10 Biggest Reveals From The Remembering Gene Wilder Documentary

Summary

• Gene Wilder’s real name was Jerome Silberman, but he chose “Wilder” for Thornton Wilder & “Gene” from Thomas Wolfe’s book.
• Zero Mostel had the final say on Gene Wilder being cast in The Producers, a decision that paid off immensely.
• Gene Wilder wasn’t close friends with Richard Pryor and battled Alzheimer’s in his final years but remained young at heart.

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The Remembering Gene Wilder documentary was an insightful look at an extraordinary actor’s life in front of and away from the camera that revealed many details viewers might not have been aware of. Wilder’s incredible career was cataloged, and the documentary featured several appearances from those he was closest to, had worked with, and who admired him. From his earliest days growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to his struggles with Alzheimer’s disease later in life, Wilder maintained his jovial nature throughout his entire life.

While Wilder’s greatest performances included work with fellow comedians like Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor, he also had an interesting life full of ups and downs behind the scenes. Remembering Gene Wilder revealed his fantastic contributions to the character of Willy Wonka and addressed the difficult circumstances of his final years in retirement. As a true comedy icon, it was fantastic to witness such a touching tribute and heartfelt homage to one of the most unique and enjoyable performers who ever lived.

10 Gene Wilder Was Not His Real Name

Gene Wilder was born Jerome Silberman

Although the name Gene Wilder would become known worldwide, the documentary Remembering Gene Wilder actually revealed that this was not the man’s real name at all. Gene was in fact born Jerome Silberman but later adopted a stage name that he felt was better suited to his unique identity, as he felt “Jerry Silberman in Macbeth” did not have the right ring to it (via Telegraph). However, Wilder also later said that he could not see Gene Wilder playing Macbeth either.

Wilder chose his new name for several reasons; he picked “Wilder” because it reminded him of Our Town author Thornton Wilder. The name “Gene” came from the character Eugene Gant in Thomas Wolfe’s first novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wilder also liked the name Gene because, as a young boy, he was impressed by a distant relative with that name who was a bomber navigator during the Second World War. No matter the reason, the name Gene Wilder felt perfectly appropriate for the over-the-top mannerisms and unique eccentricity he would later become known for.

9 Zero Mostel Had Final Say For Wilder In The Producers

Gene Wilder had to audition for the part

The biggest break in Gene Wilder’s earlier career came when he secured a lead role in the Mel Brooks comedy The Producers back when it was titled Springtime for Hitler. However, Remembering Gene Wilder revealed that this was almost not the case, as Wilder’s co-star Zero Mostel had the final say on who would eventually play Leopold Bloom in The Producers. This meant that although Brooks wanted Wilder for the part, he still had to audition for Mostel and prove his suitability for the role.

Luckily, Mostel immediately accepted Wilder and the pair made an excellent comedic duo in one of the greatest comedies ever produced. The Producers was Brooks’ directional debut and told the story of two con artist theater producers deliberately staging a musical that was designed to fail in order to get rich. Although The Producers received mixed reviews upon release, it has since become a cult classic and was remade as a musical on Broadway which was later adapted into a feature film.

8 Mel Brooks Was Asked To Fire Gene Wilder

Gene Wilder was not Joe Levine’s choice for The Producers

Although Gene Wilder’s portrayal of Leopold Bloom in The Producers has since earned a reputation as one of the all-time great comedic performances, this was almost not the case as director Mel Brooks was asked to fire Wilder from the production. In Remembering Gene Wilder, Brooks said that Joe Levine, a major investor in the film, said that he wanted Wilder replaced with a new actor and did not feel like he was leading man material. Had Levin’s wishes been carried through, then Wilder would never have gotten his big break, and his acclaimed career could have been very different.

Brooks told Levine that he “wanted the opposite of a leading man” and that Wilder had the exact qualities he was looking for, although Levine still insisted that he be fired. Brooks acted like he agreed with Levine but did the opposite, keeping Wilder in the cast while he continued filming. By the time Brooks spoke to Levine again, he said that half the film had already been shot and that it would be too expensive to replace Wilder this late in the production, at this point, Levine conceded and allowed Wilder to remain as Leo Bloom.

7 Willy Wonka’s Wobbly Walk

Gene Wilder added to Wonka’s character

The part of Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory will forever be associated with Gene Wilder, and each subsequent performance of the role, such as Johnny Depp and Timothée Chalamet’s portrayals, will always be compared to his. Wilder truly embodied the role of Wonka, imbued him with his unique eccentricities, and effectively added to his characterizations. In Remembering Gene Wilder several people spoke about the astounding ways that Wilder made the character his own and helped turn the film into a timeless classic.

One memorable anecdote involved the cane that Wonka walked with when he first appeared in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. This was as Wonka first revealed himself to Charlie Bucket and the other children while walking very cautiously with a limp and cane before falling forward, doing a spectacular somersault, and bouncing back up. This grand entrance was not only an effective introduction to Wonka’s character but also hinted that this was an unreliable man and that nothing should be taken at face value.

6 Mike Medavoy Saw Gene Wilder’s Potential As A Filmmaker

Gene Wilder was encouraged by his agent to write and direct

The American film producer Mike Medavoy appeared in Remembering Gene Wilder and spoke about being his agent during the 1970s when he recognized Wilder’s incredible potential as a writer-director. Wilder had already shown his incredible talent as an actor and often contributed and ad-libbed many memorable aspects of his most acclaimed roles, which led to Medavoy encouraging him to make movies himself. This led to Wilder co-writing the script for Young Frankenstein and later going on to direct films himself.

