Dick Van Dyke has married a 40-year-old make-up artist

The 86-year-old actor and Arlene Silver had a "spur of the moment" wedding in Malibu, California, on February 29.

In a video interview with website RumorFix, Dick revealed: "I`m not a loner. I have to have a life partner and I found the perfect one.

"I got married kind of on the spur of the moment, we decided Leap Day would be the best time to do it."

Arlene adds: "He`s the happiest person I`ve ever met. He`s just got an infectious spirit: always singing, always humming, always in a good mood."

The couple met in the green room at the Screen Actor`s Guild (SAG) Awards in 2006, and `Mary Poppins` star Dick was "bowled over" by Arlene`s beauty, although romance didn`t blossom between them until later.

He jokingly added: "She became my make-up artist, then worked her way all the way up to wife."

Dick was first married in 1948 to Margie Willett in a ceremony broadcast live on radio show `Bride and Groom`. They have four grown up children together, but divorced in 1984 after a long separation.

The actor also had a relationship with actress Michelle Triola from 1976 until her death from lung cancer in 2009.

Dick has largely wound down his acting career since starring in TV series `Diagnosis Murder` in the 90s, with his last significant role, a cameo in `Night at the Museum`, released in 2006.

sections: Celebrities