Gene Wilder, the frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic, yet loveable Willy Wonka and the deranged animator of Young Frankenstein, has died. He was 83.
Actor Gene Wilder has passed away at 83. We look back at some of his greatest works on the big screen.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Wilder takes on the role of Dr Frankenstein - the grandson of the original scientist - in a comedic take on the classic horror story. The screenplay was written by Wilder in collaboration with Mel Brooks who directed the film, along with other Wilder-starring movies, Blazing Saddlesand The Producers.
A scene from the movie Silver Streak starring Gene Wilder.
Wilder starred as George Caldwell, a book editor who got more than he bargained for during a train three-day ride from Los Angeles to Chicago. The comedy-thriller, directed by Arthur Hiller, earned Wilder a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
In Mel Brooks' comedy Western Blazing Saddles, Wilder stars as Jim, the Waco Kid, a gunslinger and recovering alcoholic. The film received three Academy Award nominations in 1974 as well as two Bafta nominations.
The Producers (1967)
The satirical comedy is about a duo who conspire to put on the worst Broadway production so they can cash in on investors' excess money. Starring as accountant Leo Bloom earned Wilder an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1968. The film also won Mel Brooks the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
This is the film Wilder is most famous for. He plays Willy Wonka, an eccentric chocolatier who opens up his factory to five lucky golden-ticket holding kids. The musical has proved popular with generations of people, of all ages and earned Wilder a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
