Gene Wilder
Date of Birth:
Gender: Male
Place of Birth: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Biography:
Born as Jerome Silberman, Gene Wilder was an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, singer-songwriter, and author whose magnetic presence lit up both the stage and the silver screen. He began his career in theater before making his television debut on The Play of the Week in 1961.
While his first film role involved being a hostage in the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde, it was his portrayal of Leopold Bloom in Mel Brooks' The Producers that truly set the stage for Wilder's illustrious career. This memorable performance earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor - just the first of many collaborations with the writer-director. Their partnership went on to produce iconic films like 1974's Blazing Saddles and the classic comedy Young Frankenstein, where Wilder not only starred but also co-wrote the script, garnering a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
However, it was his unforgettable portrayal of Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) that etched Wilder into the hearts of moviegoers everywhere. He also starred alongside comedy legend Richard Pryor in four films, including Silver Streak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989), and Another You (1991). Wilder even directed and wrote several of his own movies, like the romantic comedy The Woman in Red (1984).
With his third wife, Gilda Radner - a fellow comedian and actress - he starred in three films together. After Radner's tragic death from ovarian cancer in 1989, Wilder became an advocate for cancer awareness and treatment, founding the Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Center in Los Angeles and co-founding Gilda's Club.
In his later years, Wilder focused on writing after his last acting performance in a 2003 episode of Will & Grace, which earned him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor. He continued to share his creative spirit through the pages of books such as his memoir Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art (2005), a collection of stories titled What Is This Thing Called Love? (2010), and novels like My French Whore (2007), The Woman Who Wouldn't (2008), and Something to Remember You By (2013).
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