With the passing of Gene Wilder this week, it’s only natural that more and more stories and interviews from the comedy legend are starting to resurface.
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Denise Nickerson, who played Violet Beauregarde in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”, remembered Gene Wilder as “tender-hearted”. On a much much sadder note, Mel’s appearance also came one day after losing his great friend, Gene Wilder who Mel Brooks described as “such a wonderful part of my life”.
Gene Wilder fans looking for a place to gather, watch his films again or introduce someone to the actor’s comic genius will have the chance this weekend. Wilder saw the role as one that was “touching” and “amusing”, but not side-splitting. “You are Leo Bloom, ‘” Brooks said, recalling a conversation he had with Wilder.
“That led to “The Producers” and “Blazing Saddles” and ‘Young Frankenstein, ‘ because I was miscast in a play”, Wilder said.
Wilder and Brooks consistently worked with each other throughout their careers. “‘Why are they always laughing?’ I said, ‘Look in the mirror, blame it on God'”. “But I make my wife laugh once or twice in the house, but nothing special. I can’t say what it meant to act with him and get to know his heart”.
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Gene Wilder, the frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic accountant in “The Producers” and the mad scientist of “Young Frankenstein”, has died. And even knowing that this friend wasn’t going to make it, didn’t lessen the shock at all for Mel. “He cried, and I hugged him”. And I took the script and said, ‘Gene, we got the money. “I said, ‘What the hell is that?’ and he said, “Well, I had an idea”. “I didn’t want to do 3-D, for instance”.
