Legendary actor Dick Van Dyke narrowly escaped the wildfires that ravaged his Malibu mansion in Southern California. The 98-year-old actor, who turns 99 on December 23, recounted the harrowing experience in an interview on “Today.” Van Dyke described how he and his wife, Arlene Silver, were rescued by neighbors as flames approached their $8 million hillside home, forcing them to leave behind their cat, Bobo, who went missing during the chaos. Thankfully, Bobo was later found unharmed.
The inferno, known as the Franklin Fire, started as a small brushfire on Monday night and has since crossed the Pacific Coast Highway, leading to mandatory evacuation orders. Despite the devastation in the area, Van Dyke’s home remained standing, along with singer Cher’s mansion, while some neighbors were not as fortunate.
Van Dyke, known for his roles in “Mary Poppins” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” is set to celebrate his milestone 99th birthday on Friday. Concerns were raised about his health after missing planned appearances, but the actor appeared to be in good spirits during a recent interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” where he joked about his age. Van Dyke also made a cameo in a music video with Coldplay’s Chris Martin, showing that he is as lively and engaging as ever despite surviving a close call with the wildfires in California.
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