Gene Wilder, ‘Willie Wonka’ Star and Comedic Icon, Dies at 83

[brooklynite]

Source: Variety

Gene Wilder, who regularly stole the show in such comedic gems as “The Producers,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” and “Stir Crazy,” died Monday at his home in Stamford, Conn. His nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman said he died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He was 83.

He had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1989.

The comic actor, who was twice Oscar nominated, for his role in “The Producers” and for co-penning “Young Frankenstein” with Mel Brooks, usually portrayed a neurotic who veered between total hysteria and dewy-eyed tenderness. “My quiet exterior used to be a mask for hysteria,” he told Time magazine in 1970. “After seven years of analysis, it just became a habit.”

Habit or not, he got a great deal of mileage out of his persona in the 1970s for directors like Mel Brooks and Woody Allen, leading to a few less successful stints behind the camera, the best of which was “The Woman in Red,” co-starring then-wife Gilda Radner. Wilder was devastated by Radner’s death from ovarian cancer in 1989 and worked only intermittently after that. He tried his hand briefly at a sitcom in 1994, “Something Wilder,” and won an Emmy in 2003 for a guest role on “Will & Grace.”

Read more: http://variety.com/2016/film/news/gene-wilder-dead-dies-willie-wonka-young-frankenstein-1201846745/

[onehandle]

1. He will be missed. nt

[big_dog]

29. There is no life i know to compare with pure imgination....

Last edited Mon Aug 29, 2016, 05:43 PM - Edit history (3)

living there you'll be free, if you truly wish to be... RIP Gene!

[NWCorona]

2. Looks like we posted at the same time.

I'm gonna watch Blazing Saddles and Stir Crazy

[pkdu]

3. Another genius gone. so many awesome characters. nt

[closeupready]

4. Love his films, all of them.

Wilder was brilliant - a consummate professional though the material (comedy) may be considered lowbrow by some.

K&R

[turbinetree]

5. This is really sad

[mountain grammy]

6. Thank you

[turbinetree]

42. Your welcome

he was just so great in Silver Streak, it was just great, it really showed something about his acting in my opinion.
I am going to go home and watch some movies for the next couple of days and think of where I was at when I first saw them and get a good smile, and when I was in a theater it was like he and his fellow cast was giving everyone a big group hug and everyone were his pals

[mountain grammy]

46. Young Frankenstein will always be my favorite,

and Willy Wonka, and, of course, the Producers.

[turbinetree]

47. Marty Feldmen nailed Igor or has he would say Igor, or what hump are you talking about

and abby

abby who?

abby-normal or something like that

so have fun this weekend and enjoy a genius----

[mountain grammy]

48. That clip where he bit the fox fur

[turbinetree]

50. Outakes

[mountain grammy]

51. ......

[hibbing]

7. Double hearbreak here

My mom has the disease, so makes it hit home a little harder. I always will wonder what he was like away from the public. He certainly had a twisted twinkle in his eyes.


Peace

[thesquanderer]

20. It was Alzheimer's (in case you were confused by the OP) (n/t)

[hibbing]

34. No, no confusion n/t

[forest444]

8. Godspeed, Gene Wilder. You were the best.

Here's to you!

[Warren DeMontague]

9. Shit.

[47of74]

10. RIP Gene Wilder

[BlancheSplanchnik]

13. :,(

He finally is reunited with Gilda.

❤️

[Cooley Hurd]

11. My god... what a horrible year.

Cross gently, Gene. And thank you for so much!!!

[Hugin]

12. Bye, Mr. Wonka.

[jb5150]

14. Many great comedy roles ....

but I remember the small part he played in the film Bonnie And Clyde.

[pokerfan]

15. Dressed up like a million dollar trooper....

[TuxedoKat]

16. Oh how sad.

Didn't know he was 83. One of my favorite actors. RIP.

[displacedtexan]

17. So sad!

I've always loved him!

