Count me among the millions of fans who got their primary sense of humor formed by films that were a collaboration between Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder: The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. I’m still reeling from.
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At the time, Brooks remembered, Wilder was confused about the audience’ laughter.
On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Tuesday night, Brooks shared some wonderful Wilder memories. Especially for all of us who adored the classic film, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”, and have, of course, learned of the death of its central character, owned by Gene Wilder (June 11, 1933-August 29, 2016).
The 90-year-old filmmaker had all kinds of great stories about Wilder, including one about the two working on The Producers together.
Brooks said, after securing the funding, he surprised Wilder backstage after another play and told the emotional actor the news.
Wilder was also in the Mel Brooks’ 1974 cowboy comedy Blazing Saddles alongside Cleavon Little.
His Willy Wonka co-stars also paid tribute, with Rusty Goffe, who played one of the Oompa Loompas, saying: ‘Gene Wilder was one of the nicest, if not THE nicest actor I have ever worked with. “He blessed every film we did with his magic & he blessed me with his friendship”, he tweeted after learning about the death. You know, go out, have fun. But when people see me in a movie and it’s funny then they stop and say things to me about ‘how funny you were.’ But I don’t think I’m that funny.
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“I took the script, and I said, ‘Gene, we got the money”. But if you go to some movies, can’t they just stop and talk, just talk, instead of swearing? “I said, ‘Look in the mirror. He simply couldn’t bear the idea of one less smile in the world”.
