Get All Access for $5/mo

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

By Entrepreneur Staff

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.

Entrepreneur Staff

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor

For more than 30 years, Entrepreneur has set the course for success for millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners. We'll teach you the secrets of the winners and give you exactly what you need to lay the groundwork for success.

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

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Business News

A Former Corporate Lawyer Now Makes Six Figures on YouTube — Here's How She Does It

Here are the secrets to starting and growing a successful YouTube channel, according to a YouTuber with millions of subscribers.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Growing a Business

How to Determine The Ideal Length of Your Marketing Emails Your Customers Will Actually Read

Wondering how long your marketing emails should be? Here's what consumers say — so you can send them exactly what they like.

Business News

Y Combinator Helped Launch Reddit, Airbnb and Dropbox. Here's What I Learned From Its Free Startup School.

The famed startup accelerator offers a free course on building a business — and answers five pressing questions for founders.