Dick Van Dyke Learns Ukulele in New Video: ‘Never Too Late to Start Something New’

Dick Van Dyke is proof that it’s never too late to pick up a hobby. 

On Monday, the Diagnosis: Murder star, 97, showed off a new skill that he has in the works. “My first ukulele lesson with @getstartedplayingukulele,” Van Dyke shared while noting that it was his friend’s third try at learning how to play the instrument. 

“It’s never too late to start something new,” he added in his Instagram caption as he put on his happy face for the session. “Where’s the F?” Van Dyke asked an instructor as he tried to find the correct key while playing the ukulele in the video. After uploading the content to his social media account, the Mary Poppins actor also reposted words of encouragement from his supporters onto his Instagram Story. 

Dick Van Dyke learning to play the ukulele.

Dick Van Dyke/ Instagram

“One word: Legend,” a fan who had their message reshared to his account wrote along with a clip of the original video. “You’re nothing short of amazing @official_dick_van_dyke. I hope you feel that and I hope you know that,” another added with a white heart emoji. The Night at the Museum actor also shared a repost of someone admitting his ukulele lesson was their “favorite video possibly ever.”

After beginning his career in radio and on Broadway, the West Plains, Missouri native landed his self-titled series, The Dick Van Dyke Show, in 1961. Actress Mary Tyler Moore starred as his wife and the duo earned Emmys for their work on the production. “People assumed we were married,” Van Dyke once told PEOPLE. “I’d check into a hotel with my [real] wife, and they would say, ‘Who’s this?’ ”

Dick Van Dyke’s Life in Photos

Decades later, the veteran entertainer is not letting his age slow him down one bit. In February, he competed on season 9 of The Masked Singer. After being unmasked as Gnome on the premiere, Van Dyke joked with PEOPLE about how he managed to fool judges Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger and Robin Thicke who thought the living legend could possibly be Robert De Niro or Dustin Hoffman.

Dick Van Dyke attends the 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors at The Kennedy Center.

Paul Morigi/Getty

“I said, ‘Those guys don’t sing,’ ” Van Dyke told PEOPLE at the time. “I [hoped] they would say a good singer, but they didn’t.” He also admitted he “was flattered” when the panel thought the masked character could maybe be the late “New York State of Mind” crooner Tony Bennet. 

Van Dyke admitted that he was unfamiliar with the Fox television series at first but tuned in before joining the cast and was amazed at what he saw. “I had never even seen the show when they asked me. So I checked it out and it looked like a lot of fun,” he shared. “I was positive they wouldn’t be able to guess who I was. And I was right!” 

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In April, the decorated actor made his soap opera debut as a guest star on Days of Our Lives. In an April interview with Access, the Bye Bye Birdie talent revealed that he landed the role after asking one of the show’s stars who attends the same gym as him.

Dick Van Dyke arrives to the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards.
Christopher Polk/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

“I said, ‘Don’t you have any parts for old people? Come on, give me one.’ And he took me seriously and got me a part!” Van Dyke said of a conversation with Drake Hogestyn, who plays John Black on the long-running daytime show. While speaking with the outlet, he said his character would be “a mystery man with amnesia.”

“I have played old men before, but comedy old men. [This is the] first time I have ever just played my 97-year-old self,” Van Dyke quipped.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education