1
00:00:08,251 --> 00:00:12,041
<i>♪ Come with me and you'll be</i>

2
00:00:12,042 --> 00:00:15,834
<i>in a world
of pure imagination ♪</i>

3
00:00:16,916 --> 00:00:20,084
<i>He was a combination
of innocence and danger.</i>

4
00:00:20,085 --> 00:00:21,499
- Champagne?
- You didn't know

5
00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:22,916
what Gene Wilder was gonna do.

6
00:00:24,458 --> 00:00:27,333
<i>He was an actor
who had an ability...</i>

7
00:00:27,334 --> 00:00:30,041
...to be funny.

8
00:00:30,499 --> 00:00:31,415
Hello!

9
00:00:34,125 --> 00:00:35,791
<i>He's naive,
he's innocent.</i>

10
00:00:35,792 --> 00:00:36,708
Oops.

11
00:00:36,709 --> 00:00:39,541
He's sweet,
simple, and honest.

12
00:00:39,542 --> 00:00:42,375
But when he got excited,
he was a volcano.

13
00:00:42,376 --> 00:00:45,374
Life!

14
00:00:45,375 --> 00:00:48,333
He had
a unique ability to find humor.

15
00:00:48,334 --> 00:00:50,083
I never thought
it could be like this.

16
00:00:50,084 --> 00:00:51,375
In anything.

17
00:00:52,834 --> 00:00:54,207
I'm wet!

18
00:00:54,208 --> 00:00:57,103
You'll never find
another Gene Wilder.

19
00:00:57,104 --> 00:01:00,000
<i>I didn't
think Jerry Silberman</i>

20
00:01:00,001 --> 00:01:01,500
<i>had the right ring to it.</i>

21
00:01:02,458 --> 00:01:05,833
<i>I wanted to be... Wilder.</i>

22
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,082
<i>Suppose you're walking
out of the Plaza Hotel</i>

23
00:01:32,083 --> 00:01:35,165
<i>in New York City
on a warm spring day.</i>

24
00:01:35,166 --> 00:01:38,124
<i>You want to go directly across
the street to Fifth Avenue,</i>

25
00:01:38,125 --> 00:01:41,083
<i>but the Plaza fountain
is directly in your path.</i>

26
00:01:42,583 --> 00:01:43,665
<i>You can get to Fifth Avenue</i>

27
00:01:43,666 --> 00:01:45,353
<i>by walking around the fountain</i>

28
00:01:45,354 --> 00:01:47,040
<i>on the path to your left,</i>

29
00:01:47,041 --> 00:01:50,040
<i>or by taking
the path to your right.</i>

30
00:01:50,041 --> 00:01:53,458
<i>I believe that
whichever choice you make</i>

31
00:01:53,459 --> 00:01:55,665
<i>could change your life.</i>

32
00:01:55,666 --> 00:01:56,707
<i>I'm sure everyone has had</i>

33
00:01:56,708 --> 00:01:59,499
<i>these mysterious
brushes with irony,</i>

34
00:01:59,500 --> 00:02:03,208
<i>perhaps referring to them
years later as "almost fate."</i>

35
00:02:07,708 --> 00:02:09,875
<i>January, 1963.</i>

36
00:02:12,250 --> 00:02:14,082
<i>Jerome Robbins
was going to direct</i>

37
00:02:14,083 --> 00:02:17,500
<i>Bertolt Brecht's play</i>
Mother Courage <i>on Broadway</i>

38
00:02:17,501 --> 00:02:20,249
<i>with Anne Bancroft as the star.</i>

39
00:02:20,250 --> 00:02:22,124
<i>Fate must be working its magic,</i>

40
00:02:22,125 --> 00:02:25,000
<i>because if he hadn't
miscast me in</i> Mother Courage,

41
00:02:25,001 --> 00:02:27,145
<i>I wouldn't have met
Anne Bancroft.</i>

42
00:02:27,146 --> 00:02:29,290
<i>If I hadn't met Anne Bancroft,</i>

43
00:02:29,291 --> 00:02:31,749
<i>I wouldn't have met Mel Brooks.</i>

44
00:02:31,750 --> 00:02:34,207
<i>If I hadn't met Mel Brooks,</i>

45
00:02:34,208 --> 00:02:35,832
<i>I would probably be a patient</i>

46
00:02:35,833 --> 00:02:37,999
<i>in some
neuropsychiatric hospital</i>

47
00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,166
<i>looking through the bars
of a physical therapy window</i>

48
00:02:41,167 --> 00:02:43,228
<i>as I made wallets.</i>

49
00:02:48,041 --> 00:02:50,416
<i>We opened previews
at the Martin Beck Theatre</i>

50
00:02:50,417 --> 00:02:53,082
<i>to a packed house.</i>

51
00:02:53,083 --> 00:02:55,250
<i>Anne Bancroft's boyfriend
came to pick her up</i>

52
00:02:55,251 --> 00:02:57,415
<i>each night after the show.</i>

53
00:02:57,416 --> 00:03:00,186
<i>The boyfriend's name
was Mel Brooks.</i>

54
00:03:00,187 --> 00:03:02,958
We were
heavily engaged

55
00:03:02,959 --> 00:03:05,124
and heavily in love.

56
00:03:05,125 --> 00:03:11,458
{\an8}She kept telling me
about this weird, strange,

57
00:03:11,459 --> 00:03:14,541
very talented guy in the cast...

58
00:03:15,708 --> 00:03:19,207
...who had innocence,
blessed with innocence,

59
00:03:19,208 --> 00:03:23,249
and she knew that I was
writing a rough draft of...

60
00:03:23,250 --> 00:03:26,437
then it was called
<i>Springtime for Hitler.</i>

61
00:03:26,438 --> 00:03:29,624
Later I changed it
to <i>The Producers.</i>

62
00:03:29,625 --> 00:03:33,353
And she knew that I had
this character, Leo Bloom,

63
00:03:33,354 --> 00:03:37,083
and she said, "I think
he's Leo Bloom on the hoof,

64
00:03:37,084 --> 00:03:39,124
he's right there, he's...

65
00:03:39,125 --> 00:03:41,166
He's naive, he's innocent."

66
00:03:43,958 --> 00:03:45,457
So I saw the show,

67
00:03:45,458 --> 00:03:47,041
and I kept watching it
every night,

68
00:03:47,042 --> 00:03:48,625
and I agreed
with her and I said,

69
00:03:48,626 --> 00:03:50,708
"That's my Leo Bloom."

70
00:03:50,709 --> 00:03:52,790
I want to meet him.

71
00:03:52,791 --> 00:03:56,874
I met him backstage
at the Martin Beck Theatre.

72
00:03:56,875 --> 00:03:58,791
<i>When I met
Mel for the first time,</i>

73
00:03:58,792 --> 00:04:00,790
<i>he was wearing
a black pea jacket,</i>

74
00:04:00,791 --> 00:04:04,250
<i>it was the kind made famous
by the Merchant Marines.</i>

75
00:04:04,251 --> 00:04:06,708
So he said, "That's a pea coat."

76
00:04:06,709 --> 00:04:08,000
And I... you know, and...

77
00:04:09,250 --> 00:04:12,083
the Borscht Belt comic
in me said,

78
00:04:12,084 --> 00:04:14,729
"No, no, that's too vulgar.

79
00:04:14,730 --> 00:04:17,374
I call it a urine coat."

80
00:04:17,375 --> 00:04:19,708
And he really grabbed his belly

81
00:04:19,709 --> 00:04:22,415
and really laughed.

82
00:04:22,416 --> 00:04:24,332
I immediately
fell in love with him.

83
00:04:24,333 --> 00:04:28,375
You get a terrific
real laugh out of somebody.

84
00:04:28,376 --> 00:04:30,291
And Gene was a great laugher.

85
00:04:32,916 --> 00:04:35,166
<i>Despite Anne's
Academy Award that year</i>

86
00:04:35,167 --> 00:04:37,165
<i>for</i> The Miracle Worker,

87
00:04:37,166 --> 00:04:39,583
Mother Courage <i>closed
after three months.</i>

88
00:04:45,083 --> 00:04:47,624
<i>Mel asked if I would like
to spend a weekend</i>

89
00:04:47,625 --> 00:04:50,165
<i>with him and Anne
on Fire Island.</i>

90
00:04:50,166 --> 00:04:51,957
<i>And I
invited him out</i>

91
00:04:51,958 --> 00:04:54,833
<i>to our house
on the beach for a weekend.</i>

92
00:04:55,791 --> 00:04:58,959
<i>After dinner, Mel
asked Anne and me to sit down,</i>

93
00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,166
<i>and then he began reading
the first three scenes</i>

94
00:05:01,167 --> 00:05:03,457
<i>of</i> Springtime for Hitler

95
00:05:03,458 --> 00:05:06,103
<i>almost verbatim as they
eventually appeared on screen.</i>

96
00:05:06,104 --> 00:05:08,750
<i>Gee, you could
make more money...</i>

97
00:05:08,751 --> 00:05:11,790
...with a flop
than he could with a hit.

98
00:05:11,791 --> 00:05:14,478
You keep saying that,
but you don't tell me how?

99
00:05:14,479 --> 00:05:17,165
How can a producer make
more money with a flop

100
00:05:17,166 --> 00:05:18,166
than he could with a hit?

101
00:05:18,167 --> 00:05:21,291
I read 37 pages,
that's all I had,

102
00:05:21,292 --> 00:05:23,249
introducing Leo Bloom fully.

103
00:05:23,250 --> 00:05:25,208
But you still look angry.

104
00:05:26,688 --> 00:05:28,166
How's this?

105
00:05:29,708 --> 00:05:30,999
Good.

106
00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:32,000
That's good.

107
00:05:33,250 --> 00:05:34,790
That's very nice.

108
00:05:34,791 --> 00:05:37,583
I thought I saw
a little tear run down his...

109
00:05:37,584 --> 00:05:39,937
"And you want me to play that?"

110
00:05:39,938 --> 00:05:43,197
I said, "Yes, I want you to play

111
00:05:43,198 --> 00:05:46,458
that simple,
beautiful, innocent,

112
00:05:46,459 --> 00:05:48,332
good-natured accountant."

113
00:05:50,521 --> 00:05:52,708
<i>I loved it.</i>

114
00:05:52,709 --> 00:05:54,125
<i>I said yes.</i>

115
00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:57,750
<i>I wondered,
"How can a few words</i>

116
00:05:57,751 --> 00:06:00,665
<i>change your life?"</i>

117
00:06:00,666 --> 00:06:03,375
You originally
were Jerry Silberman.

118
00:06:03,376 --> 00:06:05,332
Yes, and I think there's...

119
00:06:05,333 --> 00:06:08,625
somewhere inside
he's still there lurking around.

120
00:06:11,083 --> 00:06:12,958
<i>I used to be Jerry Silberman</i>

121
00:06:13,666 --> 00:06:15,603
<i>from Milwaukee.</i>

122
00:06:20,041 --> 00:06:21,540
<i>When I was eight years old,</i>

123
00:06:21,541 --> 00:06:23,708
<i>my mother had
her first heart attack.</i>

124
00:06:25,375 --> 00:06:27,582
<i>After my father brought her
home from the hospital,</i>

125
00:06:27,583 --> 00:06:30,333
<i>her heart specialist came
to see how she was doing.</i>

126
00:06:32,791 --> 00:06:36,583
<i>He grabbed my right arm
and whispered in my ear,</i>

127
00:06:36,584 --> 00:06:39,166
<i>"Don't ever argue
with your mother.</i>

128
00:06:39,167 --> 00:06:40,541
<i>You might kill her.</i>

129
00:06:41,958 --> 00:06:43,500
<i>Try to make her laugh."</i>

130
00:06:45,625 --> 00:06:48,582
If he hadn't said
those two sentences,

131
00:06:48,583 --> 00:06:51,541
I might have gone
into used car salesman

132
00:06:51,542 --> 00:06:53,207
or something like that.

133
00:06:53,208 --> 00:06:56,958
Or a concert violinist
or perhaps a painter.

134
00:06:58,958 --> 00:07:01,041
Well,
Aunt Jeanne was always ill,

135
00:07:01,042 --> 00:07:04,957
and Jerry just adored her.

136
00:07:04,958 --> 00:07:08,083
{\an8}He did try to be funny,
he tried to amuse her,

137
00:07:08,084 --> 00:07:11,457
{\an8}he tried to do things
to make her laugh.

138
00:07:11,458 --> 00:07:14,666
<i>I had thought
often about being a comedian.</i>

139
00:07:14,667 --> 00:07:17,875
<i>Mostly because I had seen
Danny Kaye in</i> Up in Arms.

140
00:07:22,833 --> 00:07:27,415
Danny Kaye was,
I think, very special to him.

141
00:07:27,416 --> 00:07:29,478
<i>And then
Jerry Lewis on television.</i>

142
00:07:29,479 --> 00:07:31,540
<i>Let's keep it
quiet, buddy.</i>

143
00:07:31,541 --> 00:07:33,583
<i>And then for me
the king of them all,</i>

144
00:07:33,584 --> 00:07:36,415
<i>was Sid Caesar
on</i> Your Show of Shows.

145
00:07:36,416 --> 00:07:39,290
<i>I did Jewish accents
and German accents.</i>

146
00:07:39,291 --> 00:07:41,353
<i>And I did make my mother laugh.</i>

147
00:07:41,354 --> 00:07:43,415
<i>Every once in a while,</i>

148
00:07:43,416 --> 00:07:44,957
<i>if I was
a little too successful,</i>

149
00:07:44,958 --> 00:07:47,082
<i>she'd run into
the bathroom squealing,</i>

150
00:07:47,083 --> 00:07:49,625
<i>"Oh, Jerry, now look
what you've made me do!"</i>

151
00:07:51,375 --> 00:07:53,957
She had
a wonderful sense of humor.

152
00:07:53,958 --> 00:07:56,541
I think Gene probably got
some of it from her.

153
00:07:57,708 --> 00:07:59,625
<i>And then
when I started acting...</i>

154
00:08:01,875 --> 00:08:03,957
<i>...she always thought
that I was good,</i>

155
00:08:03,958 --> 00:08:06,000
<i>and that gave me
the confidence to go on.</i>

156
00:08:06,001 --> 00:08:08,040
Sorry, sir.

157
00:08:08,041 --> 00:08:10,750
I think he loved
the stage best of all.

158
00:08:11,750 --> 00:08:13,375
He just belonged there.

159
00:08:16,791 --> 00:08:19,125
<i>I was asked
to take over Alan Arkin's role</i>

160
00:08:19,126 --> 00:08:21,166
<i>in</i> Luv <i>on Broadway.</i>

161
00:08:22,583 --> 00:08:23,624
<i>It had now been three years</i>

162
00:08:23,625 --> 00:08:25,874
<i>since I'd heard
from Mel Brooks.</i>

163
00:08:25,875 --> 00:08:27,750
<i>I'd given up hopes
of being Leo Bloom</i>

164
00:08:27,751 --> 00:08:29,333
<i>in</i> Springtime for Hitler.

165
00:08:31,207 --> 00:08:33,373
<i>I was taking off
my makeup one day</i>

166
00:08:33,374 --> 00:08:35,540
<i>when someone knocked
on my dressing room door.</i>

167
00:08:36,458 --> 00:08:38,750
<i>I opened the door...</i>

168
00:08:38,751 --> 00:08:40,290
<i>...and there was Mel.</i>

169
00:08:40,291 --> 00:08:43,374
<i>Mel said, "You don't think
I forgot, do you?"</i>

170
00:08:43,375 --> 00:08:45,958
<i>Then he introduced me
to the tall gentleman with him,</i>

171
00:08:45,959 --> 00:08:47,249
<i>Sidney Glazier,</i>

172
00:08:47,250 --> 00:08:50,375
<i>who was going to produce</i>
Springtime for Hitler.

173
00:08:50,376 --> 00:08:52,041
I met
Sidney Glazier,

174
00:08:52,042 --> 00:08:53,124
I gave him my script.

175
00:08:53,125 --> 00:08:54,915
He said,
"I don't wanna read it.

176
00:08:54,916 --> 00:08:56,082
Read it to me."

177
00:08:56,083 --> 00:08:56,999
And I began reading,

178
00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,000
and he was eating
a big tuna fish sandwich

179
00:09:00,001 --> 00:09:03,499
and a huge cup of coffee.

180
00:09:03,500 --> 00:09:05,500
And he'd sip the coffee,
and he'd eat,

181
00:09:05,501 --> 00:09:06,665
and he'd listen.

182
00:09:06,666 --> 00:09:08,749
And every once
in a while he'd smile.

183
00:09:08,750 --> 00:09:10,895
Once in a while
he'd laugh a little bit.

184
00:09:10,896 --> 00:09:13,041
And when I got
to the blue blanket scene...

185
00:09:13,042 --> 00:09:14,541
My blanket,
my blue blanket,

186
00:09:14,542 --> 00:09:16,145
give me my blue blanket!

187
00:09:17,750 --> 00:09:20,812
He spit the coffee
all over the office

188
00:09:20,813 --> 00:09:23,874
and he said,
"We gotta make this movie."

189
00:09:23,875 --> 00:09:26,040
<i>Mel started
talking as if we were</i>

190
00:09:26,041 --> 00:09:29,625
<i>just continuing
a conversation from yesterday.</i>

191
00:09:29,626 --> 00:09:31,582
<i>"Now, listen,
you know I love you,</i>

192
00:09:31,583 --> 00:09:33,291
<i>but Zero Mostel
is gonna play Bialystock,</i>

193
00:09:33,292 --> 00:09:34,999
<i>and I can't just
spring you on him</i>

194
00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,750
<i>because he's got approval
of anyone who plays Leo.</i>

195
00:09:37,751 --> 00:09:39,540
<i>So you gotta do
a reading with him</i>

196
00:09:39,541 --> 00:09:42,500
<i>just so he can see
for himself how good you are.</i>

197
00:09:44,541 --> 00:09:47,333
<i>The morning of the reading,
I was very nervous.</i>

198
00:09:47,334 --> 00:09:48,915
<i>If I don't get this part,</i>

199
00:09:48,916 --> 00:09:50,665
<i>I'll just be a good featured,</i>

200
00:09:50,666 --> 00:09:53,458
<i>maybe supporting actor
for the rest of my life.</i>

201
00:09:56,625 --> 00:09:58,415
<i>Mel opened the door
and gave me a hug.</i>

202
00:09:58,416 --> 00:10:01,249
<i>I could see Zero Mostel
in the background.</i>

203
00:10:01,250 --> 00:10:04,103
<i>And then Mel pulled me
into the office.</i>

204
00:10:04,104 --> 00:10:06,614
<i>This huge round
fantasy of a man</i>

205
00:10:06,615 --> 00:10:09,124
<i>came waltzing towards me.</i>

206
00:10:09,125 --> 00:10:10,520
<i>My heart was pounding so loud</i>

207
00:10:10,521 --> 00:10:11,916
<i>I thought he'd hear it.</i>

208
00:10:15,166 --> 00:10:17,082
Zero grabbed Gene,
bent him over,

209
00:10:17,083 --> 00:10:18,999
and kissed him
on the lips fully.

210
00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,249
And then turned to me
and said, "This is my Bloom."

211
00:10:22,250 --> 00:10:24,937
<i>All nervousness floated away.</i>

212
00:10:24,938 --> 00:10:27,625
<i>I think Zero did it
for that reason.</i>

213
00:10:28,500 --> 00:10:29,749
<i>I gave a good reading</i>

214
00:10:29,750 --> 00:10:32,416
<i>and was cast
in</i> Springtime for Hitler.

215
00:10:35,791 --> 00:10:38,124
Take one!

216
00:10:38,125 --> 00:10:40,039
<i>Filming on</i>
Springtime for Hitler

217
00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:41,040
<i>was to begin in May,</i>

218
00:10:41,041 --> 00:10:42,415
<i>but in the meantime,</i>

219
00:10:42,416 --> 00:10:43,999
<i>I was offered a small part</i>

220
00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,916
<i>in a movie called</i>
Bonnie and Clyde

221
00:10:47,041 --> 00:10:49,958
<i>starring Warren Beatty
and directed by Arthur Penn.</i>

222
00:10:51,458 --> 00:10:54,874
<i>The company was
already filming in Texas.</i>

223
00:10:54,875 --> 00:10:57,207
<i>I arrived in Dallas
and I went to the set.</i>

224
00:10:57,208 --> 00:10:59,750
<i>Arthur Penn introduced me
to the pretty young woman</i>

225
00:10:59,751 --> 00:11:02,312
<i>who would be playing
my fiancée.</i>

226
00:11:02,313 --> 00:11:04,874
<i>Her name was Evans Evans.</i>

227
00:11:04,875 --> 00:11:06,853
<i>We said hello and shook hands.</i>

228
00:11:06,854 --> 00:11:08,833
<i>The camera started rolling.</i>

229
00:11:11,250 --> 00:11:13,208
<i>The first scene started
with Evans and me</i>

230
00:11:13,209 --> 00:11:15,499
<i>kissing on her porch.</i>

231
00:11:15,500 --> 00:11:17,582
<i>A little strange
to start kissing someone</i>

232
00:11:17,583 --> 00:11:19,666
<i>you just met
two minutes earlier,</i>

233
00:11:19,667 --> 00:11:21,790
<i>but it was fun.</i>

234
00:11:21,791 --> 00:11:24,166
Say, isn't that
your car, Eugene?

235
00:11:24,875 --> 00:11:26,332
That's my car.

236
00:11:26,333 --> 00:11:29,790
<i>Arthur said, "Cut. Very good."</i>

237
00:11:29,791 --> 00:11:32,853
<i>And that was my introduction
to movie acting.</i>

238
00:11:32,854 --> 00:11:35,916
<i>Later, I'm riding
in the back of a car</i>

239
00:11:35,917 --> 00:11:37,457
<i>with the Barrow gang.</i>

240
00:11:37,458 --> 00:11:39,041
Maybe y'all oughta
join up with us?

241
00:11:42,125 --> 00:11:44,290
Oh, boy.

242
00:11:44,291 --> 00:11:47,000
It sure would be a surprise
to hear that back home.

243
00:11:47,001 --> 00:11:48,958
Hey, what do you do anyhow?

244
00:11:50,541 --> 00:11:51,625
I'm an undertaker.

245
00:11:57,041 --> 00:11:58,999
Get them out of here.

246
00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:00,540
<i>When filming was over,</i>

247
00:12:00,541 --> 00:12:03,040
<i>Arthur Penn told me that
he had never envisioned</i>

248
00:12:03,041 --> 00:12:05,311
<i>the part being played
the way I did it.</i>

249
00:12:05,312 --> 00:12:07,583
<i>He never imagined it
being funny.</i>

250
00:12:11,166 --> 00:12:13,832
<i>Zero Mostel had a car
and driver assigned to him</i>

251
00:12:13,833 --> 00:12:16,375
<i>when filming for</i>
Springtime for Hitler <i>began.</i>

252
00:12:17,958 --> 00:12:19,290
<i>He would pick me up
each morning</i>

253
00:12:19,291 --> 00:12:21,459
<i>in that we could travel
to work together.</i>

254
00:12:23,833 --> 00:12:26,020
<i>It was
a marriage made in heaven.</i>

255
00:12:26,021 --> 00:12:28,207
<i>They were just made
for each other.</i>

256
00:12:28,208 --> 00:12:30,791
I'm an honest man,
you don't understand.

257
00:12:30,792 --> 00:12:32,458
No, Bloom, you don't understand!

258
00:12:32,459 --> 00:12:34,125
This is fate, this is destiny,

259
00:12:34,126 --> 00:12:35,374
this is kismet!

260
00:12:35,375 --> 00:12:38,040
There's no avoiding it!

261
00:12:38,041 --> 00:12:41,375
<i>It was the first
movie I ever directed.</i>

262
00:12:41,376 --> 00:12:42,874
- A toast.
<i>- It was like</i>

263
00:12:42,875 --> 00:12:47,375
<i>getting into a big canoe
and gliding down the river.</i>

264
00:12:47,376 --> 00:12:49,500
<i>That's how easy
they made it for me.</i>

265
00:12:49,501 --> 00:12:51,040
I'm happy!

266
00:12:51,041 --> 00:12:53,541
And they did...
sometimes they ad-libbed stuff

267
00:12:53,542 --> 00:12:56,291
that was a lot better
than stuff I had written.

268
00:12:56,292 --> 00:12:57,708
But I was in heaven.

269
00:12:58,708 --> 00:12:59,790
<i>Joe Levine,</i>

270
00:12:59,791 --> 00:13:01,332
<i>the man who put up
half the budget</i>

271
00:13:01,333 --> 00:13:03,978
<i>and was going
to distribute the film</i>

272
00:13:03,979 --> 00:13:06,624
<i>went to
a screening room with Mel</i>

273
00:13:06,625 --> 00:13:09,124
<i>and saw the first
11 minutes of the dailies.</i>

274
00:13:09,125 --> 00:13:11,624
<i>Joe Levine
saw the dailies</i>

275
00:13:11,625 --> 00:13:14,665
<i>on the third day
with Bialystock and Bloom,</i>

276
00:13:14,666 --> 00:13:17,750
<i>the one in the hallway
where he's frightened</i>

277
00:13:17,751 --> 00:13:19,958
<i>and where he's just superb.</i>

278
00:13:19,959 --> 00:13:22,207
Speak to me, speak!

279
00:13:22,208 --> 00:13:24,686
- Why don't you speak?
- I'm scared, can't talk.

280
00:13:24,687 --> 00:13:27,166
He said,
"He's cute, he has curly hair,

281
00:13:27,167 --> 00:13:28,374
but I need a leading man.

282
00:13:28,375 --> 00:13:30,207
He's... he's a... a bit of a wimp.

283
00:13:30,208 --> 00:13:32,040
I'll give you another $10,000.

284
00:13:32,041 --> 00:13:34,500
Get somebody who looks
like a leading man."

285
00:13:34,501 --> 00:13:36,666
I said, "I don't want
a leading man!

286
00:13:36,667 --> 00:13:38,832
I want the opposite
of a leading man.

287
00:13:38,833 --> 00:13:41,707
I want somebody
who's afraid of the world,

288
00:13:41,708 --> 00:13:45,082
who retreats instead
of attacks like Bialystock."

289
00:13:45,083 --> 00:13:48,332
He said, "Get another guy
to play Leo Bloom."

290
00:13:48,333 --> 00:13:51,583
I said, and this is
the first time I said it,

291
00:13:51,584 --> 00:13:53,165
and at every single movie

292
00:13:53,166 --> 00:13:55,707
I said to the head
of the studio,

293
00:13:55,708 --> 00:13:58,249
"Yeah, you're right,
you got it."

294
00:13:58,250 --> 00:14:02,208
And never, ever did
what they wanted me to do.

295
00:14:04,583 --> 00:14:06,625
I started with Joe Levine.

296
00:14:06,626 --> 00:14:08,666
Gene Wilder is out!

297
00:14:09,750 --> 00:14:10,832
You'll see.

298
00:14:10,833 --> 00:14:13,561
Next week
I'll have somebody else.

299
00:14:13,562 --> 00:14:16,291
He left
the screening room happy.

300
00:14:18,208 --> 00:14:19,750
<i>We were
about to rehearse</i>

301
00:14:19,751 --> 00:14:22,540
<i>my big hysterical scene.</i>

302
00:14:22,541 --> 00:14:25,832
<i>I was anxious to see how Zero
and I would play it together.</i>

303
00:14:25,833 --> 00:14:29,125
<i>Mel never said "action"
like every other director.</i>

304
00:14:29,126 --> 00:14:30,958
<i>Mel said, "Go."</i>

305
00:14:32,291 --> 00:14:33,249
Oh...

306
00:14:33,250 --> 00:14:35,290
<i>And I gave it my all.</i>

307
00:14:35,291 --> 00:14:38,353
You miserable, cowardly,
wretched little caterpillar.

308
00:14:38,354 --> 00:14:41,416
You would normally be
a little afraid of Bialystock,

309
00:14:41,417 --> 00:14:44,707
who was a force,
who's a living force.

310
00:14:44,708 --> 00:14:48,625
He was just a ton of flesh,
a crescendo of humanity.

311
00:14:48,626 --> 00:14:49,582
...glory!

312
00:14:49,583 --> 00:14:51,083
You're gonna jump on me.

313
00:14:51,084 --> 00:14:52,084
Huh?

314
00:14:52,085 --> 00:14:53,041
You're gonna jump on me,

315
00:14:53,042 --> 00:14:55,416
I know you're gonna jump on me!

316
00:14:55,417 --> 00:14:57,541
<i>This giant hulk of a man</i>

317
00:14:57,542 --> 00:15:00,124
<i>is now making
all these strange gestures</i>

318
00:15:00,125 --> 00:15:02,708
<i>and might possibly
pounce on me.</i>

319
00:15:02,709 --> 00:15:03,667
Please don't jump on me!

320
00:15:03,668 --> 00:15:04,832
I'm not gonna jump!

321
00:15:08,416 --> 00:15:09,999
Will you get a hold of yourself?

322
00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:11,583
Don't touch me,
don't touch me!

323
00:15:11,584 --> 00:15:13,499
He could scare you.

324
00:15:13,500 --> 00:15:16,999
And, uh, he scared Gene,
and Gene was timid.

325
00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,041
<i>I think
what connects Leo Bloom</i>

326
00:15:19,042 --> 00:15:21,916
<i>to me and to the audience
is fear.</i>

327
00:15:21,917 --> 00:15:23,457
I'm hysterical!

328
00:15:23,458 --> 00:15:24,749
Just the fear

329
00:15:24,750 --> 00:15:27,166
that he goes
through life carrying.

330
00:15:27,167 --> 00:15:28,540
What comes across

331
00:15:28,541 --> 00:15:31,833
{\an8}is this intense humanity, right,

332
00:15:31,834 --> 00:15:33,790
{\an8}this authenticity

333
00:15:33,791 --> 00:15:36,416
that Gene brings out
of Leo Bloom.

334
00:15:38,541 --> 00:15:40,207
<i>When the scene was over,</i>

335
00:15:40,208 --> 00:15:42,249
<i>the whole crew
laughed and applauded.</i>

336
00:15:42,250 --> 00:15:45,291
<i>I was worn out
and a little hoarse,</i>

337
00:15:45,292 --> 00:15:48,332
<i>but the scene went very well.</i>

338
00:15:48,333 --> 00:15:51,833
Joe Levine,
who said I had to take out Gene,

339
00:15:51,834 --> 00:15:54,687
we kept him away from
the dailies so he never knew

340
00:15:54,688 --> 00:15:57,176
that Gene would come in
every day and work it.

341
00:15:57,177 --> 00:15:59,358
Finally, I said,
"He's done half the picture.

342
00:15:59,359 --> 00:16:01,541
It would cost us too much money
to replace him."

343
00:16:01,542 --> 00:16:02,791
"Yeah, yeah, all right."

344
00:16:05,125 --> 00:16:07,291
<i>We were at
the Lincoln Center fountain</i>

345
00:16:07,292 --> 00:16:08,582
<i>on the last day of filming,</i>

346
00:16:08,583 --> 00:16:11,082
<i>waiting for the sun to go down.</i>

347
00:16:11,083 --> 00:16:13,833
I said to the guy
running the fountain at...

348
00:16:13,834 --> 00:16:16,415
at Lincoln Center, I said,

349
00:16:16,416 --> 00:16:18,250
I said, "It goes up
to 12 or 15 feet.

350
00:16:18,251 --> 00:16:19,415
Can you get it up to 20?"

351
00:16:19,416 --> 00:16:21,750
He says,
"I can get it up to 50."

352
00:16:21,751 --> 00:16:24,499
I said, "Go for broke."

353
00:16:24,500 --> 00:16:26,833
<i>When the sun
finally went down,</i>

354
00:16:26,834 --> 00:16:28,458
<i>the cameras started rolling.</i>

355
00:16:28,459 --> 00:16:30,083
I'll do it!

356
00:16:31,208 --> 00:16:33,541
<i>And the fountain was turned on,</i>

357
00:16:33,542 --> 00:16:35,750
<i>in the film and in my life.</i>

358
00:16:37,875 --> 00:16:42,250
And we finished the movie
right on that... on that night.

359
00:16:43,375 --> 00:16:45,958
That was a miraculous moment.

360
00:16:47,666 --> 00:16:49,541
<i>I was sad
that the film was ending,</i>

361
00:16:49,542 --> 00:16:51,540
<i>of course, but also very happy.</i>

362
00:16:51,541 --> 00:16:53,936
<i>And I knew that I'd been
part of a unique film,</i>

363
00:16:53,937 --> 00:16:56,333
<i>working with
the two most unusual people</i>

364
00:16:56,334 --> 00:16:57,707
<i>I had ever met.</i>

365
00:16:57,708 --> 00:16:59,165
<i>The outrageousness,</i>

366
00:16:59,166 --> 00:17:01,666
<i>the complete audacity
of Zero and Mel</i>

367
00:17:01,667 --> 00:17:03,603
<i>remains with me.</i>

368
00:17:08,958 --> 00:17:11,458
The movie that
really launched you, as it were,

369
00:17:11,459 --> 00:17:13,895
that was a character
that held in the anger, too,

370
00:17:13,896 --> 00:17:16,333
and that suddenly
would burst out into manic...

371
00:17:16,334 --> 00:17:18,166
- Explosion.
- Was that you?

372
00:17:18,167 --> 00:17:19,395
Yes, that was me.

373
00:17:19,396 --> 00:17:20,625
It was a part of me.

374
00:17:21,916 --> 00:17:23,832
When my mother was suffering,

375
00:17:23,833 --> 00:17:26,832
the doctor set off
something terrible in me,

376
00:17:26,833 --> 00:17:29,874
because "don't ever argue
with your mother"

377
00:17:29,875 --> 00:17:32,832
inhibited me
from getting angry with anyone

378
00:17:32,833 --> 00:17:35,791
and holding it all in,
and that's poison.

379
00:17:37,625 --> 00:17:39,374
No child should ever be told,

380
00:17:39,375 --> 00:17:42,375
"Don't argue with your mother,
you might kill her."

381
00:17:42,376 --> 00:17:45,958
That is an unbelievably
heavy burden to carry.

382
00:17:47,455 --> 00:17:48,457
<i>I felt a rage</i>

383
00:17:48,458 --> 00:17:51,500
<i>that I didn't
or couldn't express,</i>

384
00:17:51,501 --> 00:17:53,250
<i>except through acting.</i>

385
00:17:54,958 --> 00:17:58,582
He started acting
in high school plays.

386
00:17:58,583 --> 00:18:02,125
And then Gene was with
the Milwaukee Players.

387
00:18:03,916 --> 00:18:06,957
He was always the lead.

388
00:18:06,958 --> 00:18:08,916
We'd go to rehearsals together.

389
00:18:10,375 --> 00:18:13,062
And he just came and got me so...
take me with him.

390
00:18:13,063 --> 00:18:15,750
<i>Being
on stage was a thing</i>

391
00:18:15,751 --> 00:18:17,375
<i>that saved me from myself.</i>

392
00:18:18,958 --> 00:18:21,000
<i>When I was in a play,
I was safe.</i>

393
00:18:27,166 --> 00:18:32,375
<i>I was drafted into the Army
on September 10th, 1956.</i>

394
00:18:32,376 --> 00:18:33,540
<i>At the end of basic training,</i>

395
00:18:33,541 --> 00:18:35,311
<i>I was assigned
to the medical corps</i>

396
00:18:35,312 --> 00:18:37,405
<i>at the neuropsychiatric
hospital</i>

397
00:18:37,406 --> 00:18:39,499
<i>in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.</i>

398
00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:43,041
Patients were all going
through psychotic phases.

399
00:18:43,042 --> 00:18:45,707
I saw their behavior.

400
00:18:45,708 --> 00:18:48,333
I thought that would be
the closest to acting

401
00:18:48,334 --> 00:18:49,916
that would help me later on.

402
00:18:49,917 --> 00:18:51,165
Rowers, keep on rowing!

403
00:18:51,166 --> 00:18:53,457
<i>I wasn't wrong.</i>

404
00:18:53,458 --> 00:18:56,749
And they're
certainly not showing

405
00:18:56,750 --> 00:19:00,041
any signs that they are slowing!

406
00:19:03,791 --> 00:19:06,416
{\an8}It's really tough for me to pick
my favorite Gene Wilder film

407
00:19:06,417 --> 00:19:08,916
{\an8}because so many of them
were so great.

408
00:19:12,250 --> 00:19:14,916
But I have to say that
Willy Wonka's my favorite

409
00:19:14,917 --> 00:19:18,625
because what Gene
was able to do on camera.

410
00:19:19,875 --> 00:19:21,999
That was so attractive.

411
00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,375
That was so charismatic
and becoming.

412
00:19:25,376 --> 00:19:26,790
I'm so glad you could come.

413
00:19:26,791 --> 00:19:28,958
This is going to be
such an exciting day.

414
00:19:28,959 --> 00:19:30,416
I hope you enjoy it.

415
00:19:31,291 --> 00:19:32,957
I think you will.

416
00:19:32,958 --> 00:19:35,250
And now would you please
show me your golden tickets?

417
00:19:35,251 --> 00:19:37,333
- Charlie Bucket.
- Well, well, Charlie Bucket.

418
00:19:37,334 --> 00:19:38,750
I read all about you
in the papers.

419
00:19:38,751 --> 00:19:40,041
I'm so happy for you.

420
00:19:41,333 --> 00:19:43,166
I was
in fourth grade

421
00:19:44,416 --> 00:19:46,207
{\an8}in Shaker Heights, Ohio,

422
00:19:46,208 --> 00:19:47,999
{\an8}and the Cleveland Playhouse

423
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,375
{\an8}has a very active
children's theater.

424
00:19:51,791 --> 00:19:53,332
It's got a nice résumé.

425
00:19:53,333 --> 00:19:56,478
Joel Grey came from
the Cleveland Playhouse.

426
00:19:56,479 --> 00:19:59,625
Margaret Hamilton,
Wicked Witch of the West.

427
00:20:01,041 --> 00:20:03,332
It was a good place to learn,

428
00:20:03,333 --> 00:20:05,624
good place to start for me.

429
00:20:05,625 --> 00:20:07,833
When they were
casting Willy Wonka,

430
00:20:07,834 --> 00:20:09,291
that was one of the theaters

431
00:20:09,292 --> 00:20:11,165
that they called.

432
00:20:11,166 --> 00:20:13,790
So my name was given to them.

433
00:20:13,791 --> 00:20:16,416
They had me do a screen test.

434
00:20:16,417 --> 00:20:17,457
I was nobody.

435
00:20:17,458 --> 00:20:19,458
I didn't have a large résumé.

436
00:20:19,459 --> 00:20:21,666
This was just like a lark.

437
00:20:21,667 --> 00:20:23,832
It was fun.

438
00:20:23,833 --> 00:20:25,165
If I didn't get the part,

439
00:20:25,166 --> 00:20:27,958
there was... there weren't
any hard feelings, you know?

440
00:20:29,416 --> 00:20:31,915
Months later,
Mel Stuart, the director,

441
00:20:31,916 --> 00:20:35,958
finally called and talked
to my mother and said,

442
00:20:35,959 --> 00:20:38,875
"Hey, you got the role."

443
00:20:40,166 --> 00:20:41,874
I'm gonna be Charlie.

444
00:20:41,875 --> 00:20:45,208
"And you need to be
in Munich in like 10 days."

445
00:20:46,541 --> 00:20:49,186
{\an8}Casting was very important
in the...

446
00:20:49,187 --> 00:20:51,832
{\an8}but above all,
the casting of Wonka.

447
00:20:51,833 --> 00:20:54,916
One day I remember we were at
the Plaza Hotel in New York,

448
00:20:54,917 --> 00:20:56,499
we were casting there.

449
00:20:56,500 --> 00:20:58,082
Gene Wilder walks in.

450
00:20:58,083 --> 00:21:00,625
And I looked at him and I said,

451
00:21:00,626 --> 00:21:01,540
"Here's just a line.

452
00:21:01,541 --> 00:21:04,959
Would you read just a line
for us from the book?"

