Vale: Gene Wilder

In a year where, it appears, that so many talented and influential people have passed on, Gene Wilder's death this morning is no less significant.

Anyone who grew up in the 1970's and 1980's will have seen his movies, ones where he was the lead role, and others where he just stole the show.

He was nominated for an Academy Award for his first starring role in Mel Brooks' film "The Producers", and also starred in two other Brooks productions, as Dr Frankenstein in "Young Frankenstein" which he also co-wrote, and as the brilliant Waco Kid in the equally brilliant "Blazing Saddles". He appeared alongside Richard Pryor in the wonderful comedy romps of "Silver Streak", the excellent "Stir Crazy" and the farcical "See No Evil, Hear No Evil".

But Gene Wilder will forever be Willy Wonka. No one could ever read Roald Dahl's book, no one could ever imagine the character of Willy Wonka, without seeing Gene Wilder in that role. He made it his own, and in an ensemble cast where the story revolves around the children and their parents and the lessons that Dahl tries in invoke in his story, it is Gene Wilder that stands head and shoulders above it all with his wonderful, funny, endearing, brilliant performance. He was terrific in those other films listed above, but this was his masterpiece. "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" remains as one of my top ten films of all time, and I still wait for him to walk out of his door and limp down that path with anticipation.

He may have been a recluse in recent years, but anyone who has read his memoir "Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art", will understand why.

Vale Gene Wilder, thanks for the memories.

"Come with me, and you'll be, in a world of pure imagination"