I can't say that I knew much about Gene Wilder "the person", but I've seen a fair bit of his work over the years.
In the film Bonnie & Clyde as the neurotic Eugene Grizzard, he easily implanted himself into a film that wasn't actually a comedy, but with a very believable real world character, based on a true person!
Throughout the years since then, there were films that were benchmarks that he was a part of - The Producers (Mel Brooks' take on Broadway), Blazing Saddles (a great parody heralding a new style), Young Frankenstein, Stir Crazy (the start of films where real life situations were looked at from a comedic point of view, that brought films like 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, etc), and the still amazing Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.
The latter is an absolute classic family film on my opinion! Beautiful songs, gorgeous sets, brilliant acting, and great writing that wonderfully captures the magic of the Roald Dahl novel Charlie & The Chocolate Factory!
I've seen the Tim Burton version, which is okay I suppose, but that version with Gene Wilder had magic, and perfectly matched the book that I read as a kid!
Gene himself was a delight in the film, wonderfully capturing the eccentricity of the character.
Apparently, he kept his problem with Alzheimer's a secret, because he liked that children knew him as Willy Wonka, and he wanted the world "to smile with him," instead of feeling sorry for him. When children would call out "it's Willy Wonka," he would go into character and be that character for them!
A lovely man, and a loss to the world.
Rest in peace Gene, and thank you for the smiles and laughter xx
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