After his wife Gilda Radner died of ovarian cancer, Gene co-founded Gilda's Club, a support group to raise awareness of the disease.
Campaigned with Elaine May and Renée Taylor for Eugene McCarthy, Allard Lowenstein and Paul O'Dwyer, 1968.
Graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Has been a staunch liberal Democrat for many years, and was staunchly against the Vietnam War. He is now against the War in Iraq.
He adopted Mary Joan Schutz's daughter, Katharine Anastasia, but became estranged from her when she was in her early twenties.
He claims that before Mel Brooks recruited him, he regarded himself as more of a dramatic than a comedic actor.
His performance as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein ("that's FRONKensteen") in Young Frankenstein (1974) is ranked #9 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).
His performance as Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) is ranked #38 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
Is a life long brother of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity.
Made a full recovery from Cancer in 2000.
Played a man wrongly accused of committing a crime in five movies: Silver Streak (1976), The Frisco Kid (1979), Stir Crazy (1980), Hanky Panky (1982), and See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989).
Says he picked the name 'Gene Wilder' because he couldn't see a 'Jerry Silberman' playing Hamlet. He admits now that he can't see 'Gene Wilder' playing Hamlet either.
Served with U.S. Army, 1956-58.
Starred with Richard Pryor in four movies: Silver Streak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989), and Another You (1991).
Treated his cancer with an adult stem-cell treatment.
Uncle of director-screenwriter Jordan Walker-Pearlman.
Was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and is undergoing chemotherapy. [1999]
When he chose his stage name, he chose "Wilder" because he loved Thornton Wilder's play "Our Town". The name "Gene" he chose simply because he liked it, not realizing until later it was because his mother's name was Jeanne (she was sick for most of his childhood, and he spent much of his time entertaining her as a kid to keep her happy and her spirits up. He subconsciously chose the name because he loved her so much and in honour of her).
While serving in the U.S. Army, he was assigned as a Medic to the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at Valley Forge General Hospital in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. He worked in treating psychiatric patients.