My Somber Encounter with Gene Wilder

To give one a sense of what an impact Gene Wilder had on the public following the announcement of his death at the age of 83, he comprises four of the top ten trends on Twitter (Gene Wilder, #WillyWonka, #YoungFrankenstein & #BlazingSaddles).

Mind you, this is from an actor who effectively withdrawn from the stage nearly a decade ago. But some performers will be remembered and beloved for eternity. I once remember watching The Producers at the Harvard Film Archive many years ago and the moment Wilder appeared on screen the audience gave him the loudest applause I've ever heard a movie theater crowd give to an actor.

I'm sure I will hear equally rapturous applause in October when Wilder appears on the screen as the Waco Kid with Mel Brooks looks on when he appears at the Wang Theatre in Boston for a screening of Blazing Saddles. 

I am lucky enough to have met Gene Wilder although our encounter ended on a sad note. It was May 2005 and I was in Toronto visiting my older brother Ezra. Wilder was in Toronto to promote his first book Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love & Art and appeared at the The Bloor Cinema where he would be interviewed by longtime CBC personality Ralph Benmurgui.

Honestly, I don't remember much from the interview although some guy impersonating Marty Feldman interrupted the proceedings and, without missing a beat, Wilder told him, "Get a job ya bum!"

Following the presentation, Wilder signed autographs. I wanted to ask him about Richard Pryor because he had not uttered a word about him during the interview. While I knew that Pryor wasn't in the best of health, I figured I would ask if they were still in touch.. I did just that and when I did a very sad look came over his face. "Oh, I don't know, I wish I knew." We said nothing more. Nevertheless, he graciously autographed my book. Seven months later, Pryor was dead at the age of 65. Seven months later, Pryor was dead at the age of 65.

As it turned out, while Wilder and Pryor had a strong professional relationship and deeply respected the other's work, they seldom hung out away from the studio. They sure look liked the best friends in Silver Streak and Stir Crazy. In fact, I remember watching Stir Crazy when I was a teenager and remember my cat Izzy looking behind the television during the scene when they were dressed as birds. I thought this was rather daft, but my Mom thought it remarkably clever. I didn't think much about it until my encounter with Wilder many years later.

As for the book, I longer have it. I lent to a girlfriend who went out of my life long ago. But I always have the memory even the memory was a sad one.

R.I.P.