Known for roles that range from cruel candyman to nebbish accountant to mad scientist, few actors hold such a place of honor in the comic hall of fame than Gene Wilder. Surprisingly, the 74-year-old actor has only starred in 22 feature films, but his characters remain some of the most memorable.
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) premieres the special program, "Role Model: Gene Wilder," on Tuesday. For the tribute, Alec Baldwin conducts an intimate conversation with his acting hero while wandering the grounds of the Waveny house in Wilder's home state of Connecticut, his home far away from Hollywood.
The two delve into Wilder's Hollywood history, which exploded when he joined Mel Brooks' merry band of spoofers. The tribute coincides with the 40th anniversary of Wilder's Oscar nominated collaboration with Brooks in The Producers. This relationship would spur two other comic classics, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, which would inspire a generation of quote-ready fans.
Wilder is a thoughtful and open interviewee, and as Baldwin slips in comparisons from his own career, his knowledge of behind-the-scenes Hollywood helps to create an easy dialogue. They discuss Wilder's break from stage to screen to directing, his inspirations, his manic balance between over the top characters and those who require a bit more confidence, and the relationships that occurred off screen. Baldwin gently discusses Wilder's famous marriage to the late comic actress Gilda Radner, which Wilder quietly reviews before gushing over his present 16 year marriage with wife Karen Boyer.
The Wilder mini-fest begins on TCM on Tuesday with "Role Model" followed by Wilder's films The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Start the Revolution without Me.