Dick Van Dyke can still draw a crowd.
The 90-year-old entertainer was practically mobbed while signing autographs at the Town and Country hotel in San Diego Wednesday.
The actor was a keynote speaker at the Aging Summit 2016, of which 10News is a proud media sponsor.
"It's really good to see somebody my age,” joked Van Dyke in front of the crowd, some of whom were in walkers and wheelchairs. The room erupted with laughter.
Van Dyke was feisty and witty. The first question to him, “What’s your secret to staying young?”
“Keep moving,” replied Van Dyke, who says he exercises every single day. But his advice also applies to mental activity. He said the older you get, “the things you liked to do kind of fall away.” The key, he said, was to develop other interests. “I think volunteering – doing something good for somebody else – will keep you going. It’s satisfying.” The rest of Van Dyke’s answer was drowned out in applause.
Van Dyke also said that singing and dancing has kept him young. “If you’re singing, it’s impossible to multi-task. You can’t be in a bad mood and sing at the same time. It’s impossible!”
After the talk, Van Dyke stuck around to sign copies of his new book, appropriately titled "Keep Moving."
“We watched you every night,” gushed one fan as he signed her book, an apparent reference to “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”
But many of his fans were young, including 16-year-old Amber Bartlett, who just appeared in a local performance of Mary Poppins. Van Dyke is famous for his role in the film version.
Amber and her Mother, Jodi Stolove, brought their tap shoes to the event in the hopes that Van Dyke might sign them.
“I hope I’ll be 90 and like that. What a way to aspire, right?!” exclaimed Stolove.