453
00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:05,960
And he reads it.

454
00:21:06,666 --> 00:21:08,000
And he says, "Okay."

455
00:21:08,001 --> 00:21:09,915
I said, "Okay."

456
00:21:09,916 --> 00:21:11,540
And he starts to walk out.

457
00:21:11,541 --> 00:21:15,833
And I went to the producer,
Dave Wolper, and I said,

458
00:21:15,834 --> 00:21:19,875
"No matter what happens,
he is Willy Wonka."

459
00:21:22,125 --> 00:21:25,416
<i>I wasn't sure if
I wanted to play Willy Wonka.</i>

460
00:21:25,417 --> 00:21:26,457
<i>The script was good,</i>

461
00:21:26,458 --> 00:21:28,832
<i>but there was something
that was bothering me.</i>

462
00:21:28,833 --> 00:21:31,541
<i>Mel Stuart asked me,
"What's bothering you?"</i>

463
00:21:31,542 --> 00:21:33,957
<i>It was my entrance walk.</i>

464
00:21:33,958 --> 00:21:35,707
I think in the script

465
00:21:35,708 --> 00:21:38,916
it was written as this
big, energetic entrance.

466
00:21:46,291 --> 00:21:49,833
But he wanted to come out
sort of hobbling with a cane,

467
00:21:50,666 --> 00:21:52,708
kind of hunched over.

468
00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,228
<i>Then Willy Wonka's
cane gets stuck in a brick.</i>

469
00:21:58,229 --> 00:22:01,458
And when Gene
came out and he's hobbling,

470
00:22:01,459 --> 00:22:04,082
and that's not what you expect,

471
00:22:04,083 --> 00:22:07,250
and then he falls
and does a somersault.

472
00:22:08,458 --> 00:22:12,040
That caught everybody
off... off guard.

473
00:22:12,041 --> 00:22:13,915
That was Gene's idea,
and I just thought

474
00:22:13,916 --> 00:22:15,791
it was so brilliant
because it was really important

475
00:22:15,792 --> 00:22:18,332
from the very first time
that you met him,

476
00:22:18,333 --> 00:22:21,666
you never know, is this guy,
you know, for real,

477
00:22:21,667 --> 00:22:23,228
or is he full of baloney?

478
00:22:23,229 --> 00:22:24,790
Right from the get-go,

479
00:22:24,791 --> 00:22:28,791
that was how
he was setting himself up

480
00:22:28,792 --> 00:22:30,833
for us and for the audience.

481
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,083
You could tell that
this was gonna be somebody

482
00:22:36,084 --> 00:22:38,166
that was gonna be fun
to work with.

483
00:22:38,167 --> 00:22:40,250
Right away
I think we hit it off.

484
00:22:42,083 --> 00:22:45,666
Gene was a father figure
and my mentor.

485
00:22:45,667 --> 00:22:47,374
He was one of those people,

486
00:22:47,375 --> 00:22:49,291
like when you have
a really good teacher,

487
00:22:49,292 --> 00:22:52,166
you don't want to let them down.

488
00:22:52,167 --> 00:22:54,916
He wasn't treating me
like a kid.

489
00:22:54,917 --> 00:22:57,666
I was being treated
like his costar.

490
00:23:01,333 --> 00:23:02,791
Ladies and gentlemen.

491
00:23:04,084 --> 00:23:05,375
Boys and girls.

492
00:23:06,750 --> 00:23:08,645
The Chocolate Room.

493
00:23:12,125 --> 00:23:13,832
Our
first introduction

494
00:23:13,833 --> 00:23:15,540
to the Chocolate Room
was in fact

495
00:23:15,541 --> 00:23:19,040
the first time
that we had ever seen it.

496
00:23:19,041 --> 00:23:22,541
And Mel wanted
our initial reaction.

497
00:23:24,291 --> 00:23:27,208
That wow factor.

498
00:23:29,041 --> 00:23:31,583
And it was a big room, big set.

499
00:23:33,083 --> 00:23:34,708
Hold your breath.

500
00:23:34,709 --> 00:23:36,499
Make a wish.

501
00:23:36,500 --> 00:23:38,290
Count to three.

502
00:23:38,291 --> 00:23:41,874
<i>♪ Come with me and you'll be</i>

503
00:23:41,875 --> 00:23:45,790
<i>in a world
of pure imagination ♪</i>

504
00:23:45,791 --> 00:23:47,957
Everything
is not what you think.

505
00:23:47,958 --> 00:23:49,791
- ♪ And you'll see ♪
- When you watched

506
00:23:49,792 --> 00:23:52,228
Willy Wonka,
and particularly with Gene.

507
00:23:52,229 --> 00:23:54,665
He was always doing
something unexpected,

508
00:23:54,666 --> 00:23:58,875
even if it was going down
three steps, coming back two.

509
00:23:58,876 --> 00:24:00,625
Why didn't you just
go down the step?

510
00:24:00,626 --> 00:24:02,395
No, no, no, no.

511
00:24:07,250 --> 00:24:09,250
For him to treat those lyrics

512
00:24:09,251 --> 00:24:10,666
and that vocal performance

513
00:24:10,667 --> 00:24:12,958
and that acting performance

514
00:24:12,959 --> 00:24:15,249
with such care and specificity,

515
00:24:15,250 --> 00:24:17,499
it was almost like
the way a wise person

516
00:24:17,500 --> 00:24:19,750
would speak to you
on top of a mountaintop.

517
00:24:19,751 --> 00:24:22,124
It's not always what you expect,

518
00:24:22,125 --> 00:24:24,416
but you leave feeling
a lot more enlightened

519
00:24:24,417 --> 00:24:25,750
than you did when you got there.

520
00:24:27,166 --> 00:24:29,832
We are the music makers

521
00:24:29,833 --> 00:24:32,708
and we are the dreamers
of the dreams.

522
00:24:35,833 --> 00:24:37,875
And that was Gene's great gift.

523
00:24:41,291 --> 00:24:44,832
The guy
that built that set,

524
00:24:44,833 --> 00:24:47,541
Harper Goff,
was a brilliant designer.

525
00:24:47,542 --> 00:24:50,187
He had built
the most beautiful office

526
00:24:50,188 --> 00:24:52,833
for Mr. Wonka
for the end of the film.

527
00:24:52,834 --> 00:24:55,270
Charlie's gonna say goodbye.

528
00:24:55,271 --> 00:24:57,708
I said, "No, Wonka's berserk."

529
00:24:58,958 --> 00:25:00,374
I said, "I want you to cut

530
00:25:00,375 --> 00:25:02,958
every piece of furniture
in half.

531
00:25:02,959 --> 00:25:04,624
I want the desks in half,

532
00:25:04,625 --> 00:25:06,290
I want the vault in half,

533
00:25:06,291 --> 00:25:09,207
I want the piece of paper
he reads in half.

534
00:25:09,208 --> 00:25:12,208
You've gotta keep the madness
up to the last minute.

535
00:25:12,958 --> 00:25:13,790
Mr. Wonka.

536
00:25:13,791 --> 00:25:16,187
I am
extraordinarily busy, sir.

537
00:25:16,188 --> 00:25:18,584
I just wanted to ask
about the chocolate.

538
00:25:18,585 --> 00:25:20,083
It was unrehearsed.

539
00:25:20,084 --> 00:25:22,124
Gene knew what he was gonna do,

540
00:25:22,125 --> 00:25:25,124
but we didn't know
what he was gonna do.

541
00:25:25,125 --> 00:25:28,000
The lifetime supply
of chocolate for Charlie.

542
00:25:29,125 --> 00:25:30,665
When does he get it?

543
00:25:30,666 --> 00:25:32,958
- He doesn't.
- Why not?

544
00:25:32,959 --> 00:25:35,250
Because he broke the rules.

545
00:25:35,251 --> 00:25:36,374
What rules?

546
00:25:36,375 --> 00:25:38,270
We didn't see any rules,
did we, Charlie?

547
00:25:38,271 --> 00:25:40,166
And they didn't know
what I was gonna do.

548
00:25:41,375 --> 00:25:42,958
But I really let 'em have it.

549
00:25:42,959 --> 00:25:45,457
Wrong, sir, wrong.

550
00:25:45,458 --> 00:25:47,708
Well, I knew that he was gonna
get a little upset with us,

551
00:25:47,709 --> 00:25:49,750
but I didn't know
he was gonna get that upset,

552
00:25:49,751 --> 00:25:51,332
you know, with us.

553
00:25:51,333 --> 00:25:53,333
It's all there, black and white,

554
00:25:53,334 --> 00:25:54,874
clear as crystal!

555
00:25:54,875 --> 00:25:56,687
You stole Fizzy Lifting Drinks!

556
00:25:56,688 --> 00:25:58,499
You bumped into the ceiling,

557
00:25:58,500 --> 00:26:00,958
which now has to be
washed and sterilized,

558
00:26:00,959 --> 00:26:03,333
so you get nothing!

559
00:26:03,334 --> 00:26:04,874
You lose!

560
00:26:04,875 --> 00:26:07,165
Good day, sir!

561
00:26:07,166 --> 00:26:10,624
He wasn't gonna tell you
what he was gonna do.

562
00:26:10,625 --> 00:26:12,873
And so your expression,

563
00:26:12,874 --> 00:26:17,124
your reaction
was a genuine reaction.

564
00:26:17,125 --> 00:26:18,125
Charlie.

565
00:26:20,126 --> 00:26:21,290
My boy.

566
00:26:21,291 --> 00:26:24,291
<i>In retrospect,
Gene made it quite easy for me.</i>

567
00:26:24,292 --> 00:26:25,790
<i>That's what good actors do.</i>

568
00:26:25,791 --> 00:26:29,582
<i>They help
their partners on stage.</i>

569
00:26:29,583 --> 00:26:33,333
This is
a very contemplative artist.

570
00:26:33,334 --> 00:26:34,665
The stars aligned,

571
00:26:34,666 --> 00:26:39,040
because that kind of artistry
is... is super rare.

572
00:26:39,041 --> 00:26:41,291
One of
the best reviews of Willy Wonka

573
00:26:41,292 --> 00:26:43,166
comes from probably
the greatest film critic

574
00:26:43,167 --> 00:26:45,374
of his generation, Roger Ebert,

575
00:26:45,375 --> 00:26:47,958
who says that <i>Willy Wonka
and the Chocolate Factory</i>

576
00:26:47,959 --> 00:26:49,958
is probably
the best film of its sort

577
00:26:49,959 --> 00:26:52,290
since <i>The Wizard of Oz.</i>

578
00:26:52,291 --> 00:26:54,291
"It is everything
that family movies

579
00:26:54,292 --> 00:26:57,208
usually claim to be, but aren't:

580
00:26:57,209 --> 00:27:00,124
Delightful, funny,
scary, exciting,

581
00:27:00,125 --> 00:27:03,291
and most of all,
a genuine work of imagination."

582
00:27:07,750 --> 00:27:09,958
<i>I was asked
to do publicity in Chicago</i>

583
00:27:09,959 --> 00:27:12,540
<i>for the release of Willy Wonka.</i>

584
00:27:12,541 --> 00:27:15,790
<i>The next day, I got
a call from Woody Allen.</i>

585
00:27:15,791 --> 00:27:18,416
<i>"I want to do a remake
of</i> Sister Carrie," he said.

586
00:27:18,417 --> 00:27:19,874
I love you so much.

587
00:27:19,875 --> 00:27:20,957
<i>"But instead
of a woman</i>

588
00:27:20,958 --> 00:27:24,041
<i>in Jennifer Jones' part,
I want to use a sheep."</i>

589
00:27:25,291 --> 00:27:28,165
<i>I knew before reading
the script why he wanted me.</i>

590
00:27:28,166 --> 00:27:31,583
<i>An actor who could believably
fall in love with a sheep</i>

591
00:27:31,584 --> 00:27:33,645
<i>and play it straight.</i>

592
00:27:35,708 --> 00:27:40,124
<i>When I left for Los Angeles
to do Woody's film...</i>

593
00:27:40,125 --> 00:27:43,000
<i>I found out that Willy Wonka
had failed at the box office.</i>

594
00:27:44,458 --> 00:27:45,957
<i>I was told
that many mothers thought</i>

595
00:27:45,958 --> 00:27:47,750
<i>the lessons in the movie
were too cruel</i>

596
00:27:47,751 --> 00:27:50,499
<i>for children to understand.</i>

597
00:27:50,500 --> 00:27:53,041
<i>I was leaving for California
to do Woody's film</i>

598
00:27:53,042 --> 00:27:55,416
<i>in hopes
of resurrecting my career.</i>

599
00:27:58,875 --> 00:27:59,833
<i>During all of the filming</i>

600
00:27:59,834 --> 00:28:02,666
<i>of</i> Everything You Always
Wanted to Know About Sex,

601
00:28:02,667 --> 00:28:04,771
<i>Woody said, "If you don't
like any of these lines,</i>

602
00:28:04,772 --> 00:28:06,876
<i>just change them to what
you'd like to say."</i>

603
00:28:08,416 --> 00:28:09,374
Hello, Daisy.

604
00:28:11,469 --> 00:28:12,624
She's so...

605
00:28:12,625 --> 00:28:15,270
<i>It seemed
an extraordinary thing to say.</i>

606
00:28:15,271 --> 00:28:17,916
<i>Woody's great confidence
was not that he knew</i>

607
00:28:17,917 --> 00:28:19,790
<i>he'd chosen the right actor,</i>

608
00:28:19,791 --> 00:28:21,374
<i>but that the event
he had written</i>

609
00:28:21,375 --> 00:28:23,290
<i>was more important
than the particular words</i>

610
00:28:23,291 --> 00:28:26,416
<i>the actor used to bring
that event to life.</i>

611
00:28:26,417 --> 00:28:28,958
Mr. Milos, I, uh...

612
00:28:30,791 --> 00:28:33,207
I'd like to see
the two of you again,

613
00:28:33,208 --> 00:28:37,666
but right now, you know,
my office is jammed full.

614
00:28:37,667 --> 00:28:39,791
Oh, I knew you could help.

615
00:28:39,792 --> 00:28:41,978
I knew... thank you, Doctor.

616
00:28:41,979 --> 00:28:44,322
As a matter of fact, uh,

617
00:28:44,323 --> 00:28:46,666
if I could see Daisy alone,

618
00:28:46,667 --> 00:28:49,083
maybe, you know...

619
00:28:49,084 --> 00:28:51,499
Anything, anything.

620
00:28:51,500 --> 00:28:54,166
{\an8}You know, Gene was able
to do things in comedy

621
00:28:54,167 --> 00:28:56,583
{\an8}that are dangerous to do,

622
00:28:56,584 --> 00:28:59,165
because he went often

623
00:28:59,166 --> 00:29:02,083
for such an extreme
characterization

624
00:29:02,084 --> 00:29:04,354
or such an extreme situation,

625
00:29:04,355 --> 00:29:06,822
digging down into yourself

626
00:29:06,823 --> 00:29:09,291
to find this absurd reality.

627
00:29:10,083 --> 00:29:11,083
Darling.

628
00:29:12,791 --> 00:29:16,208
I know this must all seem
very strange to you.

629
00:29:17,875 --> 00:29:19,603
You from the hills of Armenia

630
00:29:19,604 --> 00:29:22,218
and me from Jackson Heights.

631
00:29:22,219 --> 00:29:24,833
And yet I think it could work...

632
00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:27,665
if we gave it a chance.

633
00:29:27,666 --> 00:29:29,124
{\an8}You could have substituted

634
00:29:29,125 --> 00:29:32,895
{\an8}the most glamorous
female movie star

635
00:29:32,896 --> 00:29:36,665
for the sheep the way
Gene treated the sheep.

636
00:29:36,666 --> 00:29:39,375
I don't think I've ever known
such peace and happiness

637
00:29:39,376 --> 00:29:40,624
in my life.

638
00:29:40,625 --> 00:29:44,541
There's this ability
to be simple and honest...

639
00:29:44,542 --> 00:29:45,832
Is it my imagination

640
00:29:45,833 --> 00:29:48,124
or do you really smell
from lamb chops?

641
00:29:48,125 --> 00:29:53,040
...in a situation which is
extraordinary and absurd.

642
00:29:53,041 --> 00:29:58,333
Defendant did commit
an adulterous act with a sheep.

643
00:29:58,334 --> 00:30:00,270
It's most distasteful
in view of the fact

644
00:30:00,271 --> 00:30:02,208
that the sheep
was under 18 years old.

645
00:30:03,833 --> 00:30:04,957
<i>The memory of</i>

646
00:30:04,958 --> 00:30:07,582
Everything You Always
Wanted to Know About Sex

647
00:30:07,583 --> 00:30:09,603
<i>was so happy
that it was making me sad,</i>

648
00:30:09,604 --> 00:30:11,624
<i>wondering if I would
ever be asked</i>

649
00:30:11,625 --> 00:30:13,750
<i>to work on
something wonderful again.</i>

650
00:30:17,666 --> 00:30:21,250
<i>In California, Mel Brooks
was doing preproduction</i>

651
00:30:21,251 --> 00:30:23,415
<i>on a film called</i> Black Bart.

652
00:30:23,416 --> 00:30:28,040
<i>The title was later changed
to</i> Blazing Saddles.

653
00:30:28,041 --> 00:30:31,791
<i>It was a Western
poking fun at Westerns.</i>

654
00:30:32,583 --> 00:30:34,041
Has anybody got a dime?

655
00:30:35,500 --> 00:30:38,500
My biggest problem
was finding the Waco Kid.

656
00:30:38,501 --> 00:30:42,374
The Waco Kid is the sidekick
to the Black sheriff.

657
00:30:42,375 --> 00:30:47,250
An alcoholic that's struggling
to stay alive in the world.

658
00:30:47,251 --> 00:30:49,270
Then I saw a movie
with Gig Young,

659
00:30:49,271 --> 00:30:51,290
<i>They Shoot Horses, Don't They?</i>

660
00:30:51,291 --> 00:30:53,750
But I sure as hell
can spot a loser.

661
00:30:54,791 --> 00:30:56,520
A wonderful actor.

662
00:30:56,521 --> 00:30:58,250
And I found out
that in real life

663
00:30:58,251 --> 00:31:00,500
he was a bit of an alcoholic.

664
00:31:00,501 --> 00:31:02,374
His agent said, "No, no,

665
00:31:02,375 --> 00:31:04,333
he's been on the wagon
for two years.

666
00:31:04,334 --> 00:31:05,540
Not to worry."

667
00:31:05,541 --> 00:31:09,583
But life has taught me
"not to worry" means worry!

668
00:31:12,166 --> 00:31:13,916
Anyway, we start shooting.

669
00:31:13,917 --> 00:31:14,999
We're in the jail.

670
00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:17,875
The Waco Kid is upside down.

671
00:31:17,876 --> 00:31:19,082
Are we awake?

672
00:31:19,083 --> 00:31:20,978
There's Cleavon Little

673
00:31:20,979 --> 00:31:22,875
upside down from
the Waco Kid's POV,

674
00:31:22,876 --> 00:31:23,876
point of view.

675
00:31:23,877 --> 00:31:25,937
And Gig Young, he's struggling.

676
00:31:25,938 --> 00:31:27,999
"Are we Bla... are we Bla..."

677
00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,040
He never finished
the word Black.

678
00:31:30,041 --> 00:31:34,500
And ended it
with a geyser of green vomit

679
00:31:34,501 --> 00:31:36,915
that shot across the jail cell

680
00:31:36,916 --> 00:31:39,750
and got the crew
and everybody drenched.

681
00:31:43,125 --> 00:31:44,415
So we called for an ambulance

682
00:31:44,416 --> 00:31:47,645
and got him
to the hospital in Burbank.

683
00:31:47,646 --> 00:31:50,875
The doctor who was
treating him said,

684
00:31:50,876 --> 00:31:52,375
"He's suffering from the DTs,"

685
00:31:52,376 --> 00:31:53,875
or what's that,
delirium tremens.

686
00:31:53,876 --> 00:31:56,062
It's a thing alcoholics get.

687
00:31:56,063 --> 00:31:57,843
So he hadn't stopped drinking.

