We love him even more now…
Actor Gene Wilder passed away last night following complications from Alzheimer’s, and he left the world mourning the death of one of the funniest actors of his generation.
His combination with Mel Brooks produced comedic genius and his roles in Blazing Saddles and Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory will live long in the memory.
His family, this morning, released an incredibly moving statement on his sad passing.
A story has emerged of his role as Willy Wonka and the peculiar condition he insisted upon when taking the role, as reported by Letters of Note.
“When I make my first entrance,” Wilder said, “I’d like to come out of the door carrying a cane and then walk towards the crowd with a limp.
“After the crowd sees Willy Wonka is a cripple, they all whisper to themselves and then become deathly quiet. As I walk toward them, my cane sinks into one of the cobblestones I’m walking on and stands straight up, by itself; but I keep on walking, until I realize that I no longer have my cane.
“I start to fall forward, and just before I hit the ground, I do a beautiful forward somersault and bounce back up, to great applause.”
When quizzed on why he wanted to do this, he said: “Because from that time on, no one will know if I’m lying or telling the truth.”
The full scene is below…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz9jc5blzRM
Video via Jobned1
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