Dick Van Dyke doesn’t talk about Days of Our Lives like a detour — he talks about it like a gift. In reflecting on his time on the iconic soap, Van Dyke recalls a fast-paced set, sharp professionalism, and the simple thrill of still getting to play. There’s no ego, no nostalgia overload — just gratitude for a show that welcomed him and an audience that embraced him. His takeaway is quietly powerful: it doesn’t matter if it’s primetime or daytime, comedy or drama. What matters is the work, the people, and the joy of being part of something that keeps going.

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Dick Van Dyke Talks About His Days of our Lives Experience

Eric Martsolf interviews the iconic star.

dick van dyke interview shot over a scene from days of our lives with susan seaforth hayes.Dick Van Dyke talks about life in Salem.
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Days of our Lives fans were thrilled when legendary actor Dick Van Dyke was announced to be coming on the show. Now that he’s arrived, he’s sharing what the experience has been like and so much more.

Dick Van Dyke Discusses Days of our Lives

Go Behind the Days of our Lives Scenes With Dick Van Dyke

The actor was interviewed on the show’s official YouTube channel by Eric Martsolf (Brady), who showed his reverence for the iconic star. They discussed how this all came about — namely that he went to the same gym as Drake Hogestyn (John). Van Dyke apparently kidded Hogestyn, asking if they ever have old people on the soap — and the rest, as they say, is history.

It’s a jovial talk as the older actor discussed the importance of exercise — so much so that he wrote a book about it, Keep Moving. Martsolf also asked him to explain his Salem role, without giving away any spoilers since they like their secrets on the soap. Van Dyke plays along and lets viewers know a little bit about his mystery character.

In an endearing moment, Martsolf shared a story about how much his twin sons, back when they were much smaller, loved to watch Mary Poppins and wanted their dad to dance those moves with them. Despite only being in his 30s at the time, he said his back has never been the same.

In another interesting exchange, Dick Van Dyke confesses that not only did he never watch soaps, but he doesn’t really get the timing of drama. He likes comedy and for things to happen quickly. Martsolf had a quick comeback for that one. See their exchange more in the video interview below.