688
00:31:57,844 --> 00:31:59,624
I said, "Well, can he work?"

689
00:31:59,625 --> 00:32:02,833
And he said, "Yeah,
in about three or four months."

690
00:32:02,834 --> 00:32:05,250
This is Friday,
I've got a shoot Monday.

691
00:32:06,666 --> 00:32:08,332
There!

692
00:32:08,333 --> 00:32:11,875
It came to me right then
and there, Gene Wilder.

693
00:32:13,458 --> 00:32:15,040
He'll save me.

694
00:32:15,041 --> 00:32:17,125
He saved me on <i>The Producers.</i>

695
00:32:17,750 --> 00:32:19,749
He will save me.

696
00:32:19,750 --> 00:32:22,291
And I called him and I said,

697
00:32:22,292 --> 00:32:23,416
and I was crying...

698
00:32:25,625 --> 00:32:27,062
I said, "Gene, I need you!

699
00:32:27,063 --> 00:32:28,500
I need you! Come here!

700
00:32:28,501 --> 00:32:30,707
Come. Save me."

701
00:32:30,708 --> 00:32:33,708
He called me
from the phone on stage.

702
00:32:33,709 --> 00:32:36,040
He said,
"Can you come tomorrow?"

703
00:32:36,041 --> 00:32:38,624
I said, "I'm supposed
to go to London to do, uh,

704
00:32:38,625 --> 00:32:41,125
<i>The Little Prince</i>
with Stanley Donen directing."

705
00:32:42,125 --> 00:32:43,374
"Beg off."

706
00:32:43,375 --> 00:32:45,499
The next day I was on a plane,

707
00:32:45,500 --> 00:32:48,791
and the next day I was hanging
upside down in a jail cell.

708
00:32:48,792 --> 00:32:50,666
Are we awake?

709
00:32:54,833 --> 00:32:56,250
We are not sure.

710
00:32:57,791 --> 00:33:00,374
Are we Black?

711
00:33:00,375 --> 00:33:03,541
You know, it's just
so great, his reading.

712
00:33:03,542 --> 00:33:06,875
And I said,
"That's the Waco Kid."

713
00:33:11,250 --> 00:33:14,875
Send a wire to the main office
and tell 'em that I said...

714
00:33:14,876 --> 00:33:16,666
Ow!

715
00:33:16,667 --> 00:33:18,457
Send wire, main office.

716
00:33:18,458 --> 00:33:21,353
Tell them I said, "Ow." Gotcha.

717
00:33:21,354 --> 00:33:24,249
{\an8}I was one of the bad guys,

718
00:33:24,250 --> 00:33:28,458
{\an8}but I was the funniest one
of the bad guys, too.

719
00:33:28,459 --> 00:33:32,041
And I played him
all through the thing,

720
00:33:32,042 --> 00:33:35,291
maybe not quite
all there up here.

721
00:33:38,166 --> 00:33:40,957
We come riding up in the picture

722
00:33:40,958 --> 00:33:43,665
and meet the Waco Kid
and the sheriff.

723
00:33:43,666 --> 00:33:47,625
And Mr. Taggart says,
"We're gonna shoot you guys."

724
00:33:47,626 --> 00:33:49,333
All right, boys.

725
00:33:49,334 --> 00:33:51,040
On a count of three.

726
00:33:51,041 --> 00:33:53,665
I wouldn't do that
if I were you.

727
00:33:53,666 --> 00:33:56,853
We have our guns drawn

728
00:33:56,854 --> 00:34:00,593
and we're gonna shoot
all the good guys.

729
00:34:00,594 --> 00:34:04,333
Gene, being the quick draw
that he was,

730
00:34:05,166 --> 00:34:06,374
he's kind of like,

731
00:34:06,375 --> 00:34:09,916
"I got something here
that you don't know I've got."

732
00:34:12,541 --> 00:34:16,291
He puts his guns back
and you can see the smoke

733
00:34:16,292 --> 00:34:18,708
coming out
of his holsters there.

734
00:34:20,666 --> 00:34:26,000
So I'll remember Gene
not just by his acting ability,

735
00:34:26,001 --> 00:34:28,000
which was wonderful...

736
00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:34,708
...but because he was so good
to me and so supportive.

737
00:34:34,709 --> 00:34:36,541
Hurray!

738
00:34:36,542 --> 00:34:38,478
Hurray! Hurray!

739
00:34:43,625 --> 00:34:46,875
Even though
it was a wild comedy...

740
00:34:49,125 --> 00:34:50,666
...in <i>Blazing Saddles...</i>

741
00:34:52,583 --> 00:34:55,540
...racial prejudice
is the engine

742
00:34:55,541 --> 00:34:59,375
that really drives the film
and helps to make it work.

743
00:35:00,291 --> 00:35:01,707
Good mornin', ma'am.

744
00:35:01,708 --> 00:35:03,958
Cleavon Little,
he sees a little old lady.

745
00:35:03,959 --> 00:35:05,457
...a lovely morning?

746
00:35:05,458 --> 00:35:09,041
Trying to make friends
with the citizens of Rock Ridge,

747
00:35:09,042 --> 00:35:12,499
and she says,
"Up yours, n-word."

748
00:35:12,500 --> 00:35:16,208
The sheriff shakes his head
and we can see tears.

749
00:35:16,209 --> 00:35:21,041
And Gene read
these lines so beautifully.

750
00:35:21,042 --> 00:35:22,999
What did you expect?

751
00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:27,416
"Welcome, sonny,
make yourself at home"?

752
00:35:28,583 --> 00:35:30,332
"Marry my daughter"?

753
00:35:30,333 --> 00:35:33,416
You gotta remember that
these are just simple farmers.

754
00:35:34,583 --> 00:35:36,958
These are people of the land.

755
00:35:37,916 --> 00:35:41,000
The common clay of the new West.

756
00:35:42,875 --> 00:35:43,875
You know...

757
00:35:46,083 --> 00:35:46,957
morons.

758
00:35:49,626 --> 00:35:53,334
And... and that was one
of the funniest, you know,

759
00:35:53,335 --> 00:35:54,999
laughs in the whole picture,

760
00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:58,250
and nobody in the world
could have handled it

761
00:35:58,251 --> 00:36:01,041
half as well as Gene Wilder.

762
00:36:02,333 --> 00:36:04,645
And you can tell

763
00:36:04,646 --> 00:36:06,958
from the scene
and listening to him,

764
00:36:06,959 --> 00:36:10,374
he's speaking from the heart.

765
00:36:10,375 --> 00:36:14,020
There is this
authenticity to the Waco Kid

766
00:36:14,021 --> 00:36:17,665
that I don't think someone
like John Wayne or Gig Young

767
00:36:17,666 --> 00:36:18,582
would have brought,

768
00:36:18,583 --> 00:36:21,541
because instantly
it would have registered,

769
00:36:21,542 --> 00:36:24,728
"Oh, this is a veteran
Western character actor

770
00:36:24,729 --> 00:36:27,916
doing a parody
of a Western character actor."

771
00:36:28,833 --> 00:36:30,749
Gene Wilder played the Waco Kid

772
00:36:30,750 --> 00:36:35,208
as crazy and nutty
but entirely believable.

773
00:36:35,209 --> 00:36:36,645
Where are you headed, cowboy?

774
00:36:38,084 --> 00:36:39,583
Nowhere special.

775
00:36:42,333 --> 00:36:43,750
Nowhere special.

776
00:36:45,291 --> 00:36:47,375
I always wanted to go there.

777
00:36:47,376 --> 00:36:48,290
What can I tell ya?

778
00:36:48,291 --> 00:36:52,375
He did a magnificent job
all through the picture.

779
00:36:52,376 --> 00:36:54,750
I think 1974's
probably the perfect year

780
00:36:54,751 --> 00:36:55,915
for <i>Blazing Saddles.</i>

781
00:36:55,916 --> 00:36:59,665
Blaxploitation films
at their height.

782
00:36:59,666 --> 00:37:03,624
Having a smart
and thoughtful Western parody

783
00:37:03,625 --> 00:37:07,416
that really takes a hard look
at America's racism,

784
00:37:07,417 --> 00:37:08,750
that is genius.

785
00:37:19,958 --> 00:37:21,749
I met Gene one day

786
00:37:21,750 --> 00:37:25,125
when I was buying clothes
in Beverly Hills.

787
00:37:25,126 --> 00:37:26,040
{\an8}I introduced myself.

788
00:37:26,041 --> 00:37:29,083
{\an8}I said, "Gene,
you know, I'm Mike Medavoy.

789
00:37:29,084 --> 00:37:31,812
{\an8}I'm an agent
and I'd like to represent you."

790
00:37:31,813 --> 00:37:35,427
And I said, "The truth is,
I look at your career,

791
00:37:35,428 --> 00:37:38,192
you oughta be writing
and probably directing too."

792
00:37:38,193 --> 00:37:40,958
<i>Because of
that accidental bump</i>

793
00:37:40,959 --> 00:37:41,915
<i>on the street corner,</i>

794
00:37:41,916 --> 00:37:44,666
<i>Mike Medavoy became
my California agent.</i>

795
00:37:45,375 --> 00:37:48,020
And I signed Gene.

796
00:37:50,666 --> 00:37:52,541
<i>I rented
a small house on the bay</i>

797
00:37:52,542 --> 00:37:55,166
<i>in Westhampton Beach, New York.</i>

798
00:37:55,167 --> 00:37:57,790
<i>After lunch one afternoon,</i>

799
00:37:57,791 --> 00:37:59,249
<i>I walked up to my bedroom</i>

800
00:37:59,250 --> 00:38:02,375
<i>with a yellow legal pad
and a blue felt pen.</i>

801
00:38:02,376 --> 00:38:04,625
<i>At the top of the page,
I wrote,</i>

802
00:38:05,833 --> 00:38:07,458
"Young Frankenstein."

803
00:38:10,125 --> 00:38:12,290
"The Birth of a Monster."

804
00:38:12,291 --> 00:38:14,749
<i>And then wrote two pages
of what might happen to me</i>

805
00:38:14,750 --> 00:38:18,708
<i>if I were the great-grandson
of Beaufort von Frankenstein</i>

806
00:38:18,709 --> 00:38:20,040
<i>and was called to Transylvania</i>

807
00:38:20,041 --> 00:38:21,624
<i>because I had just inherited</i>

808
00:38:21,625 --> 00:38:23,208
<i>the Frankenstein estate.</i>

809
00:38:26,208 --> 00:38:29,458
<i>That night I watched a summer
replacement television show</i>

810
00:38:29,459 --> 00:38:32,166
<i>called</i> The Marty Feldman
Comedy Machine.

811
00:38:32,167 --> 00:38:33,999
Would you, uh, walk this way?

812
00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:35,290
<i>After seeing it,</i>

813
00:38:35,291 --> 00:38:38,541
<i>I said, "Who is that
funny man on television?"</i>

814
00:38:41,583 --> 00:38:43,499
A week later, I received a call

815
00:38:43,500 --> 00:38:46,562
from my California agent,
Mike Medavoy.

816
00:38:46,563 --> 00:38:49,760
I was sitting in my office

817
00:38:49,761 --> 00:38:52,958
and Marty Feldman
and his wife were there

818
00:38:52,959 --> 00:38:55,499
to try to get me
to represent him.

819
00:38:55,500 --> 00:38:58,416
And then Peter Boyle
walked into the office.

820
00:38:58,417 --> 00:39:00,291
And so I introduced all of them.

821
00:39:00,292 --> 00:39:02,165
And I decided, "You know what?

822
00:39:02,166 --> 00:39:05,791
I have a feeling that this
would be a really good group

823
00:39:05,792 --> 00:39:08,290
to put together with Gene."

824
00:39:08,291 --> 00:39:10,166
So I called Gene up
on the phone.

825
00:39:12,333 --> 00:39:16,083
And I said, "Gene, do you have
anything that you can do

826
00:39:16,084 --> 00:39:18,415
with Marty Feldman
and Peter Boyle?"

827
00:39:18,416 --> 00:39:20,874
I said, "How did you happen
to come up with that?"

828
00:39:20,875 --> 00:39:23,333
He said, "'Cause I represent
you and Marty and Peter."

829
00:39:23,334 --> 00:39:25,583
And, uh...

830
00:39:25,584 --> 00:39:26,832
<i>As it happens,</i>

831
00:39:26,833 --> 00:39:28,749
<i>I think I do have something.</i>

832
00:39:28,750 --> 00:39:30,208
<i>I want to work on it
for another day.</i>

833
00:39:30,209 --> 00:39:31,665
<i>I'll send it to you.</i>

834
00:39:31,666 --> 00:39:33,415
<i>That night, inspired by</i>

835
00:39:33,416 --> 00:39:35,915
<i>having just seen
Marty Feldman on television,</i>

836
00:39:35,916 --> 00:39:38,790
<i>I wrote a scene that takes
place at Transylvania Station</i>

837
00:39:38,791 --> 00:39:41,457
<i>where Igor and Frederick
meet for the first time</i>

838
00:39:41,458 --> 00:39:44,125
<i>almost verbatim
the way it was later filmed.</i>

839
00:39:49,416 --> 00:39:51,125
Dr. Frankenstein?

840
00:39:56,958 --> 00:39:58,416
Frankenstein.

841
00:40:00,416 --> 00:40:02,165
You're putting me on.

842
00:40:02,166 --> 00:40:04,083
<i>I called
Mel Brooks and told him</i>

843
00:40:04,084 --> 00:40:05,958
<i>my little
Frankenstein scenario.</i>

844
00:40:07,291 --> 00:40:09,061
<i>"Cute," he said,
"that's cute."</i>

845
00:40:09,062 --> 00:40:10,832
"What's your dream for this?"

846
00:40:10,833 --> 00:40:14,708
He said, "I want you to write it
with me and direct it.

847
00:40:14,709 --> 00:40:16,875
And not be in it."

848
00:40:18,666 --> 00:40:21,083
And I said, "Okay, I'll do it."

849
00:40:23,541 --> 00:40:25,915
<i>The next morning,
I would start writing.</i>

850
00:40:25,916 --> 00:40:28,291
<i>Mel would come over
after dinner each evening</i>

851
00:40:28,292 --> 00:40:30,249
<i>and look at the pages.</i>

852
00:40:30,250 --> 00:40:33,333
When we thought
we had a good script,

853
00:40:33,334 --> 00:40:36,124
we met Mike Gruskoff,

854
00:40:36,125 --> 00:40:38,978
a wonderful guy
and a wonderful producer.

855
00:40:38,979 --> 00:40:41,833
And he said, "I've had
a discussion already

856
00:40:41,834 --> 00:40:42,916
with Columbia Pictures."

857
00:40:42,917 --> 00:40:44,999
"Yeah? Yeah?"

858
00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:46,500
Gene, Mel, and I,

859
00:40:46,501 --> 00:40:48,957
we had a meeting at Columbia.

860
00:40:48,958 --> 00:40:51,915
I said, "We really like
the script."

861
00:40:51,916 --> 00:40:54,457
{\an8}We thought we had
something good, you know?

862
00:40:54,458 --> 00:40:57,000
{\an8}We definitely thought
we had something good.

863
00:40:57,001 --> 00:40:58,499
We shook hands.

864
00:40:58,500 --> 00:41:02,666
We're ready, we're ready
to make <i>Young Frankenstein</i>

865
00:41:02,667 --> 00:41:04,915
for Columbia Pictures.

866
00:41:04,916 --> 00:41:07,415
As we leave the... the meeting,

867
00:41:07,416 --> 00:41:09,541
I get to the door,
before I shut it, I say,

868
00:41:09,542 --> 00:41:10,895
"Oh, by the way..."

869
00:41:12,250 --> 00:41:17,458
"...in the James Whale
1931 Universal tradition,

870
00:41:17,459 --> 00:41:19,833
we are making it
in black and white."

871
00:41:20,625 --> 00:41:22,208
Closed the door, left.

872
00:41:23,416 --> 00:41:26,103
A thundering herd
of Jewish executives

873
00:41:26,104 --> 00:41:28,791
run after us
down the hall, saying,

874
00:41:28,792 --> 00:41:30,708
"No, no, it's a deal-breaker."

875
00:41:30,709 --> 00:41:32,082
And as one,

876
00:41:32,083 --> 00:41:36,125
Gruskoff, and Gene,
and Mel shouted back,

877
00:41:36,126 --> 00:41:38,457
"Then break it."

878
00:41:38,458 --> 00:41:41,499
Nobody wanted to do
a black and white movie.

879
00:41:41,500 --> 00:41:45,166
Mike Gruskoff actually was
very friendly with Alan Ladd,

880
00:41:45,167 --> 00:41:47,749
and took it to Fox.

881
00:41:47,750 --> 00:41:51,125
Alan Ladd, Jr.
was one of my close friends.

882
00:41:51,126 --> 00:41:53,832
He had come to Fox.

883
00:41:53,833 --> 00:41:55,625
Three days later, we had a deal.

884
00:41:57,667 --> 00:42:00,083
If you're gonna
make a parody tribute film

885
00:42:00,084 --> 00:42:02,124
of James Whale's <i>Frankenstein,</i>

886
00:42:02,125 --> 00:42:04,291
you're gonna have to do that
in black and white

887
00:42:04,292 --> 00:42:05,415
if you're gonna do it right.

888
00:42:05,416 --> 00:42:08,291
Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder
understood that.

889
00:42:08,292 --> 00:42:10,020
Columbia executives,

890
00:42:10,021 --> 00:42:11,750
to their eternal regret,

891
00:42:11,751 --> 00:42:13,165
did not.

892
00:42:19,750 --> 00:42:21,415
<i>Making</i> Young Frankenstein

893
00:42:21,416 --> 00:42:23,500
<i>was the happiest
I'd ever been on a film.</i>

894
00:42:24,958 --> 00:42:26,540
<i>Madeline Kahn, Peter Boyle,</i>

895
00:42:26,541 --> 00:42:28,749
<i>Marty Feldman, Teri Garr,</i>

896
00:42:28,750 --> 00:42:31,291
<i>Cloris Leachman, Kenny Mars,</i>

897
00:42:31,292 --> 00:42:33,832
<i>and Mel directing.</i>

898
00:42:33,833 --> 00:42:37,041
<i>It was like taking a small
breath of heaven each day.</i>

899
00:42:39,166 --> 00:42:43,000
Creatively,
I let them do their thing.

900
00:42:43,001 --> 00:42:46,375
Gene and Mel take it
to the next step.

901
00:42:46,376 --> 00:42:48,145
They go beyond.

902
00:42:48,146 --> 00:42:49,915
They have balls,

903
00:42:49,916 --> 00:42:51,375
that's what they have.

904
00:42:58,250 --> 00:42:59,874
What knockers!

905
00:42:59,875 --> 00:43:02,270
Oh, thank you, Doctor.

906
00:43:04,666 --> 00:43:06,957
Mel and Gene,

907
00:43:06,958 --> 00:43:09,353
they're not afraid to go big.

908
00:43:09,354 --> 00:43:11,750
They're not afraid of failure.

909
00:43:11,751 --> 00:43:13,290
They'll take a chance.

910
00:43:13,291 --> 00:43:15,353
The only thing that concerns me

911
00:43:15,354 --> 00:43:17,416
is the preservation of life!

912
00:43:19,291 --> 00:43:21,791
I never had
to give Gene any direction.

913
00:43:24,625 --> 00:43:26,374
And I didn't have to, really,

914
00:43:26,375 --> 00:43:28,895
'cause he was such a good actor.

915
00:43:28,896 --> 00:43:31,416
We shall ascend
into the heavens.

916
00:43:32,750 --> 00:43:36,124
We shall mock the earthquake.

917
00:43:36,125 --> 00:43:39,124
We had a code,
blue and orange.

918
00:43:39,125 --> 00:43:42,125
When I said, "Gene, blue,"
meant, "Bring it up."

919
00:43:43,333 --> 00:43:46,666
Give me more intensity,
more excitement.

920
00:43:46,667 --> 00:43:48,332
When I said, "Orange,"

921
00:43:48,333 --> 00:43:50,957
I want you to play over the top.

922
00:43:50,958 --> 00:43:54,458
I'd say, "Gene, I need orange
here at the end of this."

