In the humble town of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jerome Silberman was born on June 11th, 1933. His parents, Jeanne and William, had no clue that their son would go on to be one of the most recognized faces of 20th century film. As a young man, Jerome Silberman would acquire an alias to accommodate his acting career, this is where Gene Wilder was born.
Wilder, known for his iconic roles in films such as "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory," "Young Frankenstein," "The Producers," and several Mel Brooks films including "Blazing Saddles," is a recognizable name and even more recognizable face. Wilder was a celebrated stage and film actor, known for his kindness off screen and the soft, mellow voice that accommodated his crystal blue eyes.
Unfortunately, Wilder has become the most recent in a devastating list of actors who have passed on in 2016. Wilder left our world on August 29th, in Stamford, Connecticut, due to complications from Alzheimer's Disease, surrounded by his loving family.
Wilder got his start as a stage actor, catching his first role in an off-Broadway production of Arnold Wesker's "Roots." This role was followed quickly by his 1961 Broadways debut in, "The Complaisant Lover." His Broadway repertoire includes shows such as, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "The White House," and "Luv." However, when he was cast in what would be his final Broadway show, "Mother Courage and Her Children," he had no intention of ever leaving Broadway, says his wife in an interview from 1992.
Alongside Wilder in "Mother Courage and All Her Children," was Anne Banecroft, the at-the-time girlfriend of Mel Brooks. The relationship he developed with Brooks went on to land him his first on-screen role in the 1967 film, "Bonnie and Clyde," from which he drew much favorable attention, despite the insignificance of his role. However, it was his iconic role in "The Producers," that really kicked off Wilder's career and earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, according to IMDb.
From here, Wilder went on to make a successful career for himself, while simultaneously developing himself as one of the "most recognized actors of the 1900's," said famed director Steven Spielberg. For the millennial generation, he is most likely the most recognizable from the 1971 film, "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory." The film captured the hearts of all who watched it with its whimsical ways and subtle humor. Wilder left the lasting impression as the Chocolate barron and inventor Willy Wonka, who turned out to be much more than what met the eye.
Now, Wilder is just another name that will go down in history, he'll be another star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he'll become the template for roles that will be remade (although Johnny Depp already took care of Willy,) but he is an essence that will never be able to be truly captured. Thank you Mr. Wilder, for your exquisite work, kind words, and most of all, the best memories of my childhood. You will surely never be forgotten.
"Come with me, and you'll be, in a world of pure imagination."
