Gene Wilder (as Willy Wonka-1971) was born in 1933 in Milwaukee, WI. His mom was often ill & a Dr. told 8-yr-old Gene to make her laugh. He did & thus began his call to acting: he studied at U/Iowa, in the UK, & "method" acting. In '63, he met Mel Brooks who helped his career. Playing the lead in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory made him a comedy icon. In ’84, he married Gilda Radner who tragically died in ’89 of ovarian cancer. Now living in CT w his 4th wife, Wilder has become an author.
