Dick Van Dyke, 99, breaks silence on the legendary role he now regrets turning down
Dick Van Dyke nearly added '007' to his legendary résumé, but says a hilariously bad British accent kept him from stepping into the role.The 99-year-old icon, who will celebrate his 100th birthday in less than a month, revealed in a new interview with Today's Al Roker that he was approached decades ago about becoming James Bond.'I almost [played Bond],' Van Dyke shared, explaining that the opportunity arose through Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli, the famed producer behind both Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the early Bond films.'[Cubby] Broccoli came to me and said, "Would you like to be Bond?"' he recalled. 'And I said, "Have you heard my British accent?"'Van Dyke famously struggled with the accent in Mary Poppins, and joked that even he knew audiences wouldn't buy a spy with his unmistakable voice. Still, he admits there's a tinge of regret that he didn't take the leap. Dick Van Dyke nearly added '007' to his legendary résumé, but says a hilariously bad British accent kept him from stepping into the role; seen The role, of course, grew into one of the most coveted in Hollywood. Since Sean Connery first debuted as the suave MI6 agent in Dr. No (1962), only six other actors have held the title: David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.Connery's casting transformed him into an international superstar and enduring sex symbol, though it also saddled him with the burden of typecasting, leading to occasional clashes with the franchise as he pursued more diverse roles later in his career.Bond himself remains a cultural staple: tall, athletic, unflinchingly dangerous, and armed with an array of charming vices, from martinis to gambling to womanizing. On-screen, he's an elite marksman, a skilled fighter and effortlessly capable of skiing, swimming or golfing his way out of danger.For Van Dyke, the alternate-universe version of himself wearing a tuxedo and asking for a martini 'shaken, not stirred' is just one chapter in a storied career packed with beloved roles.And despite nearing triple digits, he says he has no plans to slow down.'I don't want to [retire],' he told Roker. 'I mean, it's my hobby. It's my life. I love it. I'm looking for work right now.' Since Sean Connery (pictured in 1964) first debuted as the suave MI6 agent in Dr. No (1962), only six other actors have held the title: David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig Van Dyke (seen in 1964) famously struggled with the accent in Mary Poppins, and joked that even he knew audiences wouldn't buy a spy with his unmistakable voice Over his career, he's won six Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, a Tony Award and was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame; seen in June 2024There's even one dream role he's still hoping to tackle.'Scrooge!' he said with a grin. 'And I could do it. It's just November, I've still got time.'Van Dyke is best known for his roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Night at the Museum, Dick Tracy and Diagnosis: Murder. Over his career, he's won six Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, a Tony Award and was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
