Celebrity Biographies
Gene Wilder
He knew how to make people laugh. We can’t think of a better epitaph for this popular comedy actor, associated with the names of Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor, who used the tools of humor in a very personal way. He has died at the age of 83, and had long suffered from Alzheimer’s.
Actor, screenwriter, director, producer, singer. Gene Wilder was comfortable on stage and in front of the camera, when he was doing what he did best and what he is best known for, acting as a comedian.
Of Russian Jewish ancestry, he showcased his acting talent first on the off-Broadway and on-Broadway stages, which allowed him to bond with Anne Bancroft and her future husband, Mel Brooks . Alongside the popular comedic filmmaker, he worked on titles like The Producers and the wildly popular Young Frankenstein , movies that earned him two Oscar nominations, one for supporting actor, the other for screenwriting.
Before Johnny Depp, he was Willy Wonka, storyteller Roald Dahl’s famous character in A World of Fantasy . Along with comedian Richard Pryor , he formed a “black and white” comic couple, if we may joke, with such popular titles as Don’t yell at me, I don’t see you . He was also in The Woman in Red , another emblematic title and one of the five that he signed on as director.
Although the comedic side is the best known, he made an appearance in films that included action and real events, such as Bonnie and Clyde , about the famous bank robbery couple, and the action and intrigue title The Chicago Express , where it was conducted by later Academy President Arthur Hiller .