Hollywood superstar Gene Wilder, the star of classics such as “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein” and more, died on Monday at the age of 83 due to complications from Alzeimer’s disease.
According to his agent, Wilder had kept his condition secret to protect the innocence of his young fans, who still called out “there’s Willy Wonka,” when they saw him. He did not want them to have to ask questions about his illness.
The legendary actor is survived by a daughter, Katharine, whom he adopted in 1967 when he married her mother, Mary Joan Schutz.
