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IMDbPro

Gene Wilder(1933-2016)

  • Actor
  • Writer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,00017
Gene Wilder in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)
Special Tribute honoring Gene Wilders life and career.
Play trailer2:40
Remembering Gene Wilder (2023)
22 Videos
99+ Photos
When he was 11, he wanted to be a comedian like Sid Caesar. Then, when he was 15 and saw Lee J. Cobb in 'Death of a Salesman,' he decided he would be a comedy actor and found that Mel Brooks was a great influence on his screen writing. He combined both talents with directing in The World's Greatest Lover (1977), followed by The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975).
BornJune 11, 1933
DiedAugust 29, 2016(83)
BornJune 11, 1933
DiedAugust 29, 2016(83)
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,00017
  • Nominated for 2 Oscars
    • 8 wins & 10 nominations total

Photos248

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Known for

Gene Wilder, Paris Themmen, Jack Albertson, Rudy Borgstaller, George Claydon, Julie Dawn Cole, Malcolm Dixon, Walker Edmiston, Günter Meisner, Denise Nickerson, and Peter Ostrum in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
7.8
  • Willy Wonka
  • 1971
Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, and Peter Boyle in Young Frankenstein (1974)
Young Frankenstein
8.0
  • Dr. Frederick Frankenstein
  • 1974
Zero Mostel in The Producers (1967)
The Producers
7.5
  • Leo Bloom
  • 1967
Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)
See No Evil, Hear No Evil
6.8
  • Dave
  • 1989

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • Sean Hayes, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, and Megan Mullally in Will & Grace (1998)
    Will & Grace
    7.4
    TV Series
    • Mr. Stein
    • 2002–2003
  • Gene Wilder in The Lady in Question (1999)
    The Lady in Question
    6.3
    TV Movie
    • Larry 'Cash' Carter
    • 1999
  • Whoopi Goldberg, Christopher Lloyd, Gene Wilder, Robbie Coltrane, Ben Kingsley, Tina Majorino, Miranda Richardson, Martin Short, Peter Ustinov, and George Wendt in Alice in Wonderland (1999)
    Alice in Wonderland
    6.3
    TV Movie
    • Mock Turtle
    • 1999
  • Murder in a Small Town (1999)
    Murder in a Small Town
    6.4
    TV Movie
    • Cash Carter
    • 1999
  • Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, and Ryan Dillon in Sesame Street (1969)
    Sesame Street
    8.1
    TV Series
    • 'Imagination Rain' singer
    • Letterman
    • 'Tion' singer
    • 1989–1996
  • Gene Wilder, Ian Bottiglieri, Carl Michael Lindner, and Hillary B. Smith in Something Wilder (1994)
    Something Wilder
    6.7
    TV Series
    • Gene Bergman
    • 1994–1995
  • Eligible Dentist (1993)
    Eligible Dentist
    6.6
    TV Movie
    • Toby
    • 1993
  • Another You (1991)
    Another You
    5.3
    • George
    • Abe Fielding
    • 1991
  • Gene Wilder in Funny About Love (1990)
    Funny About Love
    4.8
    • Duffy Bergman
    • 1990
  • Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)
    See No Evil, Hear No Evil
    6.8
    • Dave
    • 1989
  • Gene Wilder, Dom DeLuise, and Gilda Radner in Haunted Honeymoon (1986)
    Haunted Honeymoon
    5.7
    • Larry Abbot
    • 1986
  • Gene Wilder and Kelly LeBrock in The Woman in Red (1984)
    The Woman in Red
    6.0
    • Theodore Pierce
    • 1984
  • Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner in Hanky Panky (1982)
    Hanky Panky
    5.6
    • Michael Jordon
    • 1982
  • Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in Stir Crazy (1980)
    Stir Crazy
    6.7
    • Skip Donahue
    • 1980
  • Sunday Lovers (1980)
    Sunday Lovers
    5.5
    • Skippy (segment "Skippy")
    • 1980

Writer

  • My French Amour
    • based in novel by
    • In Development
  • Gene Wilder in The Lady in Question (1999)
    The Lady in Question
    6.3
    TV Movie
    • written by
    • 1999
  • Murder in a Small Town (1999)
    Murder in a Small Town
    6.4
    TV Movie
    • written by
    • 1999
  • Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)
    See No Evil, Hear No Evil
    6.8
    • screenplay by
    • 1989
  • Gene Wilder, Dom DeLuise, and Gilda Radner in Haunted Honeymoon (1986)
    Haunted Honeymoon
    5.7
    • written by
    • 1986
  • Gene Wilder and Kelly LeBrock in The Woman in Red (1984)
    The Woman in Red
    6.0
    • written by
    • 1984
  • Sunday Lovers (1980)
    Sunday Lovers
    5.5
    • Writer (segment "Skippy")
    • 1980
  • The World's Greatest Lover (1977)
    The World's Greatest Lover
    5.7
    • written by
    • 1977
  • Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, and Madeline Kahn in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)
    The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
    6.0
    • written by
    • 1975
  • Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, and Peter Boyle in Young Frankenstein (1974)
    Young Frankenstein
    8.0
    • screen story and screenplay
    • 1974

Director

  • Gene Wilder, Dom DeLuise, and Gilda Radner in Haunted Honeymoon (1986)
    Haunted Honeymoon
    5.7
    • Director
    • 1986
  • Gene Wilder and Kelly LeBrock in The Woman in Red (1984)
    The Woman in Red
    6.0
    • Director
    • 1984
  • Sunday Lovers (1980)
    Sunday Lovers
    5.5
    • Director (segment "Skippy")
    • 1980
  • The World's Greatest Lover (1977)
    The World's Greatest Lover
    5.7
    • Director
    • 1977
  • Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, and Madeline Kahn in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)
    The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
    6.0
    • Director
    • 1975

Videos22

Official Trailer
Trailer 2:40
Official Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 1:56
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 1:56
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:33
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:54
Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:13
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:36
Official Trailer

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative name
    • Jerry Silberman
  • Height
    • 5′ 10½″ (1.79 m)
  • Born
    • June 11, 1933
    • Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
  • Died
    • August 29, 2016
    • Stamford, Connecticut, USA(complications from Alzheimer's disease)
  • Spouses
      Karen BoyerSeptember 8, 1991 - August 29, 2016 (his death)
  • Children
    • Katherine Anastasia
  • Parents
      Jeanne Baer Silberman
  • Relatives
      Jordan Walker-Pearlman(Niece or Nephew)
  • Other works
    TV commercial: Gillette razors
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Biographical Movies
    • 3 Print Biographies
    • 2 Portrayals
    • 12 Articles
    • 3 Pictorials
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

Edit
  • 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.
  • Quotes
    [on Mel Brooks] A loud kind of Jewish genius--maybe that's as close as you can get to defining him.
  • Trademarks
      Soft mellow voice
  • Salary
    • The Producers
      (1967)
      $10,000

FAQ16

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