I'm not one to mourn celebrities but I did love Gene Wilder.

Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles and others.

And I ran into him at the food court in the Beverly Center, in LA, while playing tourist. He said whatever I was ordering looked good and it was.

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/gene-wilder-dead-dies-willie-wonka-young-frankenstein-1201846745/

Very sad to lose a great one.

The best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1FLZPFI3jc

Aww...

"That's FRAHNK-EN_STEEN!"

He'll be missed.

Elevate me!

A great comedic talent has passed.

"Werewolf?"

"There wolf, there castle."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/2016 05:06PM by donbagley.

"Why are you talking like that?"

"I thought you wanted to."

"Well, I don't want to!"

"Suit yourself--I'm easy."

His first movie role was a bit part in "Bonnie and Clyde," but the first I remember seeing him in was with Zero Mostel in "The Producers," (both 1967).

He has 37 acting credits at IMDB; 12 Soundtrack; 9 writer; 5 director; and 1 producer.

RIP.

From "The Producers": "My blanket! My blue blanket! Gimme my blue blanket!"

Gene Wilder + Zero Mostel = Comedic genius

"the first I remember seeing him in was with Zero Mostel in "The Producers."

Same here, on the old NBC Saturday Night At The Movies. I was probably 16 or 17 when I saw it around 1971 or 72. I thought it was the most absurdly funny movie I'd ever seen. A brilliant plot and brilliant cast. Zero and Gene were magic together. I watched it and thought to myself, "Why haven't I heard of this movie before? It's hilarious!"

The American Film Institute has "The Producers" #11 in its list of all-time funniest American movies. Ironically, it wasn't a big hit when it was released, because Mel Brooks wasn't known for comedy movies as yet. He had just finished doing "Get Smart".

"What knockers!!"

Stir crazy was his funniest one; he was such a pest in it

A crazy funny talent. I'll still whisper "Frau Blucher" every time I pass some horses just for fun.

a tidbit to tie this to church -

Young Frankenstein was a favorite at our house. It was a little embarrassing when our kids would quote it during primary.

"Roll, Roll, Roll in the Hay"

"What Knockers"

I hate it that Gene Wilder is gone. I usually am not one to mourn celebrities, but what a talent.

He loved Gilda. Although I read where he remarried to someone else.

He had a dream after Gilda went where she appeared to him in a lavender dress and was really happy where she was.

He said Gilda never wore lavender in life. For him it was a message from his true love from the other side.

I loved his performances in Haunted Honeymoon, and Willy Wonka.

May he R.I.P.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/2016 06:54PM by Amyjo.

I didn't know he was Jewish until reading his obituary.

His name Wilder was adopted for screen and stage. His real surname was Silberman. Gilda was Jewish too, like Wilder was. They shared that in common.

"Of their first year of living together, he wrote: 'We didn’t get along well, and that’s a fact. We just loved each other, and that’s a fact.'"

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/30/movies/gene-wilder-dead.html?_r=0&module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=Movies&action=keypress&region=FixedLeft&pgtype=article

"I didn't know he was Jewish until reading his obituary."

You're kidding, right? He was like, the most Jewish guy in the history of Jewdom! Did you not see "The Frisco Kid"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekmo8EacU70

Clean up on aisle 5!

Nope, I thought he was an Irish kid playing a Jewish guy.

And when he married Gilda, I thought it was a cross-marriage.

For some reason I pictured him Irish. Plus they were married in a rustic French setting that was reminiscent of Scotland or Ireland. But not a typical Jewish wedding. As in, there was no huppa or rabbi performing the ceremony. She was his third wife, according to his bio.

Maybe because he wasn't particularly observant or vocal about his being Jewish, it didn't resonate. That he could play a Jewish guy so well, I chalked up to his considerable talent. Now I see that was probably closer to his true character than some of the other parts he played.

"Nope, I thought he was an Irish kid playing a Jewish guy."

I can see that. For me, the first thing I saw him in was "The Producers," and with the Jewish-style comedy, and his interacting with Zero, I just assumed he was Jewish from the start. That movie was done in the old Jewish Borscht Belt vaudeville tradition.

A lot of Jewish entertainers used stage names so they wouldn't sound so Jewish, such as Neil Diamond (Noah Kaminsky) and Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman.)

He was remarried in 1991 to Karen Boylan. His marriage to Karen lasted longer than his other three wives combined. Yes, he and Gilda Radner had a very special relationship, but they were only married for five years.

Karen Boylan was with him when he needed her the most. I think it's sad that so many people are focused on his relationship with Gilda when he has a widow here on Earth who is presumably grieving.

I heard an interview he had done a few years ago before Alzheimer's took his memory and he said he wasn't funny in real life, only in movies. We are so blessed that he was. RIP Gene!! Love everything you ever did.

RB

"We are the music makers. And we are the dreamers of the dreams."

http://www.nbcnews.com/widget/video-embed/753901635959

Amyjo Wrote:
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> "We are the music makers. And we are the dreamers
> of the dreams."
>
> http://www.nbcnews.com/widget/video-embed/75390163
> 5959


I bet when the Oscars do their annual In Memoriam, they use that line of his :)

I hope so too. That would be a fitting tribute to his memory. :)

"Put the candle back!"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/2016 10:12PM by BYU Boner.

:'-(

I'm sure his temple work will be done 8/29/2017.

Or sooner.

Elie Wiesel was slated for post-humous baptism while he was still breathing.

:/

After I posted the original story, I saw this piece from one of my Facebook groups. A very lovely tribute to Mr Wilder, plus you get to listen to Ella Fitzgerald sing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow"


http://www.pajiba.com/miscellaneous/gene-wilder-shaper-of-our-dreams-is-dead-at-83.php


I've read this and listened to Ella about 4 times today.

the christers are claiming he is in hell because he was an Atheist.

Or because he was a Jew. They're interchangeable to some christers.

From wikipedia, the following, on Wilder's later acting ambitions, and keeping his Alzheimer's a secret from his adoring fans,

"When asked in a 2013 Time Out New York magazine interview whether he would act again if a suitable film project came his way, Wilder responded, "I'm tired of watching the bombing, shooting, killing, swearing and 3-D. I get 52 movies a year sent to me, and maybe there are three good [ones]. That's why I went into writing. It's not that I wouldn't act again. I'd say, 'Give me the script. If it's something wonderful, I'll do it.' But I don't get anything like that."[56]

....He had kept knowledge of his condition private, but had been diagnosed three years prior to his death.[1][2][57] Wilder's nephew, Jordan Walker-Pearlman, said that this was so as not to sadden his younger fans.[58]

According to his family, Wilder died while peacefully holding hands with his wife as he listened to his favorite music.[59]"