923
00:43:54,459 --> 00:43:55,874
"Got it."

924
00:43:55,875 --> 00:43:57,708
Life, do you hear me?

925
00:43:58,750 --> 00:44:03,957
Give my creation life!

926
00:44:03,958 --> 00:44:05,791
He could
hit a high note...

927
00:44:06,916 --> 00:44:09,041
...easily as high
as Maria Callas.

928
00:44:09,042 --> 00:44:10,708
He... he could go there.

929
00:44:10,709 --> 00:44:12,165
He was amazing.

930
00:44:13,708 --> 00:44:15,458
<i>I had
favorite moments of him,</i>

931
00:44:15,459 --> 00:44:18,165
<i>as I do of most actors.</i>

932
00:44:18,166 --> 00:44:20,457
<i>I admire so much
the big moments</i>

933
00:44:20,458 --> 00:44:22,750
<i>when he still was believable.</i>

934
00:44:22,751 --> 00:44:26,915
It's alive!

935
00:44:26,916 --> 00:44:28,916
And then there was
a quiet moment

936
00:44:28,917 --> 00:44:31,082
in <i>Young Frankenstein</i>

937
00:44:31,083 --> 00:44:33,978
when it was just as ludicrous,

938
00:44:33,979 --> 00:44:36,874
but it was quiet and sincere.

939
00:44:36,875 --> 00:44:40,541
He was questioning Igor
like a little boy.

940
00:44:40,542 --> 00:44:42,458
Would you mind telling me...

941
00:44:44,416 --> 00:44:46,999
whose brain I did put in?

942
00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:50,124
And you won't be angry?

943
00:44:50,125 --> 00:44:53,250
I will not be angry.

944
00:44:53,916 --> 00:44:55,125
Abby someone.

945
00:44:56,666 --> 00:44:57,791
Abby someone?

946
00:44:59,041 --> 00:45:00,436
Abby who?

947
00:45:00,437 --> 00:45:01,833
Abby Normal.

948
00:45:04,541 --> 00:45:06,957
"Abby Normal."

949
00:45:06,958 --> 00:45:09,416
I'm almost sure
that was the name.

950
00:45:13,375 --> 00:45:18,750
Are you saying
that I put an abnormal brain

951
00:45:18,751 --> 00:45:23,250
into a seven-and-a-half-
foot long,

952
00:45:23,251 --> 00:45:27,416
54-inch-wide...

953
00:45:28,813 --> 00:45:30,207
...gorilla?

954
00:45:30,208 --> 00:45:32,332
He was so real about it

955
00:45:32,333 --> 00:45:36,916
that it was just as absurd
as the big, showy moment,

956
00:45:36,917 --> 00:45:38,540
but even more hilarious,

957
00:45:38,541 --> 00:45:41,250
because he meant it,
he really meant it.

958
00:45:43,271 --> 00:45:45,290
We shall be friends.

959
00:45:45,291 --> 00:45:47,520
It was Gene Wilder's idea.

960
00:45:47,521 --> 00:45:49,750
He says, "Well, maybe
I can get Gene Hackman

961
00:45:49,751 --> 00:45:51,541
to play the blind guy."

962
00:45:51,542 --> 00:45:53,541
Because they were pals.

963
00:45:53,542 --> 00:45:55,937
And he got Hackman,

964
00:45:55,938 --> 00:45:58,332
who was so great.

965
00:45:58,333 --> 00:45:59,458
Are you ready for your soup?

966
00:46:01,208 --> 00:46:03,582
Oh, my friend, my friend.

967
00:46:03,583 --> 00:46:05,958
You don't know how long
I've waited for the pleasure

968
00:46:05,959 --> 00:46:07,499
of another human being.

969
00:46:07,500 --> 00:46:10,499
And sometimes,
in our preoccupation...

970
00:46:13,500 --> 00:46:16,708
And he was funny,
he was very funny, you know?

971
00:46:18,083 --> 00:46:18,999
Oof!

972
00:46:19,000 --> 00:46:21,750
<i>We never
improvised dialogue on the set.</i>

973
00:46:21,751 --> 00:46:23,500
Would you like to have
a roll in the hay?

974
00:46:23,501 --> 00:46:25,249
<i>Physical actions, yes,</i>

975
00:46:25,250 --> 00:46:26,250
<i>but not dialogue.</i>

976
00:46:26,251 --> 00:46:29,751
<i>♪ Roll, roll,
roll in the hay ♪</i>

977
00:46:29,752 --> 00:46:30,666
Marker.

978
00:46:30,667 --> 00:46:32,375
<i>We were
filming the scene</i>

979
00:46:32,376 --> 00:46:34,666
<i>of Madeline Kahn's arrival
at the Frankenstein castle.</i>

980
00:46:34,667 --> 00:46:35,790
Action!

981
00:46:35,791 --> 00:46:37,541
<i>She was
wearing a fox stole</i>

982
00:46:37,542 --> 00:46:38,874
<i>and a big turban on her head,</i>

983
00:46:38,875 --> 00:46:39,875
<i>and then Marty,</i>

984
00:46:39,876 --> 00:46:41,458
<i>in one of his
impulsive inspirations,</i>

985
00:46:41,459 --> 00:46:44,021
<i>took a huge bite out
of the tail of the fox fur</i>

986
00:46:44,022 --> 00:46:46,584
<i>that Madeline was wearing
around her neck.</i>

987
00:46:47,916 --> 00:46:50,000
<i>But the tail
came off in his mouth.</i>

988
00:46:50,001 --> 00:46:51,249
Stop that!

989
00:46:51,250 --> 00:46:53,500
<i>And we
couldn't not laugh.</i>

990
00:46:53,501 --> 00:46:54,833
May I go in?

991
00:46:55,833 --> 00:46:56,833
Cut!

992
00:46:58,833 --> 00:47:00,165
<i>We all laughed,</i>

993
00:47:00,166 --> 00:47:02,999
<i>and Marty was
so funny doing it.</i>

994
00:47:03,000 --> 00:47:06,500
<i>Out of such lunacy,
great comedy is born.</i>

995
00:47:08,500 --> 00:47:11,250
We had to stop
a lot of times to...

996
00:47:11,251 --> 00:47:12,499
That music!

997
00:47:12,500 --> 00:47:14,375
<i>Because
everybody was laughing.</i>

998
00:47:14,376 --> 00:47:15,812
That quaint...

999
00:47:17,250 --> 00:47:18,707
All right!

1000
00:47:18,708 --> 00:47:20,458
<i>We had
to take breaks.</i>

1001
00:47:20,459 --> 00:47:22,333
Follow me, please.

1002
00:47:24,458 --> 00:47:26,645
It cost me over $200.

1003
00:47:26,646 --> 00:47:28,832
I bought handkerchiefs,

1004
00:47:28,833 --> 00:47:31,603
about 150 handkerchiefs
for the crew and everybody.

1005
00:47:31,604 --> 00:47:34,375
Now, listen
to me very carefully.

1006
00:47:34,376 --> 00:47:37,457
Don't put the candle back.

1007
00:47:37,458 --> 00:47:39,750
I said, "When you feel
a laugh coming on..."

1008
00:47:41,708 --> 00:47:43,500
"...shove that handkerchief
in your mouth.

1009
00:47:44,666 --> 00:47:45,707
Stifle your laugh."

1010
00:47:45,708 --> 00:47:47,686
I think it may have been
the "What hump?"

1011
00:47:47,687 --> 00:47:49,666
You know, I don't
mean to embarrass you,

1012
00:47:49,667 --> 00:47:51,749
but I'm a rather
brilliant surgeon.

1013
00:47:51,750 --> 00:47:54,291
Perhaps I could
help you with that hump?

1014
00:47:55,125 --> 00:47:56,332
What hump?

1015
00:47:56,333 --> 00:47:59,499
He turned
to look at the crew

1016
00:47:59,500 --> 00:48:03,062
and I saw a sea
of white handkerchiefs.

1017
00:48:03,063 --> 00:48:06,624
I said, "I think
we got a hit here."

1018
00:48:06,625 --> 00:48:08,458
<i>In all
the time we spent together,</i>

1019
00:48:08,459 --> 00:48:10,749
<i>Mel and I had
only one argument.</i>

1020
00:48:10,750 --> 00:48:12,832
<i>It was when I showed him
a scene I had written</i>

1021
00:48:12,833 --> 00:48:16,500
<i>in which Dr. Frankenstein
and the monster sing and dance</i>

1022
00:48:16,501 --> 00:48:19,207
<i>to "Puttin' on the Ritz."</i>

1023
00:48:19,208 --> 00:48:22,166
I said, "There's no
'Puttin' on the Ritz, '

1024
00:48:22,167 --> 00:48:24,749
we are not gonna do that.

1025
00:48:24,750 --> 00:48:27,895
Because we have been
very faithful

1026
00:48:27,896 --> 00:48:31,041
to James Whale
and to the horror films

1027
00:48:31,042 --> 00:48:32,415
of the '30s.

1028
00:48:32,416 --> 00:48:34,374
This makes it silly."

1029
00:48:34,375 --> 00:48:37,291
I said, "No, we're not doing it,
that's the end of it."

1030
00:48:37,292 --> 00:48:40,791
I was close to rage and tears.

1031
00:48:42,334 --> 00:48:43,624
I argued logic

1032
00:48:43,625 --> 00:48:45,812
from Dr. Frankenstein's
point of view.

1033
00:48:45,813 --> 00:48:48,000
His need to win over
this stuffy audience

1034
00:48:48,001 --> 00:48:49,915
of scientists and their wives

1035
00:48:49,916 --> 00:48:53,875
that the monster could
be taught to do anything.

1036
00:48:53,876 --> 00:48:56,208
And right in mid-sentence,
Mel says,

1037
00:48:56,209 --> 00:48:57,540
"Okay, it's in."

1038
00:48:59,833 --> 00:49:02,208
"I wanted to see
how hard you'd fight for it."

1039
00:49:02,209 --> 00:49:03,708
And I knew if you
fought hard enough,

1040
00:49:03,709 --> 00:49:05,375
it was right."

1041
00:49:07,125 --> 00:49:08,290
We would start shooting,

1042
00:49:08,291 --> 00:49:12,415
and Gene put everything
he had into it to prove it.

1043
00:49:12,416 --> 00:49:15,041
<i>♪ Come, let's mix where
Rockefellers walk with... ♪</i>

1044
00:49:15,042 --> 00:49:18,541
And Peter Boyle
was never better.

1045
00:49:22,042 --> 00:49:24,208
After that was over, I said,

1046
00:49:24,209 --> 00:49:26,332
"Gene, accept my apology.

1047
00:49:26,333 --> 00:49:28,958
It's the best thing
in the movie.

1048
00:49:28,959 --> 00:49:31,541
It's the reason we made it."

1049
00:49:42,500 --> 00:49:43,541
When you think about

1050
00:49:43,542 --> 00:49:45,124
great cinematic collaborations...

1051
00:49:45,125 --> 00:49:47,708
I mean, whether you're
talking about Tracy and Hepburn

1052
00:49:47,709 --> 00:49:50,207
or William Powell and Myrna Loy,

1053
00:49:50,208 --> 00:49:53,499
or, uh, Steven Spielberg
and John Williams,

1054
00:49:53,500 --> 00:49:56,291
Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder
belong in that class.

1055
00:49:56,292 --> 00:49:59,083
They fed off each other
and that pushed them

1056
00:49:59,084 --> 00:50:01,166
to the heights
they both achieved.

1057
00:50:05,166 --> 00:50:06,875
<i>On the last day
of filming,</i>

1058
00:50:06,876 --> 00:50:08,290
<i>during our lunch hour,</i>

1059
00:50:08,291 --> 00:50:11,083
<i>I was sitting in
the Frankenstein bedroom set,</i>

1060
00:50:11,084 --> 00:50:13,604
<i>staring at the fake fireplace.</i>

1061
00:50:13,605 --> 00:50:15,593
<i>Mel wandered in and saw me.</i>

1062
00:50:15,594 --> 00:50:17,582
<i>"What's the matter?</i>

1063
00:50:17,583 --> 00:50:19,874
<i>Why so sad?" he asked.</i>

1064
00:50:19,875 --> 00:50:22,083
<i>"I don't want
to leave Transylvania."</i>

1065
00:50:34,041 --> 00:50:36,708
<i>When we were in the thick
of editing</i> Young Frankenstein,

1066
00:50:36,709 --> 00:50:38,374
<i>Mel turned to me and said,</i>

1067
00:50:38,375 --> 00:50:40,040
<i>"If you keep writing,</i>

1068
00:50:40,041 --> 00:50:41,457
<i>you're gonna want to direct</i>

1069
00:50:41,458 --> 00:50:45,750
<i>just so someone doesn't
screw up what you've written."</i>

1070
00:50:45,751 --> 00:50:49,290
<i>Two weeks later,
fate just struck again.</i>

1071
00:50:49,291 --> 00:50:52,625
<i>Alan Ladd, Jr. asked me
if I wanted to direct</i>

1072
00:50:52,626 --> 00:50:54,708
Sherlock Holmes'
Smarter Brother,

1073
00:50:54,709 --> 00:50:56,790
<i>my idea for
a romantic comedy</i>

1074
00:50:56,791 --> 00:50:59,957
<i>about a brother
of Sherlock Holmes.</i>

1075
00:50:59,958 --> 00:51:01,166
Gene said,
"There's something

1076
00:51:01,167 --> 00:51:04,499
I want to write and direct."

1077
00:51:04,500 --> 00:51:06,958
And Gene Wilder went on
to have a very nice career

1078
00:51:06,959 --> 00:51:09,915
as a writer-director.

1079
00:51:09,916 --> 00:51:11,457
<i>I had
a comedy scene</i>

1080
00:51:11,458 --> 00:51:13,686
<i>at the beginning
of filming</i> Sherlock

1081
00:51:13,687 --> 00:51:15,915
<i>that was one of my favorites.</i>

1082
00:51:15,916 --> 00:51:19,165
<i>I'm waiting to see
Lord Redcliff in his study.</i>

1083
00:51:19,166 --> 00:51:22,415
<i>There's a tempting
box of chocolates</i>

1084
00:51:22,416 --> 00:51:25,915
<i>sitting open on his desk
and melting in the sun,</i>

1085
00:51:25,916 --> 00:51:29,416
<i>so I decide to steal
just one tiny piece.</i>

1086
00:51:35,041 --> 00:51:36,540
<i>The crew was
holding back laughter,</i>

1087
00:51:36,541 --> 00:51:39,040
<i>but all I was trying
to do as an actor</i>

1088
00:51:39,041 --> 00:51:42,665
<i>was to act as normally
as I possibly could.</i>

1089
00:51:42,666 --> 00:51:45,541
<i>It was the same lesson I'd
learned from Charlie Chaplin</i>

1090
00:51:45,542 --> 00:51:47,416
<i>when I saw</i> The Circus.

1091
00:51:51,208 --> 00:51:54,707
<i>If the physical thing
you're doing is funny,</i>

1092
00:51:54,708 --> 00:51:57,916
<i>you don't have
to act funny while doing it.</i>

1093
00:51:59,125 --> 00:52:01,478
<i>Just be real
and it will be funnier.</i>

1094
00:52:01,479 --> 00:52:03,833
<i>The acting lesson
from this film</i>

1095
00:52:03,834 --> 00:52:05,415
<i>seemed so simple,</i>

1096
00:52:05,416 --> 00:52:07,916
<i>yet it inspired me
for the rest of my career.</i>

1097
00:52:11,416 --> 00:52:13,290
When I was 23,

1098
00:52:13,291 --> 00:52:16,666
{\an8}I was miraculously
nominated for Best Actress

1099
00:52:16,667 --> 00:52:21,790
{\an8}for a movie called
<i>Hester Street.</i>

1100
00:52:21,791 --> 00:52:26,500
The phone didn't ring
for a solid year after that.

1101
00:52:26,501 --> 00:52:29,957
And the first call
I got about work

1102
00:52:29,958 --> 00:52:34,333
was Gene calling about
<i>The World's Greatest Lover.</i>

1103
00:52:34,334 --> 00:52:38,457
I had never in my life
done a comedy.

1104
00:52:38,458 --> 00:52:43,833
Why would Gene Wilder be calling
for me to be in a comedy?

1105
00:52:43,834 --> 00:52:46,958
You get
some insight into Gene

1106
00:52:46,959 --> 00:52:48,832
that he casts Carol Kane.

1107
00:52:48,833 --> 00:52:50,707
This was not a comedy actress.

1108
00:52:50,708 --> 00:52:52,457
He had the sense...
he knew people.

1109
00:52:52,458 --> 00:52:55,250
I mean, Carol Kane comes off
this Oscar nomination

1110
00:52:55,251 --> 00:52:56,875
for a dramatic role,
and he thinks,

1111
00:52:56,876 --> 00:52:58,833
"No, funny... she's funny."

1112
00:52:58,834 --> 00:52:59,915
And now we know,

1113
00:52:59,916 --> 00:53:02,625
now there's 40-plus
years of evidence

1114
00:53:02,626 --> 00:53:03,915
that Carol Kane is funny.

1115
00:53:03,916 --> 00:53:07,207
But, you know,
Gene recognized it.

1116
00:53:07,208 --> 00:53:10,978
<i>It was about
a baker from Milwaukee in 1927</i>

1117
00:53:10,979 --> 00:53:14,750
<i>who wants to try out
for a big Hollywood contest</i>

1118
00:53:14,751 --> 00:53:17,604
<i>to find the next
Rudolph Valentino.</i>

1119
00:53:17,605 --> 00:53:20,458
<i>He takes his wife to Hollywood.</i>

1120
00:53:21,916 --> 00:53:24,665
I will win that screen test,

1121
00:53:24,666 --> 00:53:27,228
not because I'm
the best actor in the world,

1122
00:53:27,229 --> 00:53:29,790
not because I'm
the sexiest man in the world,

1123
00:53:29,791 --> 00:53:32,375
not because I'm the most
handsome man in the world,

1124
00:53:32,376 --> 00:53:36,166
but because I am unique!

1125
00:53:37,916 --> 00:53:40,916
<i>♪ You ought
to be in pictures ♪</i>

1126
00:53:40,917 --> 00:53:44,082
<i>♪ You're wonderful to see ♪</i>

1127
00:53:44,083 --> 00:53:46,374
<i>♪ You ought to be in pictures ♪</i>

1128
00:53:46,375 --> 00:53:50,208
<i>♪ Oh, what a hit
you would be ♪</i>

1129
00:53:52,730 --> 00:53:55,249
For someone just beginning

1130
00:53:55,250 --> 00:53:59,582
as a director-writer-
producer-star,

1131
00:53:59,583 --> 00:54:06,250
Gene was very calm
and confident and happy.

1132
00:54:07,833 --> 00:54:12,166
When you write,
direct, and act in a movie,

1133
00:54:12,167 --> 00:54:15,665
there are three ways
they can kill you.

1134
00:54:15,666 --> 00:54:19,749
And if they wanna kill you,
they go for all three.

1135
00:54:19,750 --> 00:54:23,833
Gene was able to exert
his own artistic vision.

1136
00:54:23,834 --> 00:54:26,833
I'm ready!

1137
00:54:29,833 --> 00:54:33,457
<i>The World's Greatest Lover</i>

1138
00:54:33,458 --> 00:54:37,083
is a big love letter
to movies, Hollywood,

1139
00:54:37,084 --> 00:54:40,000
all his idols.

1140
00:54:40,001 --> 00:54:41,915
Chaplin.

1141
00:54:41,916 --> 00:54:43,082
Busby Berkeley.

1142
00:54:43,083 --> 00:54:44,353
<i>♪ We're in the money ♪</i>

1143
00:54:44,354 --> 00:54:46,968
Laurel and Hardy

1144
00:54:46,969 --> 00:54:50,171
and these classic comedy bits.

1145
00:54:50,172 --> 00:54:53,374
The way Gene shot the movie,

1146
00:54:53,375 --> 00:54:56,916
extreme close-ups
frequently of the eyes,

1147
00:54:56,917 --> 00:55:00,082
to let the eyes do the talking,

1148
00:55:00,083 --> 00:55:02,625
as they did
in the silent-movie era.

