Dick Van Dyke Cancels Another Public Appearance After Skipping Emmy Awards

Dick Van Dyke Cancels Another Public Appearance After Skipping Emmy Awards

Dick Van Dyke poses at the 51st annual Daytime Emmys Awards in Los Angeles on June 7, 2024. (Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

Elma Aksalic
Elma Aksalic

9/23/2024

Updated: 9/23/2024

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Dick Van Dyke’s health is coming into question after the longtime entertainer canceled another upcoming public appearance for a fan convention in Utah.

In a Sept. 23 announcement, “FanX” event organizers confirmed Van Dyke—who will turn 99 in December—pulled out of the three-day convention in Salt Lake City, citing challenges of old age.

“We are sorry to announce that Dick Van Dyke is not able to travel to FanX at this time,” the statement read.

“He expresses his gratitude to all of those who continue to support him but, at almost 99 years of age, traveling and interacting with thousands of people is more than he is able to do at this time.”

Fans immediately took to social media to share their concerns.

“Sad! I was really hoping to get a chance to see him since I missed him previously. But I get that it’s a lot for someone of his age. Hopefully he gets feeling better,” said one Facebook user, citing Van Dyke’s previous 2017 “FanX” appearance.

“Totally understandable at his age he should be resting and being retired. We enjoy the memories and movies that he gives us,” wrote another.

This would have marked his first public appearance outside of Los Angeles in months, after the “Mary Poppins” actor skipped the 2024 Emmy Awards on Sept. 15.

Van Dyke was named as a presenter for the Television Academy along with many other celebrities, but was the only talent who missed it.

The Epoch Times has reached out to both event representatives for comment.

Van Dyke was last seen in public earlier this month at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, where he accepted the nod for “outstanding variety special” for his 2023 birthday television production “Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic.”

Speaking to the press at the time, the “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” star expressed no intent of retiring and said he was looking for more work.

“I’ve been in the business 75 years. I can’t believe that I’m still here and performing. ... I’m looking for work if anybody has,” he said.

When asked by reporters what he hopes to be remembered by, Van Dyke said “for laughter ... I hope for making people laugh.”

He is now tied with the late comedian Norman Lear, who won the Creative Arts Emmy back in 2020 also at the age of 98, as two of the oldest winners of the award.

In June, Van Dyke reached another Emmy milestone, becoming the oldest winner of a daytime Emmy award for his guest appearances on the popular soap opera “Days of Our Lives.”

“Thank you. I don’t believe this. I feel like a spy from nighttime television,” Van Dyke said in his acceptance speech.

“I’m the oldest nominee in history. I’ve been playing old men all my life. If I’d known I was going to live this long I’d have taken better care of myself.”

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Elma Aksalic is a freelance entertainment reporter for The Epoch Times and an experienced TV news anchor and journalist covering original content for Newsmax magazine.

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