A billboard spotted in Milwaukee Monday night pays tribute to actor Gene Wilder, who died Sunday at the age of 83.
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For many comedy enthusiasts, “Young Frankenstein” is the most inspired of Brooks and Wilder’s films together, with a multitude of hilarious scenes.
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Revered as a comedic and storytelling genius by Hollywood’s top entertainers, Gene Wilder was a humble man who downplayed his comic gifts, was a serious director and remained deferential to his longtime collaborator, Mel Brooks.
When director Mel Stuart asked him why, Wilder said, “Because from that time on, no one will know if I’m lying or telling the truth”. “He blessed every film we did with his magic & he blessed me with his friendship”. “His job was to make me more broad”.
Wilder was born Jerome Silberman to a family of Russian immigrants and began his acting career in the 1960s on Broadway.
Wilder, who died as a result of Alzheimer’s, was 83 years old.
The childlike quality he brought to performances, without becoming hammy or winking would prove to be signature to Wilder’s most iconic role…
This 1984 comedy was directed by Gene Wilder.
Wilder’s barely contained hysteria made him a go-to lead for Brooks, who cast him in “Blazing Saddles”, “Young Frankenstein” and “The Producers” in the 1960s and ’70s. Johnny Depp reprised the role decades later and, despite going to great lengths as an actor, never quite measured up to Wilder’s brilliant version.
Comedian and presenter Dara O Briain tweeted: “Gene Wilder has died”.
In 1968, Wilder received an Oscar nomination for his work in The Producers in which he played the introverted Leo Bloom. “Alas, alas. So dear Gene, I vill say, ‘Goodnight'”.
In 1961 he became a member of the Actors Studio in NY, studying with Lee Strasberg.
Even though he had been married to his second wife for 25 years at the time of his death, Wilder’s personal life may be best recalled by Baby Boomers as the husband of comic actress Gilda Radner, famed for her bizarrely amusing “Saturday Night Live” sketches. “And when you can do that, people usually love you for it and rush in to help”. “I didn’t want to do ones where there’s just bombing and loud and swearing, so much swearing. can’t they just stop and talk instead of swearing?”
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“One of the truly great talents of our time”.
