Dick Van Dyke<\/a> was “locked up with the psychos” in rehab.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Dick Van Dyke got sober in 1972<\/p>\n
The Mary Poppins actor – who celebrates his 100th birthday on Saturday (13.12.25) – checked into a hospital to get sober in 1972 and admitted the facilities back then were nothing like the modern clinics of today.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI remember going to rehab and it being nothing like today. In my day they used to lock you up with the psychos! Down in St Luke’s, in Phoenix – they didn’t have any special rehab place.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe place was locked up and you were in there with the loony people.<\/p>\n
“It was only two weeks back then, although I did the whole AA 12-step thing afterwards.<\/p>\n
\n“But hey, You’re nobody if you haven’t been to rehab these days. Whether you have a problem or not – go there!\u201d<\/p>\n
\nDespite his advancing years, Dick does his best to stay healthy and active.<\/p>\n
\nHe said: \u201cI don’t jog anymore but I go to the gym and lift weights – just enough at my age to stay limber. I also swim in my pool.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI take a lot of vitamins, I try to eat right and I always start the day with a healthy breakfast of raisin Bran with wheat bran and blueberries – a great anti-oxidant. I’m in pretty good health considering how I’ve abused myself. I never expected to live this long, or feel this good.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThe Diagnosis Murder actor feels “very lucky” he’s not had any lung problems despite years of heavy smoking.<\/p>\n
\nHe said: \u201cI smoked for a long time so I’m very lucky that I still have my lungs. I was a terrible smoker – smoking one cigarette after another. <\/p>\n
\n“I think that all those years when I was dancing is probably what saved me. Either that, or genes. <\/p>\n
\n“But I never did any drugs. My generation, we smoked and drank.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nDick – who has adult kids Christian, Barry, Stacy and Carrie Beth with his late first wife, Margie Willett – worries children of today aren’t given enough freedom.<\/p>\n
\nHe said: \u201cMy own father was a travelling salesman and only home on the weekends. I still fondly remember how, as kids, the whole summer was just me and my brother barefoot doing what we wanted. We went fishing, skinny-dipping, played baseball..<\/p>\n
\n\u201cKids’ lives are so compartmentalised today, so planned. I think a child needs time alone for his imagination and creativity to work. Kids who grow up micro-managed won’t know what to do with themselves.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cA kid needs some freedom. It’s sad the world has become so dangerous but they’ve got to go out there sooner or later. You can’t protect them from everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
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