Dick Van Dyke rescued by neighbors in Malibu fire and reunited with his cat

Dick Van Dyke celebrates his 99th birthday Friday with his wife and pets — including his beloved cat Bobo, who briefly went missing — thanks to neighbors who helped rescue the legendary film and stage actor from his home this week as a wildfire swept through Malibu.

Van Dyke and his wife, Arlene, were among thousands of area residents forced to flee their homes because of the Franklin Fire, which broke out Monday evening and was driven by powerful Santa Ana winds , eventually reaching 4,000 acres.

Van Dyke wrote on Facebook that he and his wife were able to safely evacuate their home. But the situation was more difficult than the “Mary Poppins” star let on. The six-time Emmy winner struggled to untangle a garden hose as the fire approached his home in the Serra Retreat community in Malibu, Van Dyke told NBC 4 News.

“I’m lying on the ground trying to undo this fire hose, and the fire is coming over the hill,” he said. “What I did was burn out. I forgot how old I was and realized I was crawling to get out.

Several homes were destroyed in Malibu, particularly in the Serra Retreat area. But Van Dyke was rescued by his neighbors.

“And three neighbors came and took me away and then came back and put out a little fire in the guest house and saved me,” Van Dyke said.

Helpful neighbors led Van Dyke to a nearby vehicle as ash fell on his driveway, according to security camera footage on his property. That’s when two firefighters arrived. His house was saved, Van Dyke said.

Although he and his wife were able to escape with their pets, one of their cats, Bobo, could not be found. But when the couple returned home, they had a pleasant surprise.

“We found Bobo as soon as we got home this morning,” Van Dyke wrote in a statement. follow-up Facebook post. “There was so much interest in her disappearance that Animal Control was called to help. But fortunately he was easy to find and was not injured.

The post received many well-wishes from fans, and like any Southern California holiday miracle, members of British rock band Coldplay stepped in to offer their support. The group recently released a video for his new single “All My Love” which features singer Chris Martin, sitting at a piano, serenading Van Dyke, who sings and dances to the melody.

“Dick, we send love and prayers to you, Arlene and everyone affected by these fires. Call us if there is anything we can do. I love Phil, Chris, Guy, Jonny and Will,” Coldplay wrote in a comment on Bobo’s photo.