1149
00:55:04,500 --> 00:55:08,708
He manages
to convey hurt and longing

1150
00:55:08,709 --> 00:55:11,250
and fear and anger
in those eyes

1151
00:55:11,251 --> 00:55:13,707
without speaking a line.

1152
00:55:13,708 --> 00:55:17,000
Gene Wilder would have been
a great silent actor.

1153
00:55:17,001 --> 00:55:19,625
No surprise that
he chose to make a film

1154
00:55:19,626 --> 00:55:23,332
that salutes silent Hollywood.

1155
00:55:23,333 --> 00:55:26,041
The lighting
and the costumes and the makeup

1156
00:55:26,042 --> 00:55:29,333
is so evocative of that time.

1157
00:55:32,625 --> 00:55:36,208
That obviously
appealed to Gene a lot.

1158
00:55:39,958 --> 00:55:43,000
I love Gene's choice
of acting roles.

1159
00:55:44,208 --> 00:55:45,749
It's totally eclectic.

1160
00:55:45,750 --> 00:55:48,249
He did what he wanted to do.

1161
00:55:48,250 --> 00:55:50,041
What spoke to him,
what he loved,

1162
00:55:50,042 --> 00:55:52,874
he just did it.

1163
00:55:52,875 --> 00:55:55,000
<i>It was called</i>
The Frisco Kid.

1164
00:55:59,708 --> 00:56:01,875
<i>A film about
a Polish rabbi...</i>

1165
00:56:01,876 --> 00:56:03,124
America.

1166
00:56:03,125 --> 00:56:04,687
<i>...who comes
to America</i>

1167
00:56:04,688 --> 00:56:06,250
<i>at the time of the gold rush...</i>

1168
00:56:06,251 --> 00:56:07,207
Oy!

1169
00:56:07,208 --> 00:56:10,376
<i>...and becomes
best friends with a bank robber</i>

1170
00:56:10,377 --> 00:56:12,957
<i>and is captured by Indians.</i>

1171
00:56:12,958 --> 00:56:15,125
Yes or no:
Can your god make rain?

1172
00:56:15,126 --> 00:56:16,707
He doesn't make rain!

1173
00:56:16,708 --> 00:56:19,791
<i>The rabbi
and the chief form a friendship</i>

1174
00:56:19,792 --> 00:56:21,832
<i>discussing the Jewish god.</i>

1175
00:56:21,833 --> 00:56:24,208
...around blindly like
little mice in the darkness,

1176
00:56:24,209 --> 00:56:27,458
but He does not make rain!

1177
00:56:36,354 --> 00:56:39,666
Of course, sometimes,
just like that,

1178
00:56:39,667 --> 00:56:41,583
He'll change His mind.

1179
00:56:47,333 --> 00:56:49,082
The Frisco Kid
<i>came closer</i>

1180
00:56:49,083 --> 00:56:52,916
<i>to what I am in life
than anything else.</i>

1181
00:56:55,250 --> 00:56:57,333
<i>We were never
a particularly religious family</i>

1182
00:56:57,334 --> 00:56:58,790
<i>when I was growing up</i>

1183
00:56:58,791 --> 00:57:00,895
<i>in the sense of prayers
at home or rituals,</i>

1184
00:57:00,896 --> 00:57:03,000
<i>other than going
to my grandparents'</i>

1185
00:57:03,001 --> 00:57:05,290
<i>for a meal on Passover,</i>

1186
00:57:05,291 --> 00:57:08,250
<i>and going to the synagogue
on the High Holidays.</i>

1187
00:57:10,541 --> 00:57:12,874
Gene's grandfather

1188
00:57:12,875 --> 00:57:15,332
{\an8}was president
of his old synagogue,

1189
00:57:15,333 --> 00:57:19,291
{\an8}which was an old,
little small Orthodox synagogue

1190
00:57:19,292 --> 00:57:21,416
in the old Jewish neighborhood.

1191
00:57:23,791 --> 00:57:26,666
We had strong feelings
about Judaism.

1192
00:57:28,083 --> 00:57:31,291
I would say Gene was spiritual.

1193
00:57:33,416 --> 00:57:34,853
There's my mother in me,

1194
00:57:34,854 --> 00:57:36,291
and there's my father in me.

1195
00:57:37,458 --> 00:57:39,082
<i>There was a certain innocence</i>

1196
00:57:39,083 --> 00:57:41,040
<i>about the way I acted onscreen.</i>

1197
00:57:41,041 --> 00:57:43,875
<i>I must have inherited it
from my father.</i>

1198
00:57:43,876 --> 00:57:45,249
<i>My father was born in Russia</i>

1199
00:57:45,250 --> 00:57:48,166
<i>but came to Milwaukee
with his family when he was 11.</i>

1200
00:57:48,167 --> 00:57:51,166
<i>He wasn't dumb,
but he was very innocent.</i>

1201
00:58:08,625 --> 00:58:12,083
Dost thou speak English?

1202
00:58:14,416 --> 00:58:17,061
Dost thou

1203
00:58:17,062 --> 00:58:19,707
speak Eng...

1204
00:58:22,167 --> 00:58:24,624
<i>Oy... oy gevalt!</i>

1205
00:58:28,000 --> 00:58:31,916
<i>The wonderful
Robert Aldrich was directing,</i>

1206
00:58:31,917 --> 00:58:35,499
<i>and Mace Neufeld
was the producer,</i>

1207
00:58:35,500 --> 00:58:37,916
<i>but we still had
to find a co-star.</i>

1208
00:58:37,917 --> 00:58:40,603
{\an8}When we started to do the film,

1209
00:58:40,604 --> 00:58:43,290
{\an8}we were gonna use John Wayne.

1210
00:58:43,291 --> 00:58:46,583
And he was all excited
about joining the project.

1211
00:58:46,584 --> 00:58:47,999
I was so happy,

1212
00:58:48,000 --> 00:58:50,500
and one of the executives
got the bright idea

1213
00:58:50,501 --> 00:58:53,375
of going out
to Long Beach, California,

1214
00:58:53,376 --> 00:58:55,207
where John Wayne lived,

1215
00:58:55,208 --> 00:58:58,270
and tried to
knock him down $250,000.

1216
00:58:58,271 --> 00:59:01,333
And he said,
"Forget the whole thing."

1217
00:59:01,334 --> 00:59:03,707
He was out.

1218
00:59:03,708 --> 00:59:05,166
<i>I was asked
to look at the work</i>

1219
00:59:05,167 --> 00:59:07,353
<i>of an up-and-coming
young actor</i>

1220
00:59:07,354 --> 00:59:09,540
<i>by the name of Harrison Ford.</i>

1221
00:59:09,541 --> 00:59:11,874
<i>I thought Harrison was charming</i>

1222
00:59:11,875 --> 00:59:14,791
<i>and might possibly get
somewhere in the business.</i>

1223
00:59:14,792 --> 00:59:16,708
What do you call this,
in Jewish?

1224
00:59:16,709 --> 00:59:19,624
A... a <i>tuchus.</i>

1225
00:59:19,625 --> 00:59:21,895
Well, you keep your eyes
on this <i>too-kas</i>

1226
00:59:21,896 --> 00:59:24,166
and don't take 'em off
till I tell ya.

1227
00:59:24,167 --> 00:59:25,999
{\an8}Harrison was super popular,

1228
00:59:26,000 --> 00:59:28,500
{\an8}and everybody was
crazy about him,

1229
00:59:28,501 --> 00:59:30,874
{\an8}but Gene was different.

1230
00:59:30,875 --> 00:59:33,165
Gene Wilder was
one of my heroes.

1231
00:59:33,166 --> 00:59:36,333
He was smart,
he was funny, he was kind.

1232
00:59:36,334 --> 00:59:39,250
He made me feel very special.

1233
00:59:39,251 --> 00:59:40,957
I was 14 years old,

1234
00:59:40,958 --> 00:59:44,208
and my father said
that I was okay

1235
00:59:44,209 --> 00:59:48,291
to actually be in the movie.

1236
00:59:48,292 --> 00:59:49,874
So they made me up,

1237
00:59:49,875 --> 00:59:52,749
probably inappropriately,

1238
00:59:52,750 --> 00:59:55,624
and I was the Jewish Indian.

1239
00:59:55,625 --> 00:59:59,166
I remember feeling
very excited but very nervous

1240
00:59:59,167 --> 01:00:00,812
to be on the set.

1241
01:00:00,813 --> 01:00:02,457
Everybody dance!

1242
01:00:02,458 --> 01:00:04,333
<i>So he's teaching the Indians</i>

1243
01:00:04,334 --> 01:00:05,749
<i>Jewish dancing.</i>

1244
01:00:05,750 --> 01:00:07,374
That's good
with the hands.

1245
01:00:07,375 --> 01:00:08,539
Watch that lady!

1246
01:00:08,540 --> 01:00:11,498
I think that lady's
a Jewish Indian.

1247
01:00:11,499 --> 01:00:13,707
<i>Gene had taken peyote,</i>

1248
01:00:13,708 --> 01:00:14,956
<i>but he doesn't know that.</i>

1249
01:00:14,957 --> 01:00:17,331
<i>♪ Now we do a jump,
a little bit of jump ♪</i>

1250
01:00:17,332 --> 01:00:19,040
<i>He is
feeling the effects</i>

1251
01:00:19,041 --> 01:00:19,957
<i>of the drug.</i>

1252
01:00:19,958 --> 01:00:21,000
<i>♪ One, two, three ♪</i>

1253
01:00:22,583 --> 01:00:25,791
And he passes out.

1254
01:00:25,792 --> 01:00:27,375
And I look at him and I go...

1255
01:00:28,708 --> 01:00:30,916
So, that's my big role
in the movie.

1256
01:00:32,791 --> 01:00:36,458
Now we had
Harrison Ford and Gene Wilder,

1257
01:00:36,459 --> 01:00:38,958
and Gene Wilder carried
the comedy in the movie.

1258
01:00:38,959 --> 01:00:41,000
Don't wake me
in the mornin'.

1259
01:00:42,833 --> 01:00:46,207
{\an8}I'll try to be
as quiet as possible!

1260
01:00:46,208 --> 01:00:49,583
One example of Gene's
connection to Judaism

1261
01:00:49,584 --> 01:00:52,874
is that Gene and Harrison Ford

1262
01:00:52,875 --> 01:00:55,083
are trying to get away
from the bad guys.

1263
01:00:55,084 --> 01:00:56,541
What the hell are you doin'?

1264
01:00:57,458 --> 01:00:59,374
I don't ride today.

1265
01:00:59,375 --> 01:01:01,333
And it's the Sabbath.

1266
01:01:01,334 --> 01:01:03,207
You can't ride on the Sabbath.

1267
01:01:03,208 --> 01:01:07,125
Gene says, "We have
to wait for the sun to set."

1268
01:01:07,126 --> 01:01:08,541
Not yet!

1269
01:01:09,791 --> 01:01:11,041
Now!

1270
01:01:14,500 --> 01:01:17,583
<i>And as soon as the sun set...</i>

1271
01:01:17,584 --> 01:01:19,041
- Now!
<i>- ...off they go.</i>

1272
01:01:19,042 --> 01:01:20,165
Thank God.

1273
01:01:20,166 --> 01:01:22,625
Longest damned day of my life.

1274
01:01:24,708 --> 01:01:26,375
<i>I'll never
be as good in drama</i>

1275
01:01:26,376 --> 01:01:28,541
<i>as I am in comedy.</i>

1276
01:01:28,542 --> 01:01:30,707
Oy!

1277
01:01:30,708 --> 01:01:32,311
<i>But when
I'm acting,</i>

1278
01:01:32,312 --> 01:01:34,447
<i>I want to be really funny</i>

1279
01:01:34,448 --> 01:01:36,582
<i>and part vulnerable.</i>

1280
01:01:36,583 --> 01:01:40,583
Hey, we are doing this
to keep warm, aren't we?

1281
01:01:40,584 --> 01:01:42,415
Uh-huh.

1282
01:01:42,416 --> 01:01:45,082
In that case, you can
put your arms around me.

1283
01:01:45,083 --> 01:01:47,750
<i>That's what
I like the best.</i>

1284
01:01:53,916 --> 01:01:55,790
I'm not a good actor;

1285
01:01:55,791 --> 01:01:57,311
I'm a good reactor.

1286
01:01:57,312 --> 01:01:58,832
Something happens.

1287
01:01:58,833 --> 01:02:02,291
That's why Richard and I
are so good together.

1288
01:02:08,333 --> 01:02:11,124
<i>Richard Pryor and I
met in Calgary, Canada,</i>

1289
01:02:11,125 --> 01:02:15,290
<i>as we were both
checking in at the hotel.</i>

1290
01:02:15,291 --> 01:02:18,125
<i>The next morning,
we did our first short scene</i>

1291
01:02:18,126 --> 01:02:21,125
<i>in the film</i> Silver Streak.

1292
01:02:22,333 --> 01:02:24,958
<i>There were police cars
and helicopters and guns</i>

1293
01:02:24,959 --> 01:02:26,541
<i>all around us.</i>

1294
01:02:26,542 --> 01:02:28,124
Argh! Shit!

1295
01:02:28,125 --> 01:02:29,374
Take it easy, killer.

1296
01:02:29,375 --> 01:02:30,625
What are you doing here?

1297
01:02:31,666 --> 01:02:34,915
When Richard and I
did our first scene,

1298
01:02:34,916 --> 01:02:39,790
some magic happened,
what they call chemistry.

1299
01:02:39,791 --> 01:02:41,875
I would answer him,
back and forth, back and forth,

1300
01:02:41,876 --> 01:02:44,895
and we were on
such a similar wavelength.

1301
01:02:44,896 --> 01:02:47,916
No thinking,
just spontaneous reaction.

1302
01:02:47,917 --> 01:02:49,166
Who's in charge here?

1303
01:02:49,167 --> 01:02:50,916
Would you get down?

1304
01:02:54,250 --> 01:02:55,290
<i>That was
the start</i>

1305
01:02:55,291 --> 01:02:58,750
<i>of our improvisatory
relationship on film.</i>

1306
01:03:00,791 --> 01:03:02,561
{\an8}My dad couldn't read very well.

1307
01:03:02,562 --> 01:03:04,332
{\an8}He was dyslexic a little bit.

1308
01:03:04,333 --> 01:03:07,686
So a lot of his education
came from the feel of something.

1309
01:03:07,687 --> 01:03:11,041
<i>Richard's way
always has an emotional</i>

1310
01:03:11,042 --> 01:03:14,165
<i>rather than intellectual base.</i>

1311
01:03:14,166 --> 01:03:17,500
<i>In this regard,
Richard was my teacher.</i>

1312
01:03:22,833 --> 01:03:24,832
- What are you doing?
- I'm gettin' bad.

1313
01:03:24,833 --> 01:03:26,916
Better get bad, Jack,
'cause if you ain't bad,

1314
01:03:26,917 --> 01:03:28,832
you gonna get fucked.

1315
01:03:28,833 --> 01:03:30,540
You're bad,
they don't mess with ya.

1316
01:03:30,541 --> 01:03:32,374
<i>Words kept
coming out of my mouth</i>

1317
01:03:32,375 --> 01:03:34,291
<i>in response to things
that Richard was saying.</i>

1318
01:03:34,292 --> 01:03:35,749
- Get down!
- Hey!

1319
01:03:35,750 --> 01:03:37,458
<i>Things that
weren't in the script.</i>

1320
01:03:37,459 --> 01:03:39,500
You a little too bad, ain't ya?

1321
01:03:39,501 --> 01:03:41,040
My dad knew undeniably

1322
01:03:41,041 --> 01:03:43,374
there was a magic between them.

1323
01:03:43,375 --> 01:03:47,791
That's right, that's right,
we bad, uh-huh, that's right.

1324
01:03:47,792 --> 01:03:50,291
Together, it was like
explosive on the screen.

1325
01:03:50,292 --> 01:03:51,582
Hi-ya!

1326
01:03:51,583 --> 01:03:53,083
I don't
know what makes

1327
01:03:53,084 --> 01:03:55,999
a great comedy duo.

1328
01:03:56,000 --> 01:03:57,082
They both have to be funny,

1329
01:03:57,083 --> 01:03:58,625
but they have
to work off each other.

1330
01:04:00,791 --> 01:04:03,125
Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor,

1331
01:04:03,126 --> 01:04:04,707
they fuel each other.

1332
01:04:04,708 --> 01:04:08,790
And their improvs
made them both better.

1333
01:04:08,791 --> 01:04:10,832
<i>The director,
Sidney Poitier,</i>

1334
01:04:10,833 --> 01:04:12,915
<i>wanted the script
rewritten to accommodate</i>

1335
01:04:12,916 --> 01:04:16,832
<i>the particular talents
of his two stars.</i>

1336
01:04:16,833 --> 01:04:20,165
<i>Then he said,
"I want you both to fly."</i>

1337
01:04:20,166 --> 01:04:22,458
Please! He's sick,
he's... he's havin' a fit.

1338
01:04:22,459 --> 01:04:24,041
See, he don't have
his tooth pills.

1339
01:04:24,042 --> 01:04:25,291
He's got... see?

1340
01:04:25,292 --> 01:04:26,540
And we did fly.

1341
01:04:26,541 --> 01:04:27,750
Harry.

1342
01:04:27,751 --> 01:04:29,040
Harry, for God's sake.

1343
01:04:29,041 --> 01:04:31,041
- Argh!
- You're gonna get us in trouble.

1344
01:04:31,042 --> 01:04:32,625
They're
wild together.

1345
01:04:32,626 --> 01:04:33,979
Your crew is laughing.

1346
01:04:33,980 --> 01:04:35,332
Harry, here, come here.

1347
01:04:35,333 --> 01:04:38,666
They weren't afraid
to be silly,

1348
01:04:38,667 --> 01:04:40,125
and it comes out genius.

1349
01:04:40,126 --> 01:04:42,500
All right, you two.

1350
01:04:42,501 --> 01:04:44,915
Up and at 'em!

1351
01:04:51,958 --> 01:04:56,082
Argh! I can't feel
nothin' in my leg!

1352
01:04:56,083 --> 01:04:58,208
<i>Richard and I
were certainly silly together,</i>

1353
01:04:58,209 --> 01:05:00,457
<i>at least on film.</i>

1354
01:05:00,458 --> 01:05:02,082
<i>But as close
as we were on film,</i>

1355
01:05:02,083 --> 01:05:04,624
<i>it didn't carry over
to our private lives.</i>

1356
01:05:04,625 --> 01:05:06,541
When the camera
was off, that was it.

1357
01:05:09,250 --> 01:05:10,791
And that's kind of
how they were,

1358
01:05:10,792 --> 01:05:12,249
and I understand that.

1359
01:05:12,250 --> 01:05:14,062
I mean, they were
two polar opposites.

1360
01:05:14,063 --> 01:05:15,875
Gene, when you were
doing those movies

1361
01:05:15,876 --> 01:05:17,040
with Richard Pryor,

1362
01:05:17,041 --> 01:05:20,500
did his drug usage ever
get in the way of the film?

1363
01:05:20,501 --> 01:05:22,375
I got to know Richard

1364
01:05:22,376 --> 01:05:24,249
and I got to love him,

1365
01:05:24,250 --> 01:05:28,125
and he was going
through a difficult period.

1366
01:05:28,126 --> 01:05:31,457
But I never talked
to him about that.

1367
01:05:31,458 --> 01:05:34,770
Whatever it was
that he was going through,

1368
01:05:34,771 --> 01:05:38,083
he quieted it with his
drugs and alcohols and women.

1369
01:05:38,084 --> 01:05:40,999
It was almost like
self-sabotaging,

1370
01:05:41,000 --> 01:05:43,666
you know, to not
show up on time to set.

1371
01:05:46,188 --> 01:05:48,718
But when they came together,

1372
01:05:48,719 --> 01:05:51,249
a black-and-white duo team,

1373
01:05:51,250 --> 01:05:54,082
creating this laughter together,

1374
01:05:54,083 --> 01:05:57,666
that, to me,
is what comedy is about.

1375
01:05:57,667 --> 01:05:59,750
You can't deny that's magic.

1376
01:06:01,416 --> 01:06:03,291
You're doing all right,
you're getting the hang of it.

