After Radner’s death at 42 in 1989, Wilder lost interest in making films.
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The Transit Drive-In has announced it will host a double feature of two of Wilder’s most popular films, “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” and “Blazing Saddles”, from September 2-5.
The actor who starred as Charlie alongside Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory has said the star’s death is “like losing a parent”. That started his relationship with the incomparable Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka.
So many of today’s stars in comedy were influenced by the likes of Wilder and Brooks, so it’s nice to hear the 90-year-old filmmaker speak so highly of his former colleague. I’m still reeling from no more Gene and I can’t call him.
Mel was one of a very select few people that was privy to the knowledge that Gene Wilder was ill.
“He was sick, and I knew it”, Mel said. Their creative friendship continued as they wrote “Young Frankenstein” and Wilder’s legendary role in “Blazing Saddles”.
Cloris Leachman, Wilder’s “Young Frankenstein” co-star, tweeted, “Oh, Gene, it’s too soon!” “And I expected it”, Brooks told Fallon. And I took the script and said, ‘Gene, we got the money. “Johnny Depp, I think, is a good actor, but I don’t care for that director”. You know, go out, have fun. “So he said, ‘Why are they always laughing at me?’ I said, ‘Look in the mirror – blame it on God!'”
“He simply couldn’t bear the idea of one less smile in the world”, Walker-Pearlman said.
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Wilder is survived by his wife, Karen, whom he married in 1991, and his daughter from a previous marriage, Katherine, from whom he was estranged. “Certainly. You take the blond and I’ll take the one in the turban”.
