Gene Wilder, the star of comic gems such as The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Willy Wonka and theChocolate Factory, has died Sunday at his home in Stamford, Conn. at 83. According to his nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman, he died of complications from Alzheimer's disease, Variety reports.
In a statement, his nephew said, "We understand for all the emotional and physical challenges this situation presented we have been among the lucky ones — this illness-pirate, unlike in so many cases, never stole his ability to recognize those that were closest to him, nor took command of his central-gentle-life affirming core personality. The decision to wait until this time to disclose his condition wasn't vanity, but more so that the countless young children that would smile or call out to him 'there's Willy Wonka,' would not have to be then exposed to an adult referencing illness or trouble and causing delight to travel to worry, disappointment or confusion. He simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world.
He continued to enjoy art, music, and kissing with his leading lady of the last twenty-five years, Karen. He danced down a church aisle at a wedding as parent of the groom and ring bearer, held countless afternoon movie western marathons and delighted in the the company of beloved ones."
The frizzy-haired actor was great at playing panicked characters caught up in schemes that only director Mel Brooks could develop.
The frizzy-haired actor was a master at playing panicked characters caught up in schemes that only director Mel Brooks could create, but he also knew how to keep it cool as the boozy gunslinger in Blazing Saddles and as the jolly candy man in the children's film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Brooks himself reacted to the sad news:
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