| Gene Wilder Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 10½ in |
| Weight | 70 kg |
| Date of Birth | June 11, 1933 |
| Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
| Date of Death | August 29, 2016 |
Gene Wilder was an American actor, comedian, writer, filmmaker, and theatre artist whose film credits include The Producers, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Young Frankenstein, Haunted Honeymoon, Funny About Love, Silver Streak, Blazing Saddles, and See No Evil, Hear No Evil.
Born Name
Jerome Silberman
Other Name
Gene Wilder
Age
He was born on June 11, 1933.
Died
On August 29, 2016, Gene Wilder died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 83 at his home in Stamford, Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States.
Sun Sign
Gemini
Born Place
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Residence
He resided in Stamford, Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States.
Nationality
Education
Gene Wilder studied acting for 2 years and his mother then sent him to Black-Foxe Military Institute, a military institute in Hollywood, California, where he was bullied and s*xually assaulted. He subsequently returned home and graduated from Washington High School in Milwaukee in 1951.
Later on, he attended the University of Iowa and studied Communication and Theatre Arts. There, he was a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity. After graduating college in 1955, he was accepted at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, England. He also trained at HB Studio.
Occupation
Actor, Comedian, Writer, Filmmaker, Theatre Artist
Family
- Father – William J. Silberman (A manufacturer and salesperson of novelty items)
- Mother – Jeanne (Baer) Silberman (Died from ovarian cancer in November 1957)
- Siblings – Connie (Sister)
- Others – Hyman/Chaim Hirsch Silberman (Paternal Grandfather), Sarah/Sora Rebecca/Rivka Waldman (Paternal Grandmother), Lewis/Louis Baer (Maternal Grandfather), Libbie/Libbe/Libby/Lillian Altman (Maternal Grandmother)
Net Worth
According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, he had a net worth of $20 Million at the time of his death.
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 10½ in or 179 cm
Weight
70 kg or 154.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Gene Wilder dated –
- Mary Mercier (1960-1965) – He married his first wife Mary Mercier​ on July 22, 1960, and they eventually divorced in 1965.
- Mary Joan Schutz (1967-1974)​ – On October 27, 1967, he tied the knot with Mary Joan Schutz (one of his sister’s friends) and adopted her daughter Katharine from a previous marriage. The marriage ended in divorce in 1974.
- Teri Garr (1974) – He reportedly had a short-term romance with actor, dancer, and comedian Teri Garr from February 1974 to May 1974. They co-starred in the 1974 comedy horror film Young Frankenstein.
- Gilda Radner (1984-1989) – On September 14, 1984, he married actor Gilda Radner and they remained together until her death on May 20, 1989.
- Karen Boyer (1991-2016) – He married Karen Boyer (a clinical supervisor for the New York League for the Hard of Hearing) on September 8, 1991, and they remained together until his death in 2016.
Race / Ethnicity
White
Gene Wilder was of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.
Hair Color
Salt and Pepper
Eye Color
Blue
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Soft mellow voice
- Curly hair
Brand Endorsements
Gene Wilder was cast in TV commercials for –
- Gillette razors (1965)
- Alka Seltzer (voiceover) (1960s)
Religion
He had a Jewish upbringing.
However, he held only the Golden Rule (the principle of treating others as one would want to be treated by them) as his philosophy.
He stated in a book published in 2005: “I have no other religion. I feel very Jewish and I feel very grateful to be Jewish. But I don’t believe in God or anything to do with the Jewish religion.”
Gene Wilder Favorite Things
- One Of His Favorite Songs – A rendition of Over the Rainbow sung by Ella Fitzgerald
- Comedian – Sid Caesar
- Film – The Circus (1928)
- Author – Anton Chekhov
Gene Wilder Facts
- He was 8 years old when he first got inclined towards acting after his mother was diagnosed with rheumatic fever and the doctor told him to “try and make her laugh”.
- On September 10, 1956, Gene Wilder was drafted into the U.S. Army and went on to serve as a paramedic in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at Valley Forge Army Hospital, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
Featured Image by Towpilot / Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED
