Dick Van Dyke has canceled a public appearance in Utah days after missing the 2024 Emmy Awards, where he was scheduled to host.
FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention was announced in a statement released on X and Facebook on Saturday, September 21, that the legendary actor, 98, will be absent from the upcoming event. The convention will take place from Thursday, September 26 to Saturday, September 28.
“We regret to announce that Dick Van Dyke is unable to travel to FanX. He expresses his gratitude to all who support him, but, at the age of almost 99, traveling and interacting with thousands of people is more than he is able to do in this at the moment,” the statement reads.
According to the convention’s website, event-goers who purchased a photo with the acclaimed actor, who attended the convention in 2017, can upgrade or exchange their photos with another guest appearing at the show or request a refund.
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PEOPLE has reached out to Van Dyke’s rep for comment.
Although the legendary performer missed the 76th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 15, he was in attendance for his birthday show in 2023. Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magicwon for Outstanding Special (Pre-Taped) at the 2024 Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
Dick Van Dyke.
Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty
Van Dyke attended the event on Saturday, September 7 with his wife, Arlene Silver, who was an executive producer on the project.
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He proudly spoke to reporters in the press room, saying he hoped he would be remembered “for making people laugh for 75 years” and offered advice to aspiring actors.
“You have to stick with it,” he said. “You’re going to go through hard times and a lot of auditions… but you have to stick with it. Be patient if you have confidence in yourself, and it’s very important to believe that you can do it.”
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Dick Van Dyke at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Amy Sussman/Getty
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The win came months after he became the oldest Daytime Emmy winner. He won the award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Daytime Drama Series for his role as Timothy Robicheaux Days of our lives in June.
“This nomination is very exciting; after all, it took me and my friend Drake Hogestyn 75 years to get on a soap opera! He is truly the reason this happened and deserves recognition and thanks,” he shared with PEOPLE in an exclusive statement the day before his big wins. Hogestyn, 70, played John Black on the long-running soap for decades.
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“This is a very different honor for me; I rarely get recognized for dramatic or straight acting — comedies and musicals are my specialty, though,” Van Dyke’s statement continued. “I am so honored and it will be a fun night to celebrate with the entire daytime television community.”
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