Gene Wilder, the iconic comedy actor, has passed away at the age of 83 as a result of complications of Alzheimer's Disease.
Wilder was famous for numerous roles in film in the 1970's, mostly in conjunction with famous producer/director Mel Brooks. His first major role was one of the main characters in the 1968 film "The Producers", where he played a Broadway producer aside co-star Zero Mostel as the two put on a play that they were sure was going to flop, leaving them with sizable money left over from investors. The play, titled "Springtime For Hitler", went on to be both a hit in the film's fantasy world, but also achieved success for the film itself and put Mel Brooks on the map as a comedic writer and director.
Following the success of "The Producers", Wilder and Brooks became very good friends, and during a phone call, Brooks told Wilder of an issue he had with a star in his now infamous western parody "Blazing Saddles", where actor Gig Young was struggling with an alcohol addiction and had passed out on the set from Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome. After a few minutes of friendly banter, Wilder told Brooks to "get [him] a horse and a cowboy hat and [he'll] give it a try", and from there Wilder was flown out to Hollywood and became the character "Jim", also known as "The Waco Kid", a western sharpshooter with (ironically) a drinking problem.
Following the unexpected success of what has been deemed one of the most offensive movies ever made, Wilder showed a script to Brooks that he was writing at the time, and Brooks absolutely loved it, which led to Wilder being cast in the Brooks directed film "Young Frankenstein", a parody of older horror films that went onto be another amazing success.
Aside from the successful Brooks films, Wilder is most remembered for his 1971 musical role as Mr. Willy Wonka in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". Throughout the film, which was based on Roald Dahl's book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", Wilder played a fantastically mysterious and bright Willy Wonka, clad in a purple suit and matching top hat, who led children (along with a guest of their choosing) through a maze of the most elaborate and colorful chocolate factory ever conceived. With his team of Oompa Loompas, Wonka taught children valuable lessons as one by one they were eliminated from the tour. One of the most memorable moments in the film was when he had a heart to heart talk with Charlie Bucket, who wound up winning the grand prize of becoming the next chocolatier of the Wonka factory.
Gene Wilder was also an amazing philanthropist, and lost his third wife Gilda Radner to Ovarian Cancer, which led him to found the Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Center in Los Angeles, as well as co-founding "Gilda's Club", which is now known as the Cancer Support Community.
In his later years, he had known of his Alzheimer's condition for a while, and his nephew explained why Wilder kept news of his condition private. Said Wilder's nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman, Wilder was not public on his condition because of "the countless young children that would smile or call out to him 'there's Willy Wonka,' would not have to be then exposed to an adult referencing illness or trouble and causing delight to travel to worry, disappointment or confusion. He simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world."
On August 29th, 2016, we lost one of the greatest smiles this world has ever witnessed. Thank you for everything, Gene Wilder, and may you continue to make us smile from the other side.
