Dick Van Dyke received a jaw-dropping 100th birthday gift that instantly transported him back to one of his most famous roles. The Hollywood legend was stunned when a full-size replica of the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car rolled into his driveway, his wife Arlene Silver revealed to People.
The 1968 children’s classic — based on Ian Fleming’s novel — featured Caractacus Potts, who transforms a broken race car into a magical flying and floating machine. Van Dyke played Caractacus in 1968’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
The hand-built replica came courtesy of performer Michael Mulligan, who once played Potts in a stage adaptation and personally constructed the car. Silver said she wanted “as many Chitty Bang Bangs as possible” at Van Dyke’s December birthday celebration, and Mulligan’s creation became the star attraction.
Silver, 54, said her husband was “blown away” seeing the replica again after decades, calling the vehicle a symbol of his enduring legacy.
Neighbors have also been stopping by in disbelief. “I just love having it in our driveway because [you’ll hear], ‘Oh my God, is that a Chitty Bang Bang?’” Silver said.
Silver admitted she doesn’t yet know where the car will ultimately live, but hopes it could anchor a future Dick Van Dyke museum.