Gene Wilder, the joyful, quirky comedic actor known for his roles in Mel Brooks classics like “The Producers” and “Young Frankenstein,” along with his delightfully magical performance as Willy Wonka in the 1970’s family classic, died.

The actor and writer had been privately battling Alzheimer’s disease for the past three years, a statement made Aug.29  by his nephew, Jordan Walker-Pearlman, said. Wilder kept the diagnosis out of the public eye so as to not disappoint his fans.  Wilder died late Sunday night due to complications related to the disease.

The sobering news hits twice as heavy from a man who could put a smile on just about everyone’s face.  Whether he was the loud, frizzy-haired mad scientist reanimating his rotten creature, or the smooth shot Jim, the Waco Kid or even the imaginative but easy-tempered chocolatier, Wilder was pure joy.

Great comedic entertainers can be remembered by a single iconic performance in a film, but only a select few have multiple classic pieces of work to their name.  Wilder’s memorable films spanned generations, as did his fan base.  

Here are just a few of the many unforgettable roles Wilder has left us with:

“The Producers” (1967)

Then a stage actor, Wilder earned his first leading role on film after comedy writer Mel Brooks met the actor during a theater production his girlfriend was co-starring in. Brooks then casted Wilder as Leo Bloom, the frantically nervous accountant of a failed play production in the satirical film “The Producers,” and a comedic duo was born.  After earning an Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Wilder’s depth of comedic talent became undeniable.

“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971)

Easily his most notable performance outside of the Mel Brooks realm, Wilder brought imagination to life as the oddly charming and strangely genius chocolate factory owner from Roald Dahl’s 1964 children’s novel.  While there have been a number of film adaptions and performances of the titular character, it’s safe saying Wilder’s, along with the 1971 film, resonates the most with many.  Wilder’s performance of the purple suited, top-hat-wearing Wonka was more than comedic: it was human. He brought to life a flawed and worried, but childlike man on the verge of giving up his greatest empire.

“Blazing Saddles” (1974)

It’s truly hard not to include all three films Mel Brooks and Wilder collaborated on, but for the risk of sounding repetitive we’ll stick soundly with two and give some applause for the Waco Kid.  I think anyone would agree that the genius behind the humor of “Blazing Saddles” is how timeless it is, even what seemed like edgy jokes and gags in the ’70s would still be considered such today. The satirical western puts the “wild” in Wild West, and Wilder’s performance of the drunken sharpshooting deputy proves just that.  Wilder’s performance in “Blazing Saddles” not only demonstrates just how well he plays off his fellow cast members, but also shows just how strong one actor’s presence can be for a film.

“Silver Streak” (1976)
“Silver Streak” sparked the second best collaboration of Wilder’s career, as he co-starred with legendary standup comedian Richard Pryor.  While Wilder and Pryor would go on to star in three more films together, “Silver Streak” proved just how well Wilder’s nervously hectic charisma worked off of Pryor’s intense personality.  From Bob Hope and Bing Crosby to John Belushi and Dan Akroyd, Pryor and Wilder not only proved themselves to be a worthy comedic duo, but also some of the funniest entertainers of our times.