1377
01:06:03,292 --> 01:06:06,103
<i>My next
movie project was</i>

1378
01:06:06,104 --> 01:06:08,509
<i>a comedy-mystery
called</i> Hanky Panky,

1379
01:06:08,510 --> 01:06:10,916
<i>with Sidney Poitier directing.</i>

1380
01:06:12,625 --> 01:06:14,958
<i>Lots of female stars
said they would do the movie,</i>

1381
01:06:14,959 --> 01:06:17,208
<i>but Sidney cast Gilda Radner.</i>

1382
01:06:19,667 --> 01:06:22,124
<i>The day Gilda and I met,</i>

1383
01:06:22,125 --> 01:06:24,749
<i>I was in my makeup
and dressed in a tuxedo</i>

1384
01:06:24,750 --> 01:06:27,375
<i>when I walked up to her
to say hello.</i>

1385
01:06:27,376 --> 01:06:29,207
Stay here, I'll be right back.

1386
01:06:29,208 --> 01:06:32,041
Your co-star
in this is Gilda Radner.

1387
01:06:32,042 --> 01:06:33,833
Isn't she wonderful?

1388
01:06:33,834 --> 01:06:35,624
Why are you smiling?

1389
01:06:35,625 --> 01:06:38,000
'Cause you wanna know
what I think of her,

1390
01:06:38,001 --> 01:06:40,333
it'd be more
than wonderful, yes.

1391
01:06:42,375 --> 01:06:46,145
{\an8}When Gilda went
to do the movie <i>Hanky Panky,</i>

1392
01:06:46,146 --> 01:06:49,916
{\an8}she was having difficulty
in the marriage that she was in.

1393
01:06:51,375 --> 01:06:53,708
So when she told me
that she's becoming

1394
01:06:53,709 --> 01:06:56,874
very friendly with Gene Wilder,

1395
01:06:56,875 --> 01:07:00,791
very friendly,
I'm going, "All right."

1396
01:07:00,792 --> 01:07:02,582
That was a euphemism for,

1397
01:07:02,583 --> 01:07:05,291
"I'm gonna end up
with Gene Wilder."

1398
01:07:11,666 --> 01:07:15,166
He had
a mesmerizing stare.

1399
01:07:16,875 --> 01:07:19,082
{\an8}And those eyes,
those blue...

1400
01:07:19,083 --> 01:07:21,916
{\an8}I mean, I could see why
Gilda fell in love with him.

1401
01:07:21,917 --> 01:07:25,541
Gilda was like 14-ish
when her dad died.

1402
01:07:27,125 --> 01:07:28,750
Gene was one-stop shopping.

1403
01:07:28,751 --> 01:07:31,707
He was older,

1404
01:07:31,708 --> 01:07:35,416
so there was the dad thing.

1405
01:07:35,417 --> 01:07:38,520
He already had his own career.

1406
01:07:38,521 --> 01:07:41,625
And she was grateful for it.

1407
01:07:44,041 --> 01:07:45,853
<i>Gilda was
the most generous</i>

1408
01:07:45,854 --> 01:07:47,666
<i>and compassionate
and original person</i>

1409
01:07:47,667 --> 01:07:49,457
<i>I had ever met.</i>

1410
01:07:49,458 --> 01:07:51,333
<i>It was wonderful
to be with Gilda,</i>

1411
01:07:51,334 --> 01:07:53,165
<i>most of the time.</i>

1412
01:07:53,166 --> 01:07:57,291
<i>She was so strong-willed
and yet so fragile.</i>

1413
01:07:57,292 --> 01:07:59,499
When Gilda met Gene,

1414
01:07:59,500 --> 01:08:01,750
she had a world of problems.

1415
01:08:01,751 --> 01:08:03,729
She drank too much.

1416
01:08:03,730 --> 01:08:05,707
She was a bulimic.

1417
01:08:05,708 --> 01:08:09,000
And Gene sent her
to a battery of doctors

1418
01:08:09,001 --> 01:08:12,665
to redo her,
to fix her,

1419
01:08:12,666 --> 01:08:14,875
and rehabilitates her,
to a degree.

1420
01:08:19,875 --> 01:08:21,624
<i>We were
living in Los Angeles,</i>

1421
01:08:21,625 --> 01:08:25,207
<i>having just finished filming</i>
The Woman in Red.

1422
01:08:25,208 --> 01:08:29,582
<i>Seeing Gilda looking strong
and healthy and so happy,</i>

1423
01:08:29,583 --> 01:08:33,958
<i>I thought, "Maybe things
between us can work."</i>

1424
01:08:33,959 --> 01:08:35,583
If I found
a restaurant

1425
01:08:35,584 --> 01:08:37,082
that was interesting,

1426
01:08:37,083 --> 01:08:39,708
I'd always call him
and say, "Let's go here."

1427
01:08:39,709 --> 01:08:41,187
And he'd take Gilda,

1428
01:08:41,188 --> 01:08:42,665
who loved my wife, Anne,

1429
01:08:42,666 --> 01:08:45,915
and Anne loved Gilda,
so it was perfect.

1430
01:08:45,916 --> 01:08:48,665
We were best friends,
it was wonderful.

1431
01:08:48,666 --> 01:08:50,957
{\an8}Gilda
was different.

1432
01:08:50,958 --> 01:08:53,249
{\an8}She said, "I'm not
a perfect woman

1433
01:08:53,250 --> 01:08:55,125
that you've been searching
for all your life.

1434
01:08:55,126 --> 01:08:57,874
I'm just little,
imperfect Gilda.

1435
01:08:57,875 --> 01:09:01,583
And if that's what you want,
a real love,

1436
01:09:01,584 --> 01:09:05,290
I'm your best bet."

1437
01:09:05,291 --> 01:09:09,333
<i>We were married
on September 18th, 1984.</i>

1438
01:09:11,834 --> 01:09:14,332
<i>She was 38 years old.</i>

1439
01:09:14,333 --> 01:09:16,165
<i>Now she wanted a baby.</i>

1440
01:09:16,166 --> 01:09:18,500
<i>Desperately, of course.</i>

1441
01:09:20,583 --> 01:09:23,499
Just when it stops
before you go away again.

1442
01:09:23,500 --> 01:09:26,416
<i>Meanwhile,
I was making a new movie,</i>

1443
01:09:26,417 --> 01:09:28,665
Haunted Honeymoon.

1444
01:09:28,666 --> 01:09:32,708
{\an8}It's always much easier
to kiss someone in a movie

1445
01:09:32,709 --> 01:09:35,249
that you kiss all the time.

1446
01:09:35,250 --> 01:09:37,791
'Cause it's familiar territory!

1447
01:09:39,333 --> 01:09:42,541
Gilda found out
that she was pregnant

1448
01:09:42,542 --> 01:09:45,500
and was thrilled beyond belief.

1449
01:09:45,501 --> 01:09:48,457
She went in for an exam

1450
01:09:48,458 --> 01:09:51,625
and found out it was
an ectopic pregnancy,

1451
01:09:51,626 --> 01:09:54,750
and it was devastating.

1452
01:09:54,751 --> 01:09:57,874
Everything was devastating.

1453
01:09:57,875 --> 01:10:00,665
A couple months
after the surgery,

1454
01:10:00,666 --> 01:10:05,124
that's when they realized
that she had ovarian cancer.

1455
01:10:05,125 --> 01:10:09,583
<i>Gilda grabbed
my face in her hands</i>

1456
01:10:09,584 --> 01:10:10,999
<i>and sobbed.</i>

1457
01:10:11,000 --> 01:10:13,562
<i>"No more bad news,
no more bad news.</i>

1458
01:10:13,563 --> 01:10:16,125
<i>I don't want
any more bad news."</i>

1459
01:10:22,458 --> 01:10:24,915
There's something mythological

1460
01:10:24,916 --> 01:10:27,500
about somebody going
through all of this,

1461
01:10:27,501 --> 01:10:30,750
finding the love
of their lives,

1462
01:10:30,751 --> 01:10:34,208
and then, God saying, "Ha.

1463
01:10:34,209 --> 01:10:37,665
You're not gonna enjoy this."

1464
01:10:37,666 --> 01:10:40,125
She was on
such a beautiful path

1465
01:10:40,126 --> 01:10:42,082
and beautiful life.

1466
01:10:42,083 --> 01:10:43,708
Everything that
she ever dreamt of

1467
01:10:43,709 --> 01:10:44,915
was happening,

1468
01:10:44,916 --> 01:10:47,083
and then,
this was like a bomb

1469
01:10:47,084 --> 01:10:49,125
that fell in her lap.

1470
01:10:50,500 --> 01:10:53,000
<i>Between her
chemotherapy treatments,</i>

1471
01:10:53,001 --> 01:10:54,729
<i>Gilda would come home
and try to lead</i>

1472
01:10:54,730 --> 01:10:56,457
<i>as normal a life as possible,</i>

1473
01:10:56,458 --> 01:10:59,624
<i>but the first few days
were always exhausting</i>

1474
01:10:59,625 --> 01:11:02,395
<i>because she was
so hyped-up from steroids.</i>

1475
01:11:02,396 --> 01:11:05,166
I remember,
we were out once,

1476
01:11:05,167 --> 01:11:06,290
I said, "How you doing?"

1477
01:11:06,291 --> 01:11:08,250
And she said,
"I'm doing the best I can,

1478
01:11:08,251 --> 01:11:09,999
but, poor Gene.

1479
01:11:10,000 --> 01:11:12,625
You have no idea what
I'm putting that guy through."

1480
01:11:14,083 --> 01:11:16,583
It was unfortunate he had
to be put to that test,

1481
01:11:16,584 --> 01:11:19,332
but he was terrific.

1482
01:11:19,333 --> 01:11:21,416
She made herself
very public when she was sick.

1483
01:11:21,417 --> 01:11:23,958
She was on the cover
of Life magazine.

1484
01:11:23,959 --> 01:11:25,583
She did a thousand interviews.

1485
01:11:25,584 --> 01:11:27,207
She went on Letterman

1486
01:11:27,208 --> 01:11:29,291
and on a show
I co-created called

1487
01:11:29,292 --> 01:11:31,374
<i>It's Garry Shandling's Show.</i>

1488
01:11:31,375 --> 01:11:34,208
Gene was very supportive
of her coming on.

1489
01:11:35,666 --> 01:11:38,249
When she got cancer,

1490
01:11:38,250 --> 01:11:41,208
I never thought
that she would die from it.

1491
01:11:41,209 --> 01:11:42,875
I thought she'd lick it.

1492
01:11:44,458 --> 01:11:47,833
I was stupid, 'cause
everyone else seemed to know

1493
01:11:47,834 --> 01:11:49,415
but I didn't.

1494
01:11:55,708 --> 01:11:58,375
<i>She was 43 years old
when she died.</i>

1495
01:12:00,000 --> 01:12:03,416
<i>I buried her in front
of a tall white ash tree</i>

1496
01:12:03,417 --> 01:12:06,833
<i>three miles from
her home in Connecticut.</i>

1497
01:12:08,583 --> 01:12:10,165
<i>I used to worry
all my early life</i>

1498
01:12:10,166 --> 01:12:13,332
<i>about being good enough
to please God.</i>

1499
01:12:13,333 --> 01:12:15,957
<i>Gilda didn't think
about those things.</i>

1500
01:12:15,958 --> 01:12:18,582
<i>She was just naturally good.</i>

1501
01:12:18,583 --> 01:12:21,375
<i>I don't want to be
a better person than Gilda.</i>

1502
01:12:21,376 --> 01:12:23,249
<i>She was just human,</i>

1503
01:12:23,250 --> 01:12:26,291
<i>and that's all I want to be,
just human.</i>

1504
01:12:34,166 --> 01:12:35,999
<i>In our bedroom
in Connecticut,</i>

1505
01:12:36,000 --> 01:12:39,290
<i>for the sake of
my psychological health,</i>

1506
01:12:39,291 --> 01:12:43,958
<i>I was rewriting a comedy
for me and Richard Pryor.</i>

1507
01:12:43,959 --> 01:12:46,040
<i>It sounds oxymoronic,</i>

1508
01:12:46,041 --> 01:12:49,291
<i>but absurdity was
a familiar guest now.</i>

1509
01:12:51,979 --> 01:12:54,665
<i>I had done research</i>

1510
01:12:54,666 --> 01:12:56,749
<i>at the Braille Institute
in Los Angeles</i>

1511
01:12:56,750 --> 01:13:01,165
<i>which gave me confidence
in writing Richard's part.</i>

1512
01:13:01,166 --> 01:13:04,061
<i>I needed to know about people
who were profoundly deaf,</i>

1513
01:13:04,062 --> 01:13:06,958
<i>which was the case with
the character I was to play.</i>

1514
01:13:09,042 --> 01:13:11,124
So I went to see this lady

1515
01:13:11,125 --> 01:13:13,416
at the New York League
for the Hard of Hearing.

1516
01:13:13,417 --> 01:13:16,666
They told me
her name was "Ms. Webb."

1517
01:13:16,667 --> 01:13:19,165
I said, "Oh my God, my luck,

1518
01:13:19,166 --> 01:13:21,665
some New England old biddy
is gonna say,

1519
01:13:21,666 --> 01:13:23,583
'You're making fun
of the blind and the deaf!'"

1520
01:13:23,584 --> 01:13:25,415
{\an8}So I just thought,

1521
01:13:25,416 --> 01:13:28,166
{\an8}I'll meet him
just like a regular person.

1522
01:13:28,167 --> 01:13:30,625
And he wasn't a regular person.

1523
01:13:30,626 --> 01:13:32,125
He was gorgeous!

1524
01:13:35,875 --> 01:13:40,291
He was very interested
in getting his character right.

1525
01:13:41,541 --> 01:13:42,999
He came to class and he saw

1526
01:13:43,000 --> 01:13:45,083
how people learned
how to lip-read.

1527
01:13:45,084 --> 01:13:46,040
<i>Bath.</i>

1528
01:13:46,041 --> 01:13:47,915
And he'd ask them a question,

1529
01:13:47,916 --> 01:13:50,750
like, "Does everybody say,
'What are you, fuckin' deaf?'"

1530
01:13:50,751 --> 01:13:52,916
And they'd say, "All the time."

1531
01:13:54,833 --> 01:13:56,832
And that line is in the movie.

1532
01:13:56,833 --> 01:13:59,416
What are you,
fuckin' deaf? Move!

1533
01:13:59,417 --> 01:14:00,582
Get out of the way!

1534
01:14:00,583 --> 01:14:02,416
And then
I would take little plugs

1535
01:14:02,417 --> 01:14:03,957
and put them in my ears
so I could walk

1536
01:14:03,958 --> 01:14:05,958
through the streets of New York,
and it cut out

1537
01:14:05,959 --> 01:14:08,124
about 65 percent of sound.

1538
01:14:08,125 --> 01:14:11,291
- Ya dumb idiot!
- You're a dumb idiot!

1539
01:14:11,292 --> 01:14:12,915
You talkin' to me?

1540
01:14:12,916 --> 01:14:14,416
<i>See No Evil,
Hear No Evil</i>

1541
01:14:14,417 --> 01:14:15,665
was a big deal for Daddy

1542
01:14:15,666 --> 01:14:19,708
{\an8}because it was
two and half years into

1543
01:14:19,709 --> 01:14:22,666
{\an8}his multiple sclerosis
diagnosis.

1544
01:14:22,667 --> 01:14:25,625
He needed something
for him to show

1545
01:14:25,626 --> 01:14:28,250
he could still do what he does.

1546
01:14:28,251 --> 01:14:30,874
Dad was definitely
very authentic,

1547
01:14:30,875 --> 01:14:33,083
because he was going
through all those things.

1548
01:14:33,084 --> 01:14:34,915
He was having trouble.

1549
01:14:34,916 --> 01:14:37,625
He... he was that blind man...

1550
01:14:37,626 --> 01:14:38,915
I'm blind.

1551
01:14:38,916 --> 01:14:40,583
...who lost
his eyesight.

1552
01:14:40,584 --> 01:14:42,082
You're blind?

1553
01:14:42,083 --> 01:14:44,124
Yes, I'm blind.
Now can I have the job?

1554
01:14:44,125 --> 01:14:49,500
So, everything was authentic
for him in that moment.

1555
01:14:49,501 --> 01:14:51,583
And we
were very conscious

1556
01:14:51,584 --> 01:14:53,082
of the fact
that we were doing

1557
01:14:53,083 --> 01:14:56,250
a film about people
with a disability.

1558
01:14:57,666 --> 01:15:00,624
We worked very diligently

1559
01:15:00,625 --> 01:15:03,603
at not offending people.

1560
01:15:03,604 --> 01:15:06,582
I had no idea, I'm sorry.

1561
01:15:06,583 --> 01:15:09,500
Now you know.
Can I get the job?

1562
01:15:10,583 --> 01:15:12,290
You're really blind?

1563
01:15:12,291 --> 01:15:13,770
Yes. I'm really blind, man!

1564
01:15:13,771 --> 01:15:15,250
What are you, fuckin' deaf?

1565
01:15:15,251 --> 01:15:18,374
Yes! I'm fucking deaf!

1566
01:15:18,375 --> 01:15:19,749
They both were so vulnerable,

1567
01:15:19,750 --> 01:15:22,833
and I think they both wore
their hearts on their sleeve,

1568
01:15:22,834 --> 01:15:25,500
and that's what we see
coming across, you know,

1569
01:15:25,501 --> 01:15:28,457
on the camera,
is this real love.

1570
01:15:28,458 --> 01:15:32,208
I got to be on set
and watch the process

1571
01:15:32,209 --> 01:15:34,707
of them work together,

1572
01:15:34,708 --> 01:15:38,582
and the kindness
that I saw Gene display

1573
01:15:38,583 --> 01:15:42,750
towards my dad, who was
struggling sometimes physically.

1574
01:15:42,751 --> 01:15:44,083
We have steps coming up, Wally.

1575
01:15:44,084 --> 01:15:45,290
Three steps, and...

1576
01:15:45,291 --> 01:15:48,958
I witnessed
my dad having trouble walking,

1577
01:15:48,959 --> 01:15:50,750
holding on,
and remembering lines

1578
01:15:50,751 --> 01:15:52,790
because of the MS.

1579
01:15:52,791 --> 01:15:56,415
And I loved that,
in a non-obvious way,

1580
01:15:56,416 --> 01:16:00,041
Gene was there for him
to be able to be unsteady

1581
01:16:00,042 --> 01:16:03,208
but not come off
unsteady to us.

1582
01:16:03,209 --> 01:16:06,332
- That's teamwork.
- ...go!

1583
01:16:06,333 --> 01:16:07,973
<i>Of all
the pleasurable times</i>

1584
01:16:08,041 --> 01:16:10,020
<i>that Richard and I had
on previous films...</i>

1585
01:16:10,021 --> 01:16:12,051
<i>and there were
some wonderful times,</i>

1586
01:16:12,052 --> 01:16:14,082
<i>despite the difficulties...</i>

1587
01:16:14,083 --> 01:16:16,541
<i>the experience on</i>
See No Evil, Hear No Evil

1588
01:16:16,542 --> 01:16:17,749
<i>was the happiest.</i>

1589
01:16:17,750 --> 01:16:20,666
- What are you doing?
<i>- Richard was sane</i>

1590
01:16:20,667 --> 01:16:23,583
<i>and clearheaded
and filled with good humor.</i>

1591
01:16:23,584 --> 01:16:25,541
I have a lot of love for you.

1592
01:16:25,542 --> 01:16:27,333
Thank you.

1593
01:16:29,292 --> 01:16:31,249
Ha! Ha-ha!

1594
01:16:31,250 --> 01:16:33,250
People looked forward
to these "buddy" films.

1595
01:16:35,291 --> 01:16:37,875
The formula wasn't
just in the writing;

1596
01:16:37,876 --> 01:16:40,458
the formula was
the two people.

1597
01:16:41,625 --> 01:16:42,499
Here they were,

1598
01:16:42,500 --> 01:16:45,374
from different sides
of racial lines,

1599
01:16:45,375 --> 01:16:49,916
being able to come together
and make us laugh.

1600
01:16:49,917 --> 01:16:53,500
And that's an amazing legacy.

