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Gene Wilder

Gene Wilder

Actor, writer and director, also producer · Died August 29, 2016, aged 83 · Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · Oscar nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 1 other major award body

Gene Wilder (born Jerome Silberman; June 11, 1933 – August 29, 2016) was an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, singer-songwriter, and author. He began his career on stage, and made his screen debut in an episode of the TV series The Play of the Week in 1961. Although his first film role was portraying a hostage in the 1967 motion picture Bonnie and Clyde, Wilder's first major role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1967 film The Producers for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. This was the first in a series of collaborations with writer/director Mel Brooks, including 1974's Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, which Wilder co-wrote, garnering the pair an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is known for his iconic portrayal of Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) and for his four films with Richard Pryor: Silver Streak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989), and Another You (1991), as well as starring in Woody Allen's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972). He directed and wrote several of his own films, including The Woman in Red (1984). With his third wife, Gilda Radner, he starred in three films, the last two of which he also directed. Her 1989 death from ovarian cancer led to his active involvement in promoting cancer awareness and treatment, helping found the Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Center in Los Angeles and co-founding Gilda's Club. After his last acting performance in 2003 – a guest role on Will & Grace for which he received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – he turned his attention to writing. He produced a memoir in 2005, Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art; a collection of stories, What Is This Thing Called Love? (2010); and the novels My French Whore (2007), The Woman Who Wouldn't (2008), and Something to Remember You By (2013).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 11, 1933
Died
August 29, 2016 (aged 83)
From
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Works as
Actor, writer and director, also producer
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 42 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 35% in 30 days

What are Gene Wilder's films like?

Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
31%
Self
22%
Morality
12%
Society
12%
Ideas
11%
Power
7%
Survival
6%
Identity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 31 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 26 · Serious 3 · Dark 2

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 11

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 16 · Charged 8 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 17 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 7

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 14 · Funny 15

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 4

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 24 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 26 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

24 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 16 of 24 analyzed roles.

Hero
16 of 24
Trickster
2 of 24
Mentor
2 of 24
Ally
2 of 24
Shapeshifter
1 of 24
Herald
1 of 24
Show the 24 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
15
Warm
11
Joyful
14
Tense
9
Manic
4
Other
26

How their films linger

Feel-good23 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy17
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Gene Wilder's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Gene Wilder's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

42 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 31 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic(2013)

    as George / Skip Donahue (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Hitler: The Comedy Years(2007)

    as Leo Bloom (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Expo: Magic of the White City(2005)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!!(2003)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Lady in Question (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Writer · as Larry 'Cash' Carter

  • Alice in Wonderland(1999)

    as Mock Turtle

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Murder in a Small Town(1999)

    Writer · as Cash Carter

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Will & Grace(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mr. Stein

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Something Wilder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 18 episodes · as Gene Bergman

  • Another You(1991)

    as George / Abe Fielding

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Dr. Frankenstein (archive footage)

  • Funny About Love(1990)

    as Duffy Bergman

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • See No Evil, Hear No Evil(1989)

    Screenplay · as Dave Lyons

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Haunted Honeymoon(1986)

    Director · Writer · as Larry Abbot

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Woman in Red(1984)

    Director · Writer · as Theodore Pierce

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Hanky Panky(1982)

    as Michael Jordon

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Stir Crazy(1980)

    as Skip Donahue

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Sunday Lovers(1980)

    Director · Writer · as Skippy (sketch 'Skippy')

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Frisco Kid(1979)

    as Avram

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The World's Greatest Lover(1977)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Rudy Valentine / Rudy Hickman

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Silver Streak(1976)

    as George Caldwell

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother(1975)

    Director · Writer · as Sigerson Holmes

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Young Frankenstein(1974)

    Screenplay · Screenstory · as Dr. Frankenstein

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Little Prince(1974)

    as The Fox

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Thursday's Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Harry Evers

  • Blazing Saddles(1974)

    as Jim

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Rhinoceros (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Stanley

  • Acts of Love and Other Comedies(1973)

    as Herb Waterman

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Trouble With People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Ernie (Story 4)

  • Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask(1972)

    as Dr. Doug Ross

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Scarecrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Lord Ravensbane

  • The Electric Company(1971)

    Show 780 episodes · as Letterman (voice)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory(1971)

    as Willy Wonka

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx(1970)

    as Quackser Fortune

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Start the Revolution Without Me(1970)

    as Claude / Philippe

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Producers(1967)

    as Leo Bloom

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Bonnie and Clyde(1967)

    as Eugene Grizzard

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Death of a Salesman(1966)

    as Bernard

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The DuPont Show of the Week (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Muller · as Reporter

  • The Defenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Waiter

  • My French Amore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Novel

  • Very Young Frankenstein (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Original Film Writer

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 42 titles, 40 of them dated from 1961 to 2013; peak year 1975.

Biggest box office

Blazing Saddles (1974)

$120M worldwide

Highest rated

Young Frankenstein (1974)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

The Woman in Red (1984)

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutNomination
19612013

Peak 1975 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 12 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 1 more milestone

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting40 of 42: 31 only acting, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score64thDirecting5 of 42: 0 only directing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score37thWriting10 of 42: 2 only writing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score45thProducing1 of 42: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

42 titles, 9 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 8 of them.

By decade

1960s5 · acting1970s17 · 17 acting · 3 crew1980s6 · 6 acting · 4 crew1990s8 · 8 acting · 2 crew2000s3 · acting2010s1 · acting

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 55% of 20 roles
6777

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy from 6 major nominations, 1969–2003.

WinNomination
  1. 2003
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
  2. 1977
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  3. 1975
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Screenplay Adapted From Other Material
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Comedy Adapted from Another Medium
  4. 1972
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  5. 1969
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Gene Wilder's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 29; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 68th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Approval · how many liked their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Reach · how many have seen their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Acts of Love and Other Comedies (1973)

89th percentile spread · 23% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, writer

Young Frankenstein (1974)

Midcredits 97th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 26 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Gene Wilder's work okay for kids?

Across up to 11 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films and violence & gore and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore10 titles16–59 · median 31 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles27–55 · median 45 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity9 titles11–76 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles28–40 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense9 titles3–55 · median 22 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Gene Wilder work with?

People who share at least 2 of Gene Wilder's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Morris shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles