Get All Access for $5/mo

Gene Wilder's Greatest Quotes The amazing entertainer has died at the age of 83.

By Dan Bova

Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Gene Wilder, the hilarious star of classics such as Blazing Saddles, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Young Frankenstein, died today at the age of 83. The cause of death was complications from Alzheimer's disease, family members say.

Mel Brooks, who directed Wilder in some of his most memorable roles, tweeted this sweet remembrance:

Wilder has 37 acting credits on his IMDb page. Here are just a few of the lines that you really need to hear come out of his mouth to appreciate.

"Invention, my dear friends, is 93 percent perspiration, 6 percent electricity, 4 percent evaporation and 2 percent butterscotch ripple." -- Willy Wonka (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory)

"The suspense is terrible... I hope it'll last." -- Willy Wonka (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory)

"So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it. Thank you." -- Willy Wonka (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory)

"Well, my name is Jim, but most people call me... Jim." -- Jim (Blazing Saddles)

"What did you expect? 'Welcome, sonny'? 'Make yourself at home'? 'Marry my daughter'? You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons." -- Jim (Blazing Saddles)

"No, it's pronounced 'Fronkensteen.'" -- Dr. Frankenstein (Young Frankenstein)

"Put the candle back!" -- Dr. Frankenstein (Young Frankenstein)

"I'm not going to the toilet, I'm going to showbiz!" -- Leo Bloom (The Producers)

"I want a bigger cell! With better ventilation!" -- Skip Donahue (Stir Crazy)

And the most classic of them all... Rest in peace, Mr. Wilder.
Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia Zone, Road & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf. 

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Most Popular

See all
Starting a Business

How to Connect With Buyers and Get Your Products on Store Shelves, According to the Founder of Daring and Cadence

Ross MacKay, founder and original CEO of the plant-based food company Daring Foods and co-founder of performance beverage brand Cadence, shares the strategies that have landed his products in over 40,000 stores nationwide.

By Dan Bova
Devices

Maintain Professional Boundaries with a Second Phone Number for $25

Keep your business and personal communications separate with Hushed—and save an extra $5 for a limited time.

By StackCommerce
Growing a Business

Entertainer and Entrepreneur Kevin Hart Talks His New Tequila Launch: 'We Put in the Blood, Sweat, Tears and Energy'

The comedian's tequila company Gran Coramino just launched a new Reposado

By Robert Tuchman
Growing a Business

Being a Good Manager Isn't Enough — Here Are 5 Leadership Skills That Will Keep Your Employees Around

The article outlines five key leadership skills — engagement culture, effective staffing strategies, AI utilization, shared team reality, and work-life balance — that can improve team performance and reduce turnover, fostering sustainable growth and innovation.

By Pedro A. Barboglio Murra
Starting a Business

How to Find the Right Programmers: A Brief Guideline for Startup Founders

For startup founders under a plethora of challenges like timing, investors and changing market demand, it is extremely hard to hire programmers who can deliver.

By Vasily Voropaev
Starting a Business

'Wait, I Have to Pay to Donate to You?' How Nonprofits Are Flipping the Script With 'For Profit' Strategies to 10X Their Impact

Spiraling donations and outdated dogmas around fundraising and operating costs have left many charities struggling to stay afloat. Some are trying new strategies to make money.

By Liz Brody