Dick Van Dyke Recalls Being Made Fun of on Set of ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’

Dick Van Dyke brought his signature charm to the role of Caractacus Potts in the 1968 musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Starring alongside Sally Ann Howes and Lionel Jeffries, the iconic cast helped turn the whimsical tale into a beloved classic.

With elaborate musical numbers, wild inventions and a flying car, Van Dyke’s lively performance anchored the film’s blend of fantasy and fun — but there was one not-so-great moment on set that stuck out to the actor.

During the Vandy High Tea charity event on Sunday, Oct. 5, in Malibu, Calif., the 99-year-old shared a surprising behind-the-scenes story from his time on set that left him feeling self-conscious.

Recalling his first day on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Van Dyke said he got into costume and headed to makeup when he heard the director, Ken Hughes, speaking to the makeup artist. 

The actor was stunned when he heard the two talking about the best way to address his “hooter” – a not-so-subtle jab at his nose.

“I heard him say, ‘What about the hooter?’” Van Dyke recalled. “And all my confidence drained out of me, all I got was nose jokes. I never thought I had a big nose.”

“Do I have a big nose?” he questioned, to which his wife, Arlene Silver, 54, responded “no,” adding that it fits his face “perfectly.” 

Having never been insecure about his nose before, Van Dyke noted that the experience soured his first day on set.

“The first day was not good,” he added.

The Vandy High Tea, held at Van Dyke’s Malibu home, was hosted by Stu Shostak and produced by Chris Isaacson Presents. 

The event featured a Q&A session and live performances by The Vantastix, Dan West, LoveyDove, and others.

While reminiscing about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Silver reminded her husband of the iconic scene where his character, Potts, strapped rockets to his back on a runway – only for things to go hilariously haywire.

“I went to the dressing room, it had burned my socks off my feet. I didn’t feel anything,” he revealed. “I took my shoes off, and my socks were gone, and I never felt a thing.”

Luckily, he admitted that despite all the “crazy” stunts he did on set, he “never really had a bad accident.”

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Van Dyke’s Oct. 5 appearance came after he had to cancel a planned June 28 event, Vandy Camp, at Malibu High School due to illness.

The actor will celebrate his 100th birthday on Dec. 13, 2025 — and has no plans of slowing down any time soon.