Since the 1940s, when he first appeared on film, actor Dick Van Dyke has been regarded as a valuable asset to the entertainment business.
In a performance that will live long in the memory, he won a Tony Award for his role in the production of “Bye Bye Birdie” in 1961. The television series “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” in which Van Dyke featured as the title character, aired throughout the early 1960s and made the actor a familiar face in the living rooms of Americans all around the nation.
Later on, audiences would witness Van Dyke play in such timeless films as “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and “Mary Poppins,” two performances that won him the hearts of a whole new generation of young people.
Van Dyke is now 97 years old, so one may assume that he is unable to act or even make an appearance on television. However, he still manages to do both. Van Dyke, however, beat the odds as he astonished everyone, including the judges of “The Masked Singer,” when host Nick Cannon unmasked him during the Season 9 Premiere of the program. Van Dyke’s performance was a highlight of the night.
Van Dyke’s wit, comic timing, and command of the stage have all been preserved up to this point.
In the first episode of the ninth season of “The Masked Singer,” the Gnome was shown to have been a constant presence in the lives of a great number of people during the course of his illustrious career.
“Everything you have to do is ask the producers, since I actually did it all. I’ve had a good laugh with some of the funniest people in the business, from Robin Williams to Ben Stiller. “I performed alongside the best stars in music, from Lin Manuel Miranda to Madonna,” the Gnome claimed, providing more hints as to his true identity.
“But there’s always more to do, especially when you’re working for the fun of it, because being a true entertainer isn’t about money or awards – it’s about going to bed every night, having to put a smile on someone’s face, and being proud of what you’ve done,” he said.
The performance continued later on with the Gnome singing “When You’re Smiling” by Frank Sinatra.
As soon as Cannon removed the mask, everyone was surprised to see Van Dyke step out of the gnome costume that he had been wearing. After that, Cannon asked him how he felt while performing while wearing the outfit.
“There is absolutely nothing visible. I just like the fact that they mistook me for Robert De Niro, to tell you the truth, I had no idea that Robert De Niro was a singer,” he quipped to the reporter.
The unexpected appearance of Van Dyke caught Scherzinger off guard.
“I adore you so much. You are so incredibly loved by everyone on the planet. It is a privilege to have you as a guest on our program. It blows my mind that you’re in this room. I’m doing my best to keep a level head.
She was overcome with emotion and broke down in tears as she conceded that he looked “so lovely; you look so wonderful!” “I adore Dick Van Dyke!”