Trivia

One of his all-time favorite songs was "Over the Rainbow", and particularly the version sung by Ella Fitzgerald. According to his family, as Wilder laid on his deathbed, the music player (which was set to random) changed to this song. Wilder then smiled, closed his eyes, and peacefully passed away.

In October 2001, he read from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" as part of a special benefit performance held at the Westport Country Playhouse to support families affected by the September 11 attacks. Also in 2001, Wilder donated a collection of scripts, correspondences, documents, photographs, and clipped images to the University of Iowa Libraries.

While serving in the United States Army from 1956-1958, he was assigned as a Medic to the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at Valley Forge General Hospital in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. He worked in treating psychiatric patients.

His performance as Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) is ranked #38 on Premiere magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

Appeared in four of the American Film Institute's 100 Funniest Movies: Blazing Saddles (1974) at #6, The Producers (1967) at #11, Young Frankenstein (1974) at #13 and Silver Streak (1976) at #95.

He was set to reunite with Richard Pryor in Trading Places (1983) until Pryor dropped out. When Eddie Murphy was cast, he requested that Wilder be replaced, as he did not want to come-off as a poor substitute for Pryor.

Wilder claimed that before Mel Brooks recruited him, he regarded himself as more of a dramatic actor than a comedic actor.

When he chose his stage name, he chose "Wilder" because he loved Thornton Wilder's play "Our Town". He chose the name "Gene" simply because he liked this, not realizing until later this was because his mother's name was Jeanne (she was sick for most of his childhood, and he spent much of his time entertaining her as a kid to keep her happy and her spirits up. He subconsciously chose the name because he loved her so much and in honour of her).

His performance as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein ("that's FRONKensteen") in Young Frankenstein (1974) is ranked #9 on Premiere magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).

In early 2001, Wilder was grocery shopping in a supermarket near his home in Stamford, Connecticut, when a mother approached him and asked him if she could tell her kids who he was. Gene said "Yes, if you promise not to say it loud". The mother whispered to her kids, "That's Willy Wonka!". She then turned to Wilder and said, "What a legacy!".

He has appeared in five films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The Producers (1967), Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Blazing Saddles (1974) and Young Frankenstein (1974).

Longtime resident of Fairfield County's Stamford, Connecticut until his death. Upon his death from complications of Alzheimer's disease, he was cremated and his ashes given to his family.

Was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for The Producers (1967) but lost to Jack Albertson, who won for The Subject Was Roses (1968). Both Wilder and Albertson would later co-star in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971).

In 1991, the Best Man at his wedding was his nephew, director-screenwriter Jordan Walker-Pearlman. Twenty-four years later, Wilder served as Best Man Emeritus, Ring Bearer, and Parent of the Groom at Walker-Pearlman's wedding to Elizabeth Hunter. He was recorded dancing down the aisle. According to Wilder's memoir, "Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art", he considered his nephew, whom he helped to raise as his son.

Starred with Richard Pryor in four movies: Silver Streak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) and Another You (1991).

His final novel, "Even Dogs Learn How to Swim", was released in April 2017. The audio version, for which he performed the narration, was directed by his nephew filmmaker Jordan Walker-Pearlman. It was created over five days in a recording studio near the actor's Stamford, Connecticut home two years before his death.

Mel Brooks wanted him to star in High Anxiety (1977), which he turned down due to scheduling conflicts. Brooks took the role himself.

Wilder adopted his second wife (Mary Joan Schutz)'s daughter, Katharine Anastasia, but the two reportedly became estranged when she was in her early 20s. After his third wife, Gilda Radner, died of ovarian cancer, Wilder co-founded Gilda's Club, a support group to raise awareness of the disease. Wilder's fourth wife and widow, Karen Boyer, is a former speech pathologist. They first met when he consulted with her about playing the role of a deaf man in See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989).

Played men wrongly accused of crimes in five films: Silver Streak (1976), The Frisco Kid (1979), Stir Crazy (1980), Hanky Panky (1982) and See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989).

Attended and graduated from Washington High School (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) in 1951. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa at Iowa City in 1955. He was a lifelong brother of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.

Wilder was born to an Russian Jewish immigrant father and an Illinois-born mother of Russian Jewish descent; he had a Bar Mitzvah when he was 13 years old in 1946.

Wilder guest-starred in Boardroom and a Parked Place (2002) as Will Truman's new boss, Mr. Stein. As Will is trying to boost Stein's confidence, he has Stein shout "I am Stein! I am Stein!" In an outtake from the episode Will (played by actor Eric McCormack) stands up and shouts "You're Frankenstein!".

He was considered for the Moon King in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), which went to Robin Williams.

As a young boy he wanted to be a comedian like Sid Ceasar, his favourite. At 15 he saw Lee J Cobb in 'Death of a Salesman and decided to be a comedy actor.

Was offered the role of Corky in Magic (1978) by director Richard Attenborough and screenwriter William Goldman but was rejected by producer Joseph E. Levine as he did not want a comedic actor in the role. The role then went to Sir Anthony Hopkins. Wilder went on to say it was the role he regretted missing out on the most in his career.

He was offered Red Buttons' role in The Poseidon Adventure (1972), which he turned down due to scheduling conflicts.

Retired from making big screen movies in 1991. He became disillusioned with the movie industry after his film Another You (1991) failed. Despite this he did not retire completely from acting until 2005. He continued to work in television from 1991 until then because he found the medium more agreeable to work with.

In 1999, Wilder was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and underwent chemotherapy. The following year, he was treated with adult stem-cell therapy. He made a full recovery.

Mel Brooks offered him the role of Ippolit in The Twelve Chairs (1970). But Wilder wanted to play the role of Ostap instead. Brooks refused to cast Wilder because Ostap is described in the novel as "devilishly handsome". Wilder said that he was not offended by this, but still decided not to do the film. The roles went to Ron Moody and Frank Langella.

He was a fan of Laurel and Hardy.

He was offered a cameo role in The BFG (2016), which, like Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), was based on a book by Roald Dahl, but he declined.

Won the Clarence Derwent award for the Broadway play "The Complaisant Lover" in 1962.

He turned down Jon Voight's role in Catch-22 (1970) in order to play twins in Start the Revolution Without Me (1970).

Adam Sandler asked him to cameo as Sid in his hit movie Big Daddy (1999) but Wilder declined as he was only willing to act on television at the time. His policy of only doing television roles began in 1991 after the box office and critical failure Another You (1991). Geoffrey Horne played Sid instead.

With the success of Stir Crazy there were plans to make a sequel but it never happened.

For an American Film Institute poll, Wilder designated The Circus (1928) as his favourite film.

Was offered roles in both Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and Stuart Little (1999). However at the time he was only willing to act on television due to some previous bad experiences making theatrical films and as a result he declined both parts. Both films were huge box office successes.

Passed away just 7 months after his sister Connie.

Mel Brooks was a great influence on his screenwriting.

Wilder was a supporter of the Democratic Party for many years, and staunchly opposed U.S. actions in the Vietnam War and the Iraq War. He supported Eugene McCarthy in the 1968 presidential election. That same year, he campaigned, along with Elaine May and Renée Taylor, on behalf of Eugene McCarthy, Allard Lowenstein and Paul O'Dwyer.

Was the first of three actors to be nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actor - Comedy/Musical for playing Willy Wonka, with the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). The other two being Johnny Depp for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) and Timothée Chalamet for Wonka (2023).

Cousin of Rochelle Pierce.