The 87-year-old spoke about his life in the business after picking up the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at last night's (January 27) Screen Actors Guild Awards.
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"I've been so lucky," he told reporters backstage. "Luck has a lot to do with it - being in the right place at the right time, having someone see you when you have to be particularly good.
"For me, it was kind of heart in my mouth, I was a radio announcer originally - I thought that's what I was going to be, and I've ended up singing and dancing in a Broadway show and television and movies. It was all a surprise to me."
Van Dyke continued: "I love to perform. Usually if I'm performing without an audience, I really don't know what I'm doing. I need an audience to do half the work. We always in the old Dick Van Dyke Show had an audience - we did it like a play. I love an audience. That's why I'm not very good in movies, because there's nobody there to play to."
Van Dyke, who said that he "did a lot of laughing" throughout his career, also joked that there is a downside to his 'Lifetime Achievement' gong.
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"You know, all the other awards look heavy, but this one - it weighs about 30lbs!" he laughed. "You should try it. It's a good 30lb. Anyway, that's why they don't hand it to you [on stage] - you could drop it and break your toe."
During his acceptance speech, Van Dyke revealed that he was a "happy man" to count the other actors at the ceremony as his peers.
Photo gallery - SAG Awards best- and worst-dressed:
Worst: Rose Byrne looked washed out in a pastel Valentino dress at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in LA.
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