
Who will Van Dyke play on Days of Our Lives?
The legendary entertainer is set to play a man with amnesia, which as any soap opera viewer knows, is bound to shake things up for the Days of Our Lives cast of characters. Van Dyke is particularly friendly with Drake Hogestyn, who's played the long-running Days of Our Lives character John Black since 1986.
"Drake and I went to the same gym together,” Van Dyke said “I used to kid him, ‘Say, don’t you ever have any parts for old people? Come on, give me a part!’ And he took me seriously. He got me a part.”
The Mary Poppins actor got some coveted advice from a fellow legendary act-Carol Burnett—whose NBC special celebrating her 90th birthday airs on April 26. Outside of her celebrated comedy showcase, Burnett also starred in the soap All My Children, so she's a seasoned vet. Van Dyke reveals that in the 1980s she told him, “Make sure you know all your lines because they don’t do retakes.”
He added, “That’s about all the homework I could do was watch one and see how they did it.
Where can I watch Days of Our Lives?
As one of the most beloved soap operas of all time, it recently gained a new life on streaming and was renewed for two more seasons on Peacock where seasons 57 and 58 are currently available.
"This programming shift benefits both Peacock and NBC and is reflective of our broader strategy to utilize our portfolio to maximize reach and strengthen engagement with viewers," Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, says. "With a large percentage of the Days of Our Lives audience already watching digitally, this move enables us to build the show's loyal fanbase on streaming while simultaneously bolstering the network daytime offering with an urgent, live programming opportunity for partners and consumers."
Watch episodes of Days of Our Lives on Peacock now.