The Surprising Person Who Didn’t Want Dick Van Dyke in ‘Mary Poppins’

It’s no secret that Dick Van Dyke was a big part of Mary Poppins. He portrayed the role of a chimney sweep named Bert, and sang the famous tune “Chim Chim Cher-ee.”

Now 99, Van Dyke shared a bit about his role in the film while hosting a Vandy High Tea event. The actor, who will celebrate his 100th birthday in December 2025, was asked how he landed the role, which he said was “simple,” according to People magazine.

“It is insane. I did an interview once, and in the interview I said, ‘I don’t think there’s enough good entertainment for kids,'” the actor recalled. “Walt Disney heard it, called me up, and gave me the part.”

However, Van Dyke shared that the book’s author Pamela Lyndon Travers wasn’t sold on giving him the part.

“She wasn’t crazy about anything,” he explained. “The lady who wrote the book didn’t think I was right. Didn’t think Julie [Andrews] was right. She wanted all of the animation taken out.” Despite Travers going to Mr. Disney with her concerns, she was told that the casting was a done deal.

Mary Poppins was a huge success and helped shape Van Dyke’s career. There’s no question that he has a special place in his heart for the film, the people whom he worked with on it, and the story itself.

In 2024, Van Dyke appeared on The Untold Story of Mary Poppins: A Special Edition of 20/20 where he talked about the film in honor of its 60th anniversary. He admitted that he cried the first time that he heard the songs for the film.

“I couldn’t believe, one tune after another. I wept. It was just the most beautiful thing I’d ever heard,” he shared.

Now, Van Dyke is preparing for his upcoming centennial birthday.

“I brag sometimes about how I made it to 100 and the truth is, if I had known I was going to live this long, I would’ve taken better care of myself. And it is frustrating because I don’t know what I did right. Other than her [wife Arlene], I didn’t do anything right,” he said at the Vandy Tea event earlier this month, per People magazine.

“That’s right. I’m not officially a hundred until December. Two months. Two months. … It’d be funny if I didn’t make it,” he joked.

This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 11, 2025, where it first appeared in the Celebs section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.