Vale Gene Wilder

Jerome Silberman (Gene Wilder) (11 June 1933 to 29 August 2016)

He was a great understated comedy star, a master of timing and amplified understatement.

Best moments: as a very overheated Dr Frankenstein (make sure you pronounce that correctly) in Young Frankenstein; a great 2nd banana in Blazing Saddles, a superb put-upon pie in The Producers (“I fell on my keys”) and Rhinoceros, and an agreeable leading man in The Silver Streak, as well as in good work in many other films and TV productions [check out his great work as Bernard in the late 60s Death of a Salesman, or his seminally creepy Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)].

He gets The Varnished Culture’s Walk in the Green Lane of Paradise Award for this moment from Blazing Saddles: