Gilda Radner and Gene Wilder in 1984.Photo:MYCHELE DANIAU / AFPA new documentary on Gene Wilder’s life and career is revisiting the legendary actor’s marriage toSaturday Night Livestar Gilda Radner.Remembering Gene Wilderdives into Wilder’s childhood in Wisconsin and creative partnership withMel Brooks. The documentary also shares insights into his relationship with Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989 at age 42. Wilder himselfdied at 83 in 2016.“The day Gilda and I met, I was in my makeup and dressed in a tuxedo when I walked up to her to say hello,” Wilder shares in the film, which utilizes narration from the actor’s 2006 memoirKiss Me Like a Stranger. The couple met while making the 1982 movieHanky Pankywith directorSidney Poitier. Screenwriter Alan Zweibel, a friend of both Wilder and Radner, recalls in the documentary that Radner was unhappy in her marriage toSaturday Night Livebandleader G.E. Smith at that time.“When she told me that she’s becoming very friendly with Gene Wilder — very friendly, alright — that was a euphemism for ‘I’m going to end up with Gene Wilder,'” he says.The Remembering Gene Wilder movie poster.Kino LorberRadner and Wilder married on Sept. 18, 1984, in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France. As both Robin and Alan Zweibel claim in the documentary, Wilder helped the actress recover from substance abuse issues and eating disorders once they began living together in Los Angeles. Brooks, 97, recalls that he and his wife Anne Bancroft often dined out with Wilder and Radner, saying, “We were best friends, it was wonderful.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Gilda Radner and Gene Wilder during a 1984 interview.Ted Dully/The Boston Globe via Getty"Gilda was the most generous and compassionate and original person I had ever met,” Wilder says in the documentary’s narration. “It was wonderful to be with Gilda, most of the time. She was so strong-willed and yet so fragile.“As Robin remembers in the documentary, some time after her and Wilder’s wedding, Radner experienced an ectopic pregnancy, which she described as “devastating” for the couple. The actress was diagnosed with ovarian cancer several months later.“There’s something mythological about somebody going through all of this, finding the love of their lives and then God saying, ‘Ha! You’re not going to enjoy this,’ " Alan says. He also recalls that Wilder “was terrific” in helping Radner through her illness.Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via GettyThe documentary shows footage of Wilder at a 2006 event at 92NY, saying he never really thought she would die from cancer. “I was stupid, because everyone else seemed to know, but I didn’t,” he remarked.Radner died on May 20, 1989. Wilder “buried her in front of a tall white ash tree three miles from her home in Connecticut,” as he recounts in the documentary.“I used to worry all my early life about being good enough to please God. Gilda didn’t think about those things; she was just naturally good,” he adds. “I don’t want to be a better person than Gilda — she was just human. And that’s all I want to be — just human.“Remembering Gene Wilderis now playing in theaters in New York and Los Angeles and will soon expand to screens nationwide.
Gilda Radner and Gene Wilder in 1984.Photo:MYCHELE DANIAU / AFP
MYCHELE DANIAU / AFP
A new documentary on Gene Wilder’s life and career is revisiting the legendary actor’s marriage toSaturday Night Livestar Gilda Radner.Remembering Gene Wilderdives into Wilder’s childhood in Wisconsin and creative partnership withMel Brooks. The documentary also shares insights into his relationship with Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989 at age 42. Wilder himselfdied at 83 in 2016.“The day Gilda and I met, I was in my makeup and dressed in a tuxedo when I walked up to her to say hello,” Wilder shares in the film, which utilizes narration from the actor’s 2006 memoirKiss Me Like a Stranger. The couple met while making the 1982 movieHanky Pankywith directorSidney Poitier. Screenwriter Alan Zweibel, a friend of both Wilder and Radner, recalls in the documentary that Radner was unhappy in her marriage toSaturday Night Livebandleader G.E. Smith at that time.“When she told me that she’s becoming very friendly with Gene Wilder — very friendly, alright — that was a euphemism for ‘I’m going to end up with Gene Wilder,'” he says.The Remembering Gene Wilder movie poster.Kino LorberRadner and Wilder married on Sept. 18, 1984, in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France. As both Robin and Alan Zweibel claim in the documentary, Wilder helped the actress recover from substance abuse issues and eating disorders once they began living together in Los Angeles. Brooks, 97, recalls that he and his wife Anne Bancroft often dined out with Wilder and Radner, saying, “We were best friends, it was wonderful.