With his wild curly hair, large expressive blue eyes, slight lisp, and nervous mannerism, Gene Wilder seems on the surface the epitome of the mild-mannered bookkeeper type, but a close look reveals a volatile energy lying beneath the milquetoast, a mad spark in the eye, and a tendency to explode into discombobulated manic hilarity, usually as a result of being unable to handle the chaos that surrounds his characters. In fact one might label Wilder the consummate reactor rather than a traditional thespian. During the 1970s, Wilder starred in some of the decade's most popular comedies. Though he has spent the bulk of his career on his own, Wilder was at his best when he was collaborating with Mel Brooks. Such films as The Producers, Young Frankenstein, and Blazing Saddles have become modern American classics.
The son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Wilder was born…  » Read more