[DinahMoeHum]

18. Happy Trails, Waco Kid. . .

[KeepItReal]

28. +1

Rest in peace, Mr. Wilder.

[yuiyoshida]

53. In my humble opinion

The best comedy ever. I loved Blazing Saddles.

[LiberalLovinLug]

55. For sure one of the funniest movies

And a frighteningly prophetic one as well. I thought of this movie more than once when I heard of some bagger talking about America's new sheriff as of 2008.

[Paladin]

19. RIP. (nt)

[Blue Dalek]

21. Young Frankenstein, my all time favorite Gene Wilder movie

SEDAGIVE?!?!

[NewJeffCT]

27. That's Fronkensteen

I loved that movie.

[Native]

35. My favorite too!

[burfman]

22. The World's Greatest Lover! If you liked Gene, you must see this!

He wrote, directed and stared in this movie - The World's Greatest Lover.

I think it is up there with the top films Mel Brook's made (Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein & silent movie - and also the original Producers of course).

Which also had Gene Wilder starring in them (and as someone pointed out above, co-wrote Young Frankenstein with Mel).

It also stars Dom DeLuise and Carol Kane.

If you like those 3 movies - ooops 4, you will also love this movie.

Also make sure you go to the bathroom first, before watching the movie!

Burfman......................

[klook]

39. I hear the movie is *very* good. (nt)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

23. This is such sad news for us...

But now he is free of the Alzheimer's at last........

[mahina]

24. Heaven, if there is one, just got funnier.

Peace to him and his family.

[brooklynite]

25. Statement from the Family:

[lindysalsagal]

26. Irreplaceable. We were never worthy.

RIP.

[underpants]

30. Are we awake?

Bart: Are we awake?
Jim: We're not sure. Are we... black?
Bart: Yes, we are.
Jim: Then we're awake... but we're very puzzled.



But! Augustus cant't swim!
No better time to learn but now.

[2naSalit]

31. ...

[BumRushDaShow]

32. Nooooo!

Just came home from running errands and just heard this on the radio. They started off the report by playing him singing one of the songs from Willy Wonka and I immediately had that sinking feeling.

What a loss and he will be missed but I enjoyed so much of his stuff while he was around.

R.I.P., condolences to the family, and I hope he has found his sweet Gilda now...

[Nac Mac Feegle]

33. `Too many memories of laughter to single out any one.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

36. What a shame. He was so funny...

[revmclaren]

37. My heart is broken today.

He defined comedy and my childhood. So very sad. My 'World Of Pure Imagination' is a lot darker today.

[klook]

38. His grandfather's work was doo-doo!!

I love this guy so much.

[zonkers]

40. Gene had tremendous humanity. I loved him, loved him.

[BlueMTexpat]

41. "Blazing Saddles" - one of my all-time

favorite Wilder comedies - with so many others who predeceased him as well!

We have lost WAY too many GOOD people this year!

[kimbutgar]

43. I'll always remember him drinking the woolite like booze after his affair with the sheep

In the Woody Allen movie.

And the drunk gun slinger in Blazing Saddles.

[Maeve]

44. There were times when I watched 'Willy Wonka' almost every day

I was depressed and it got me thru the hard times. He had a grace and a madness that made you believe in a great soul behind the characters.
I hope there is an after-life, because I want to believe he and Gilda are happy together again.

[0rganism]

45. a bit morbid, but i feel like we need an Oompa Loompa sendoff for Wilder

Oompa Loompa doompadeedoo
I've got another story for you...
Mr. Wilder needs his own Oompa Loompa verse

[uppityperson]

49. Oh no. This makes me really sad. Thank you Gene for all the laughs and mockery. You were the best.

[dubyadiprecession]

52. It is sad about his passing..

Gene Wilder was a great actor. One of the first Movies, i remember him from is 'The little prince'. He was also great in 'Willy wonka and the chocolate factory'.

[workinclasszero]

54. RIP Gene Wilder

This one hurts a lot.