Medavoy was the agent of not just Wilder but also his Young Frankenstein co-stars Peter Boyle and Marty Feldman and was the one who first suggested that all three work together. Young Frankenstein would become Wilder’s favorite film of his and has gained a reputation as one of the all-time great comedies. After making Young Frankenstein, Wilder directed five films himself, which included The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother, The World’s Greatest Lover, Sunday Lovers, The Woman in Red, and Haunted Honeymoon.

5 Mel Brooks Didn’t Want The Dancing Scene In Young Frankenstein

Gene Wilder insisted the sequence be included

One of the most memorable scenes in Young Frankenstein was when Dr. Frankenstein showcased his monster’s abilities by teaching it the complex choreography of “Puttin’ On the Ritz.” This performance by Gene Wilder and Peter Boyd was truly iconic and was even ranked 84th in the American Film Institute’s 2004 list, 100 Years…100 Songs. However, in Remembering Gene Wilder, the film’s director, Mel Brooks, revealed that he was initially against including the song in the film and wanted the sequence removed entirely.

Brooks revealed that at the time, he felt Young Frankenstein had been very faithful to the original James Whale 1930s version of Frankenstein and other horror films of that era, and he felt the dance sequence made things “silly.” Wilder was adamant that the dance needed to be included and convinced Brooks that it made sense in the story that Frankenstein would teach the monster to dance to convince other scientists that he could be taught to do anything. Brooks said he now believes the dance sequence was the best part of Young Frankenstein.

4 Gene Wilder Took Comedy Cues From Charlie Chaplin

Gene Wilder wore his influences on his sleeve

Remembering Gene Wilder not only examined the actor’s acclaimed career but also delved into his influences, which made him such an extraordinary performer. One interesting anecdote involved Wilder’s love of Charlie Chaplin and how his comedic tendencies influenced his performance in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother. Wilder explained that the scene at the beginning of the film with the box of chocolates that fell on the floor was influenced by Chaplin’s work and ability to keep a straight face amid hilarious circumstances.

Wilder explained that Chaplin’s philosophy was that if a scene was already funny, then the actor should play it as straight as possible, which would add to the humor. This was a lesson that Wilder learned from Chaplin’s film The Circus, where “if the physical thing you are doing is funny, you don’t have to act funny while doing it.” This ability to take influence from some of the greatest comedians who ever lived was part of the reason that Wilder became such an incredible performer.

3 Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor Were Not Close Friends

Gene Wilder did not socialize with his famous co-star

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The pairing of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor was pure comedic gold, and the duo made several acclaimed films together over the years. However, Remembering Gene Wilder revealed that their fantastic working relationship did not extend to being close friends in real life. The two came from such opposing lifestyles that they did not tend to socialize with one another. Wilder himself stated that they were on a “similar wavelength” but expressed disappointment that their closeness on film did not carry over into their private lives.

Richard Pryor’s daughter Rain appeared in Remembering Gene Wilder, where she explained her father’s connection to Wilder but said she understood why they weren’t close friends in day-to-day life as “they were two polar opposites.” Pryor struggled with drug addiction and lived what his daughter called a “self-sabotaging” lifestyle. Sadly, these differences meant that Wilder and Pryor’s incredible collaborations were strictly professional, and although they seemed to understand one another deeply, this did not lead to them socializing with one another outside of work.

2 Gene Took Tap Dancing Classes Late In Life

Gene Wilder remained young at heart to the very end

The later stages of Gene Wilder’s life were difficult due to his cognitive impairment issues, but Remembering Gene Wilder also showcased his continued interest in learning in his old age. Wilder was seen in the documentary tap dancing with his wife Karen, and she stated that they took classes together as a couple. It was fantastic to witness this side of Wilder and see that even while he was going through personal difficulties, he still maintained his young-at-heart attitude and always found ways to have fun with the people he loved in his life.

Karen spoke passionately about all the things she used to do with her late husband and described him as “the world’s greatest lover” who truly cared about her. Wilder described his weekly tap dancing classes with his wife and said they felt as exciting as when they had their first date, “when she was still a stranger to me.” The relationship between Wilder and Karen was portrayed as incredibly loving and Remembering Gene Wilder highlighted the seldom-seen private life of the man that so many viewers only knew from the screen.

1 Gene Wilder Had Alzeihmer’s Disease

Gene Wilder sadly suffered from memory loss

While Remembering Gene Wilder depicted the hilarious highs of Gene Wilder’s amazing career, it also showcased the difficult lows of his final years suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. As Wilder grew older, his memory started to fail him, and his wife Karen became concerned at how forgettable he had become. Karen was especially worried after Wilder forgot the name of his own film, Young Frankenstein, which she said was his absolute favorite work and something that should have been deeply entrenched in his memory.

Karen described Wilder’s slow mental decline, which had reached a point where he couldn’t put on his shoes or tie his tie and was prone to dangerous falls. However, Karen also explained his moments of lucidity towards the end of his life and how, when he got up from his chair to take a swim in their pool one last time, it felt like the old Gene was back for a moment. Wilder’s illness led to his death at age 83 in 2016, but one thing that Remembering Gene Wilder proved was that although he’s gone, he will never be forgotten.

Sources: Telegraph, 100 Years…100 Songs

Remembering Gene Wilder (2024)
Not Rated
Documentary

A special tribute documentary honoring Gene Wilder’s life and career.

Director Ron Frank Release Date March 15, 2024 Writers Glenn Kirschbaum Cast gene wilder , Mel Brooks , Harry Connick Jr. , Ben Mankiewicz Runtime 90 Minutes Main Genre Documentary

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Category: Entertainment