Dick Van Dyke Speaks Out on His Big Daytime Emmy Honor

Dick Van Dyke may make Daytime Emmy history tonight by becoming the oldest actor winner as the golden statuettes are handed out to the best and the brightest in the soap opera world. The actor is revealing how he feels about being nominated and who has to thanks for his portrayal of Timothy Robicheaux on Days of our Lives.

The Timothy Robicheaux Show

“This nomination is very exciting,” Van Dyke, 98, shared in an exclusive statement to People, “after all, it took me 75 years and my pal Drake Hogestyn [John] to get on a soap opera! He is really the reason this happened and deserves the credit and thanks.”

Van Dyke played mystery man Timothy on DAYS last year and was revealed to be the honest-to-gosh-this-time-we-really-mean-it birth father of John Black, a man who has had more origins than As the World Turns‘s Lisa (Eileen Fulton) has had husbands!

Van Dyke not only shared scenes with Hogestyn and Deidre Hall (Marlena) but also Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie) and the late, great Bill Hayes (Doug.)

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“This is a very different honor for me,” Dick Van Dyke continued. “I seldom get recognized for dramatic or straight acting – comedy and musicals are my specialty after all. I’m so honored and it will be a fun night celebrating with the entire daytime television community.”

The Mary Poppins star is nominated in the Outstanding Guest Performer in a Daytime Drama category along with Linden Ashby (ex-Cameron, Young and the Restless), Ashley Jones (Bridget, Bold and the Beautiful), last year’s winner in this category Alley Mills (Heather, General Hospital), and Guy Pearce (Mike, Neighbors).

The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards air tonight, Friday, June 7, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and the program streams on Paramount+. Check out Soap Hub’s coverage of the big night as we bring you all the winners and backstage dish from the awards!