Remembering Gene Wilder: new documentary sheds light on a comedy titan
A new film uses the late actor’s voice to illustrate a career of neurotic humor on the big screen and a gentleness in real life
February 2024
Blazing Saddles at 50: the button-pushing spoof that could never get made today
The 1974 spin on westerns sees Mel Brooks pointing at the absurdity of racism and the history of human evil while always ensuring a steady stream of laughter
April 2022
Cultural prescription
Licence to ill: music and culture for a sick day
Whether it’s cake pretending to be other things or Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, our critics recommend some feeling-peaky blinders
June 2021
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at 50: a clunky film that Roald Dahl rightly hated
The years haven’t been kind to Gene Wilder and his underplayed performance as the sadistic chocolatier in a cheap and poorly made adaptation
August 2018
The Producers review – Mel Brooks’ maniacal comedy still grips
Like a parody of Brexit Britain, never has the 1967 comedy been more horribly pertinent than it is now
February 2017
Gene Wilder remembered at the Oscars ceremony
The Academy paid tribute to the actor in its In Memoriam montage
December 2016
Sydney New Year's Eve celebrations honour Bowie, Prince and Wilder
The Observer's obituaries of 2016
Gene Wilder remembered by Kelly Le Brock
September 2016
The film quiz
Match the Gene Wilder character to the film - quiz
As we bid farewell this week to the mighty Gene Wilder, find out how many of his movie roles you can recognise
From The Producers to Stir Crazy, via Willy Wonka and Blazing Saddles, we pick out the key roles by Gene Wilder, who died on Monday aged 83
Gene Wilder: a life in pictures
Gene Wilder was best known for his portrayal of Willy Wonka and his collaboration with Richard Pryor, he also directed films and turned to writing
Film blog
Gene Wilder: a wild, inspired and sensitive actor who ran on rocket fuel
The singular comic star, who has died at the age of 83, cooked up a quartet of indelible neurotics which belied great intelligence and whose genius may not yet have been fully appreciated
May 2014
Musicals we love
The Producers: musicals we love
Mel Brooks's 1968 film makes even greater sense on the stage – especially with the peerless Nathan Lane in the lead role, writes Ryan Gilbey
August 2008
The making of The Producers
Forty years on, Mel Brooks takes Damon Wise through the milestones in the making of his ludicrous 1968 musical comedy with its high-kicking Nazis
