I’ve never heard a bad word said about him. That (along with his Willy Wonka role) explains why Gene Wilder’s death hits so hard, and why there’s no one better than Brooks to help us celebrate his legacy.
Advertisement
Comedy legend Mel Brooks paid tribute to the late Gene Wilder Tuesday on The Tonight Show.
Wilder’s reaction to Brooks’ promising to cast him as Leo Bloom once he gets the money to make The Producers is also a gem of a tale.
“Once in a while, there was a nice, good film, but not very many”, he said of his long hiatus from acting.
Ostrum had not seen Wilder since the movie wrapped, but he still took the news of his death hard.
Gene Wilder, who died on Monday aged 83, gave his last interview on 12 June, 2013 to Turner Classic Movies.
Watch the full clip, which includes more touching Brooks and Wilder stories, above. It’s a big shock.
Already planning a double feature of “Young Frankenstein” and “Blazing Saddles” this weekend as part of its Fall Throwback schedule, the McHenry Outdoor Theater will host a “Gene Wilder Tribute Weekend”.
Brooks recalled first meeting Wilder while the actor was working with Brooks’ wife Anne Bancroft on stage in an adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children.
“Thanks for the memories, Gene, and may you rest in peace”, Dehn said.
“I took the script and I said to Gene, ‘We got the money”.
Brooks had originally planned to appear on Fallon’s show to promote Young Frankenstein: A Mel Brooks Book: The Story of the Making of the Film, as well as a talk at Radio City Music Hall on September 2.
Advertisement
Gene asked Mel an honest question on why people we laughing at him and Mel decided to make a joke, suggesting Gene look in a mirror and blame God! “I said, ‘Look in the mirror. And the big number in it is ‘Springtime for Hitler.’ Yeah, you’re gonna get the money!”. “It was a wonderful moment”, the Oscar victor recalled.
