Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka, continued to act until the early 2000s.
Paramount images; John Lamparski / Wireimage / Getty Images
From the moment he jumped out of his factory, the characters (and the public) were captivated by Gene Wilder as holder Willy Wonka.
Before connecting to this role, the actor was best known for films like “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967) and “The Producers” (1967).
Wilder is perhaps even better known for “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971), but he continued an illustrious acting career after the film.
He played in “Blazing Saddles” (1974), Cowrote and played in “Young Frankenstein” (1974), and gave a performance nominated at the Golden Globe in “Silver Streak” (1976).
The actor also played in the sitcom NBC “Something Wilder”, and he had an arc of two episodes on “Will and Grace” of NBC, which earned him an Emmy.
After 2003, he pivoted far from playing and published a few books, including his 2005 Memoirs, “Kiss Me likes a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art”.
He died in 2016 at the age of 83 after suffering complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
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