Gene Wilders Most Memorable Role By Far
He is Willy Wonka sorry Wifebeater Depp couldn't replace him
shareThis is probably the role Wilder is most known for, but it's a shame if that's where people stop. They'd miss out on Leopold Bloom, Frederick Frankenstein, and Dr. Doug Ross - one of his best comic turns, and simply underrated and under-seen.
shareHe was one of the biggest stars of the 70's, seguing from his "Mel Brooks partnership" (The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein) to his "Richard Pryor partnership" (Silver Streak, Stir Crazy) and...
...still having time to give us Willy Wonka as his most famous creation (millions of kids and their parents have seen him.)
Those are the classics, but Wilder managed to "star on his own" in movies like Sherlock Holmes Smarter Brother and The World's Greatest Lover.
I think he finally ran out of gas around 1984 with "The Woman in Red."
But you can't knock him in the 70's. A true great.
And you can find him back in Bonnie and Clyde(1967) in a funny cameo.
And -- missed opportunity -- he almost played the Red Buttons part in "The Poseidon Adventure"(1974) which would have given him ANOTHER 70's hit.
And -- I recommend Wilder in "Start the Revolution Without Me" (1970) with Donald Sutherland. They each play a pair of twins -- one good, one bad -- and Wilder's "bad twin" is hilarious.