Days of Our Lives’ Drake Hogestyn Gets a Familiar Face Cast in a Plum Part

They say that in Hollywood, it’s who you know — although it probably helps, too, when you’re an Emmy, Tony and Grammy-winning showbiz legend. This fall, Days of Our Lives is welcoming none other than Dick Van Dyke, in large part thanks to leading man Drake Hogestyn.

“Drake and I went to the same gym,” the 97-year-old told Access. “I used to kid him. ‘Don’t you ever have any parts for old people? Come on, get me a part.’

“And he took me seriously,” he added, “and got me a part.”

Sounds like a good one, too. Van Dyke will be playing an amnesiac who is helped out by the tag team of John and Marlena. “I have played old men before,” he noted, “but comedy old men.” This would be his first time playing it straight.

To prepare for his role, Van Dyke tuned in to the show. He also got some sage advice from Carol Burnett, who you’ll recall played Langley Wallingford’s illegitimate daughter Verla Grubbs several times on All My Children. “Make sure you know all your lines,” she said, “because they don’t do any retakes!”

As far back as 2022, Hogestyn had been delighting in the idea of his gym buddy passing through Salem. “Can you Imagine if Dick and Bill Hayes worked together on Days? Gotta be a record in there somewhere,” considering their ages! Catch up on more of the latest actors heading to the soap here. And review more than 40 of daytime’s biggest mistakes ever in this oopsie-daisy of a photo gallery.