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Gilda Radner and Gene Wilder during a 1984 interview.Ted Dully/The Boston Globe via Getty"Gilda was the most generous and compassionate and original person I had ever met,” Wilder says in the documentary’s narration. “It was wonderful to be with Gilda, most of the time. She was so strong-willed and yet so fragile.“As Robin remembers in the documentary, some time after her and Wilder’s wedding, Radner experienced an ectopic pregnancy, which she described as “devastating” for the couple. The actress was diagnosed with ovarian cancer several months later.“There’s something mythological about somebody going through all of this, finding the love of their lives and then God saying, ‘Ha! You’re not going to enjoy this,’ " Alan says. He also recalls that Wilder “was terrific” in helping Radner through her illness.Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via GettyThe documentary shows footage of Wilder at a 2006 event at 92NY, saying he never really thought she would die from cancer. “I was stupid, because everyone else seemed to know, but I didn’t,” he remarked.Radner died on May 20, 1989. Wilder “buried her in front of a tall white ash tree three miles from her home in Connecticut,” as he recounts in the documentary.“I used to worry all my early life about being good enough to please God. Gilda didn’t think about those things; she was just naturally good,” he adds. “I don’t want to be a better person than Gilda — she was just human. And that’s all I want to be — just human.“Remembering Gene Wilderis now playing in theaters in New York and Los Angeles and will soon expand to screens nationwide.
A new documentary on Gene Wilder’s life and career is revisiting the legendary actor’s marriage toSaturday Night Livestar Gilda Radner.
Remembering Gene Wilderdives into Wilder’s childhood in Wisconsin and creative partnership withMel Brooks. The documentary also shares insights into his relationship with Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989 at age 42. Wilder himselfdied at 83 in 2016.
“The day Gilda and I met, I was in my makeup and dressed in a tuxedo when I walked up to her to say hello,” Wilder shares in the film, which utilizes narration from the actor’s 2006 memoirKiss Me Like a Stranger. The couple met while making the 1982 movieHanky Pankywith directorSidney Poitier. Screenwriter Alan Zweibel, a friend of both Wilder and Radner, recalls in the documentary that Radner was unhappy in her marriage toSaturday Night Livebandleader G.E. Smith at that time.
“When she told me that she’s becoming very friendly with Gene Wilder — very friendly, alright — that was a euphemism for ‘I’m going to end up with Gene Wilder,'” he says.
The Remembering Gene Wilder movie poster.Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber
Radner and Wilder married on Sept. 18, 1984, in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France. As both Robin and Alan Zweibel claim in the documentary, Wilder helped the actress recover from substance abuse issues and eating disorders once they began living together in Los Angeles. Brooks, 97, recalls that he and his wife Anne Bancroft often dined out with Wilder and Radner, saying, “We were best friends, it was wonderful.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Gilda Radner and Gene Wilder during a 1984 interview.Ted Dully/The Boston Globe via Getty
Ted Dully/The Boston Globe via Getty
“Gilda was the most generous and compassionate and original person I had ever met,” Wilder says in the documentary’s narration. “It was wonderful to be with Gilda, most of the time. She was so strong-willed and yet so fragile.”
As Robin remembers in the documentary, some time after her and Wilder’s wedding, Radner experienced an ectopic pregnancy, which she described as “devastating” for the couple. The actress was diagnosed with ovarian cancer several months later.
“There’s something mythological about somebody going through all of this, finding the love of their lives and then God saying, ‘Ha! You’re not going to enjoy this,’ " Alan says. He also recalls that Wilder “was terrific” in helping Radner through her illness.
Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
The documentary shows footage of Wilder at a 2006 event at 92NY, saying he never really thought she would die from cancer. “I was stupid, because everyone else seemed to know, but I didn’t,” he remarked.
Radner died on May 20, 1989. Wilder “buried her in front of a tall white ash tree three miles from her home in Connecticut,” as he recounts in the documentary.
“I used to worry all my early life about being good enough to please God. Gilda didn’t think about those things; she was just naturally good,” he adds. “I don’t want to be a better person than Gilda — she was just human. And that’s all I want to be — just human.”
Remembering Gene Wilderis now playing in theaters in New York and Los Angeles and will soon expand to screens nationwide.
source: people.com