1601
01:17:00,541 --> 01:17:03,041
<i>In September
of 1989,</i>

1602
01:17:03,042 --> 01:17:04,332
<i>I got a call from</i>

1603
01:17:04,333 --> 01:17:06,249
<i>the New York League
for the Hard of Hearing</i>

1604
01:17:06,250 --> 01:17:09,228
<i>saying that Ms. Webb
wanted to speak to me.</i>

1605
01:17:09,229 --> 01:17:12,208
I called him and said
that I had grant money...

1606
01:17:13,625 --> 01:17:15,207
{\an8}...to make a videotape

1607
01:17:15,208 --> 01:17:16,624
{\an8}for people to learn
to speech-read

1608
01:17:16,625 --> 01:17:19,500
{\an8}so that we could
put them in libraries.

1609
01:17:19,501 --> 01:17:21,583
And he said,
"I'd help you with that."

1610
01:17:22,791 --> 01:17:24,165
We
arranged to meet

1611
01:17:24,166 --> 01:17:26,708
at my favorite Italian
restaurant in Manhattan.

1612
01:17:26,709 --> 01:17:28,916
She set a tape recorder
between us,

1613
01:17:28,917 --> 01:17:30,207
and while we ate,

1614
01:17:30,208 --> 01:17:34,250
Karen posed common problems
for the hearing-impaired.

1615
01:17:34,251 --> 01:17:36,708
The second time we met,
at the same restaurant,

1616
01:17:36,709 --> 01:17:39,416
we worked on improving
the actual language

1617
01:17:39,417 --> 01:17:42,125
that the characters
in each sketch would use.

1618
01:17:42,126 --> 01:17:44,582
The third week, I said,

1619
01:17:44,583 --> 01:17:46,958
"Leave the tape recorder
at home."

1620
01:17:48,666 --> 01:17:50,874
We had our first actual date

1621
01:17:50,875 --> 01:17:54,208
on a beautiful fall evening
in the same restaurant

1622
01:17:54,209 --> 01:17:58,874
at the same corner table.

1623
01:17:58,875 --> 01:18:02,250
He was unique
in that he truly listened.

1624
01:18:02,251 --> 01:18:05,333
He was just
a different kind of person

1625
01:18:05,334 --> 01:18:06,708
than I'd ever met.

1626
01:18:08,083 --> 01:18:09,832
<i>I'd hold
Karen's hand.</i>

1627
01:18:09,833 --> 01:18:13,541
<i>To have found someone
at this stage in my life...</i>

1628
01:18:13,542 --> 01:18:15,832
<i>I was in love.</i>

1629
01:18:15,833 --> 01:18:19,332
Now I'll go back
to watercolor painting

1630
01:18:19,333 --> 01:18:22,833
and maybe to acting,
if I get another job,

1631
01:18:22,834 --> 01:18:25,791
and... and I'm gonna get married.

1632
01:18:26,916 --> 01:18:28,082
Are... Is this an announcement?

1633
01:18:28,083 --> 01:18:29,958
Can we... can we... I mean,
is this the first time

1634
01:18:29,959 --> 01:18:31,082
you've mentioned it?

1635
01:18:31,083 --> 01:18:32,791
- Yes, yeah.
- You kiddin' me?

1636
01:18:32,792 --> 01:18:34,500
I was wondering
whether to ask her, and I...

1637
01:18:34,501 --> 01:18:35,582
Looking at you, I decided,

1638
01:18:35,583 --> 01:18:37,541
"I'm going to ask
that girl to marry me."

1639
01:18:41,187 --> 01:18:43,207
<i>On September 8th, 1991,</i>

1640
01:18:43,208 --> 01:18:45,332
<i>Karen and I were
married in the backyard</i>

1641
01:18:45,333 --> 01:18:48,686
<i>of the home in Connecticut
that Gilda had left me.</i>

1642
01:18:48,687 --> 01:18:52,041
<i>Fate brought us together
at this exact point</i>

1643
01:18:52,042 --> 01:18:54,457
<i>in both of our lives.</i>

1644
01:18:54,458 --> 01:18:56,666
<i>If I hadn't been
in</i> See No Evil, Hear No Evil,

1645
01:18:56,667 --> 01:18:59,228
<i>I would never
have met "Ms. Webb,"</i>

1646
01:18:59,229 --> 01:19:01,791
<i>and now I'm married to her.</i>

1647
01:19:03,875 --> 01:19:06,374
Gene was
wonderful.

1648
01:19:06,375 --> 01:19:12,666
He was the best husband
I think anybody could ask for.

1649
01:19:12,667 --> 01:19:18,958
To love and be loved
is the best gift in the world.

1650
01:19:18,959 --> 01:19:20,624
And we had that.

1651
01:19:24,750 --> 01:19:27,166
We did watercolors together.

1652
01:19:28,333 --> 01:19:30,458
And we played tennis together.

1653
01:19:31,333 --> 01:19:33,811
And we walked together,

1654
01:19:33,812 --> 01:19:36,290
we played golf together.

1655
01:19:36,291 --> 01:19:39,000
He was the world's
greatest lover,

1656
01:19:39,001 --> 01:19:41,583
and he was my Frisco Kid.

1657
01:19:41,584 --> 01:19:44,165
He truly cared about me.

1658
01:19:44,166 --> 01:19:47,666
He loved my family,
even my grandchildren.

1659
01:19:47,667 --> 01:19:50,208
And everybody felt that love.

1660
01:19:53,833 --> 01:19:55,541
<i>We took
tap-dancing lessons</i>

1661
01:19:55,542 --> 01:19:56,874
<i>once a week.</i>

1662
01:19:56,875 --> 01:19:59,437
<i>Karen found
a wonderful teacher,</i>

1663
01:19:59,438 --> 01:20:01,999
<i>and here's the amazing thing:</i>

1664
01:20:02,000 --> 01:20:03,540
<i>It felt as exciting as it did</i>

1665
01:20:03,541 --> 01:20:06,540
<i>when we had
our first actual date</i>

1666
01:20:06,541 --> 01:20:09,957
<i>when she was
still a stranger to me.</i>

1667
01:20:09,958 --> 01:20:13,375
With Karen,
I do believe in fate.

1668
01:20:14,708 --> 01:20:17,333
You've
been through so much.

1669
01:20:17,334 --> 01:20:20,541
You've had incredible
career success.

1670
01:20:20,542 --> 01:20:22,749
You've had tragedy in your life.

1671
01:20:22,750 --> 01:20:24,457
You seem like you're
in a really good place now,

1672
01:20:24,458 --> 01:20:26,875
you're happy, and that made
me feel really, you know...

1673
01:20:26,876 --> 01:20:28,500
that made me feel good,
'cause I just...

1674
01:20:28,501 --> 01:20:30,125
I want you to be happy,
so that was nice.

1675
01:20:30,126 --> 01:20:31,749
That's true, right?
You feel good.

1676
01:20:31,750 --> 01:20:33,790
I'm happier than
I've ever been in my life.

1677
01:20:33,791 --> 01:20:36,125
That's fantastic. Well...

1678
01:20:36,126 --> 01:20:37,582
That makes...

1679
01:20:37,583 --> 01:20:39,833
When he had
television interviews,

1680
01:20:39,834 --> 01:20:41,082
I went with him.

1681
01:20:41,083 --> 01:20:42,853
I went with him everywhere.

1682
01:20:42,854 --> 01:20:44,905
I went to the movie set.

1683
01:20:44,906 --> 01:20:46,958
And I would watch him act.

1684
01:20:49,771 --> 01:20:51,415
I'm sorry, Mr. Truman.

1685
01:20:51,416 --> 01:20:53,415
- Does my pounding disturb you?
- No, sir.

1686
01:20:53,416 --> 01:20:55,415
It just... just
caught me by surprise.

1687
01:20:55,416 --> 01:20:57,708
Oh, okay, well,
I'll try to be more considerate

1688
01:20:57,709 --> 01:20:58,790
in the future!

1689
01:20:58,791 --> 01:21:01,666
We were
blessed with Gene

1690
01:21:01,667 --> 01:21:03,499
coming on <i>Will and Grace.</i>

1691
01:21:05,333 --> 01:21:07,541
We were just floored.

1692
01:21:07,542 --> 01:21:09,750
{\an8}I like to think
that he recognized

1693
01:21:09,751 --> 01:21:12,957
{\an8}something in the show that...

1694
01:21:12,958 --> 01:21:16,583
that harkened back
to all the things he brought.

1695
01:21:16,584 --> 01:21:19,332
He was so kind and gentle.

1696
01:21:19,333 --> 01:21:20,833
And I just wanted
to make him laugh.

1697
01:21:20,834 --> 01:21:22,666
Say, "I'm Stein."

1698
01:21:22,667 --> 01:21:23,874
I'm Stein.

1699
01:21:23,875 --> 01:21:26,708
- Louder! "I'm Stein!"
- Louder! "I'm Stein!"

1700
01:21:26,709 --> 01:21:29,458
I surprised him
with something in a take

1701
01:21:29,459 --> 01:21:30,540
that I'm very proud of.

1702
01:21:30,541 --> 01:21:35,040
<i>Your name
is Frankenstein!</i>

1703
01:21:35,041 --> 01:21:36,416
It was
just so lovely.

1704
01:21:36,417 --> 01:21:38,375
It's one of
my favorite memories.

1705
01:21:40,083 --> 01:21:42,207
There was a gentleness
to the show,

1706
01:21:42,208 --> 01:21:44,124
and there was
a sensitivity to the show,

1707
01:21:44,125 --> 01:21:46,500
and there was an insane
wackiness to the show.

1708
01:21:46,501 --> 01:21:47,832
Occupied!

1709
01:21:47,833 --> 01:21:50,541
And he got
to do all of those things.

1710
01:21:50,542 --> 01:21:53,040
Hear, hear!

1711
01:21:53,041 --> 01:21:55,666
It was
almost like a victory lap.

1712
01:21:58,916 --> 01:22:00,936
I don't want to have to prove

1713
01:22:00,937 --> 01:22:02,958
that I'm a good actor anymore.

1714
01:22:04,166 --> 01:22:06,478
I started writing a novel.

1715
01:22:08,791 --> 01:22:12,665
Right now, I would rather
write fiction than act.

1716
01:22:12,666 --> 01:22:16,541
Gene was
an extremely talented person

1717
01:22:16,542 --> 01:22:19,124
in many areas.

1718
01:22:19,125 --> 01:22:22,208
He was a very,
very good painter,

1719
01:22:22,209 --> 01:22:24,499
mainly watercolors,

1720
01:22:24,500 --> 01:22:27,270
and he studied hard,
he took lessons,

1721
01:22:27,271 --> 01:22:30,041
he kept trying to get
better and better.

1722
01:22:39,000 --> 01:22:40,415
Will you just shut your mouth?

1723
01:22:40,416 --> 01:22:42,874
- I'm having a heart attack.
- Oh, nonsense!

1724
01:22:42,875 --> 01:22:46,124
I got to do
some plays with Gene

1725
01:22:46,125 --> 01:22:49,375
at the Westport Playhouse,
and that was fun,

1726
01:22:49,376 --> 01:22:52,540
fun to be on stage with him.

1727
01:22:52,541 --> 01:22:56,583
Both Gene and I come
from a background of theater,

1728
01:22:56,584 --> 01:22:59,415
and he was a very creative guy

1729
01:22:59,416 --> 01:23:03,458
and a big appreciator
of other people's creativity.

1730
01:23:09,666 --> 01:23:12,416
The first signs
something was wrong

1731
01:23:12,417 --> 01:23:15,457
were when I noticed
Gene would forget things

1732
01:23:15,458 --> 01:23:20,833
that were really always
easy for him to remember.

1733
01:23:20,834 --> 01:23:27,333
But when-when we did
the one in-in jail...

1734
01:23:27,334 --> 01:23:29,332
<i>Stir Crazy.</i>

1735
01:23:29,333 --> 01:23:32,957
Yeah. It was <i>Stir Crazy,</i>
wasn't it?

1736
01:23:32,958 --> 01:23:34,936
He didn't
remember the name

1737
01:23:34,937 --> 01:23:36,916
of the movie <i>Young Frankenstein.</i>

1738
01:23:38,541 --> 01:23:42,020
He would've never,
ever forgot that,

1739
01:23:42,021 --> 01:23:45,572
because that was
his favorite movie.

1740
01:23:45,573 --> 01:23:49,125
He then started
to forget many things,

1741
01:23:49,126 --> 01:23:51,541
and I asked him
if he'd noticed

1742
01:23:51,542 --> 01:23:54,728
and if he'd go
for an evaluation,

1743
01:23:54,729 --> 01:23:57,915
and he said,
"If it gets worse."

1744
01:23:57,916 --> 01:24:00,291
A lot of people have
mild cognitive impairment

1745
01:24:00,292 --> 01:24:02,165
and it doesn't progress,

1746
01:24:02,166 --> 01:24:06,645
and I suppose I hoped
that was what it was.

1747
01:24:06,646 --> 01:24:11,125
I found a doctor who did
the comprehensive test

1748
01:24:11,126 --> 01:24:14,999
for cognitive impairment
in Connecticut.

1749
01:24:15,000 --> 01:24:17,916
Gene was amazed
that he couldn't draw a clock

1750
01:24:17,917 --> 01:24:20,728
and make it 10:30.

1751
01:24:20,729 --> 01:24:23,541
And he couldn't do it.

1752
01:24:23,542 --> 01:24:25,290
He wasn't upset,

1753
01:24:25,291 --> 01:24:27,958
he just couldn't figure out why.

1754
01:24:29,916 --> 01:24:33,416
But I knew then that
something was very wrong.

1755
01:24:36,125 --> 01:24:40,103
Our friend suggested
we go see Dr. Michael Rafii

1756
01:24:40,104 --> 01:24:43,551
in San Diego,
where we've spent the winters.

1757
01:24:43,552 --> 01:24:47,000
{\an8}I first met Gene
in January of 2014,

1758
01:24:47,001 --> 01:24:49,125
{\an8}where he was 80 years old.

1759
01:24:50,750 --> 01:24:53,666
Based on the history,
the examination,

1760
01:24:53,667 --> 01:24:56,749
memory testing,
MRI of the brain,

1761
01:24:56,750 --> 01:24:59,166
as well as a very
specialized kind of scan

1762
01:24:59,167 --> 01:25:01,415
called an amyloid PET scan,

1763
01:25:01,416 --> 01:25:05,416
was confirmatory
for his diagnosis.

1764
01:25:05,417 --> 01:25:07,375
Alzheimer's disease dementia.

1765
01:25:08,791 --> 01:25:10,583
I said, "Oh, no."

1766
01:25:10,584 --> 01:25:12,791
And Gene said, "Oh, no."

1767
01:25:17,875 --> 01:25:23,332
He never really accepted
that he had Alzheimer's,

1768
01:25:23,333 --> 01:25:26,666
and maybe by the time
we found out that's what it was,

1769
01:25:26,667 --> 01:25:31,333
his hippocampus
didn't let him remember.

1770
01:25:31,334 --> 01:25:35,208
So I'm not sure
that he ever knew.

1771
01:25:37,208 --> 01:25:41,750
When I'd see him
slip away further from me,

1772
01:25:41,751 --> 01:25:43,937
I was sick to my stomach,

1773
01:25:43,938 --> 01:25:46,124
but I had to keep smiling

1774
01:25:46,125 --> 01:25:48,833
and tell him
that everything was okay.

1775
01:25:48,834 --> 01:25:51,541
That was the hardest
part for me.

1776
01:25:52,875 --> 01:25:54,665
Gene certainly had memory loss

1777
01:25:54,666 --> 01:25:57,374
that progressively
worsened over time

1778
01:25:57,375 --> 01:26:00,083
and also included
some other thinking skills

1779
01:26:00,084 --> 01:26:02,083
that were affected,
including language.

1780
01:26:03,625 --> 01:26:04,999
I called him a lot,

1781
01:26:05,000 --> 01:26:07,625
thinking maybe if I gave him
enough references,

1782
01:26:07,626 --> 01:26:09,583
I could get him out of it.

1783
01:26:09,584 --> 01:26:12,082
Insanity, in my part.

1784
01:26:12,083 --> 01:26:15,936
He was in the throes
of that terrible disease.

1785
01:26:15,937 --> 01:26:20,030
We could never talk too long
after he got it.

1786
01:26:20,031 --> 01:26:24,125
It was so sad,
it made me cry a lot, you know.

1787
01:26:24,126 --> 01:26:27,290
We still went out to dinner,

1788
01:26:27,291 --> 01:26:30,083
and he made it
to his nephew's wedding.

1789
01:26:31,646 --> 01:26:33,135
He could hardly walk.

1790
01:26:33,136 --> 01:26:34,624
He danced down the aisle

1791
01:26:34,625 --> 01:26:36,208
and made it
through the wedding.

1792
01:26:39,791 --> 01:26:41,791
He was
always in our prayers,

1793
01:26:41,792 --> 01:26:43,457
and it's a sad thing
to see somebody

1794
01:26:43,458 --> 01:26:46,083
that you love so much,
you know, suffer like that.

1795
01:26:46,084 --> 01:26:47,457
To Karen and anybody,
you know,

1796
01:26:47,458 --> 01:26:50,186
who was involved
with him intimately,

1797
01:26:50,187 --> 01:26:52,915
it's hard... it's hard
to see that.

1798
01:26:52,916 --> 01:26:54,708
People think
Alzheimer's is

1799
01:26:54,709 --> 01:26:55,915
only a memory disease,

1800
01:26:55,916 --> 01:26:59,665
but what attacks your brain
attacks your body.

1801
01:26:59,666 --> 01:27:03,416
Couldn't put on his shoes,
couldn't tie his tie.

1802
01:27:03,417 --> 01:27:05,374
One time, he fell,

1803
01:27:05,375 --> 01:27:07,499
and there were three of us,

1804
01:27:07,500 --> 01:27:09,624
and we couldn't
get him up on the bed.

1805
01:27:09,625 --> 01:27:11,749
And finally,
we ended up laughing.

1806
01:27:11,750 --> 01:27:13,791
We have pictures
of all of us laughing.

1807
01:27:13,792 --> 01:27:16,583
Took us couple of hours.

1808
01:27:19,250 --> 01:27:21,333
He was dying, and Gene
looked at me and says,

1809
01:27:21,334 --> 01:27:23,541
"Is that what's happening?"

1810
01:27:24,416 --> 01:27:26,728
"Yeah," I said. "Yes."

1811
01:27:28,906 --> 01:27:31,082
He hadn't walked alone,

1812
01:27:31,083 --> 01:27:35,583
and it was just a few days
before he died,

1813
01:27:35,584 --> 01:27:36,540
and I looked up,

1814
01:27:36,541 --> 01:27:40,083
and he was walking
across the kitchen.

1815
01:27:41,166 --> 01:27:45,583
And... and then he said,
"I want to go swimming."

1816
01:27:48,500 --> 01:27:50,583
He dove into the pool
like he used to.

1817
01:27:50,584 --> 01:27:53,333
I saw his little tush
in the air,

1818
01:27:53,334 --> 01:27:55,790
and I was awestruck.

1819
01:27:55,791 --> 01:27:58,665
And he took two strokes,
he stood up,

1820
01:27:58,666 --> 01:28:01,540
shook his head
the way he always did

1821
01:28:01,541 --> 01:28:03,500
to get the water
out of his ear, and said,

1822
01:28:03,501 --> 01:28:05,250
"That's good."

1823
01:28:06,375 --> 01:28:07,415
Went back to bed,

1824
01:28:07,416 --> 01:28:09,583
and I think he just
wanted to get in the pool

1825
01:28:09,584 --> 01:28:12,124
one more time.

1826
01:28:12,125 --> 01:28:15,457
We always had music playing
in the house.

1827
01:28:15,458 --> 01:28:18,374
We used to listen
to Ella Fitzgerald.

1828
01:28:18,375 --> 01:28:20,707
The music was playing
in the background.

1829
01:28:23,041 --> 01:28:27,583
<i>♪ Somewhere
over the rainbow ♪</i>

1830
01:28:27,584 --> 01:28:29,375
Ella Fitzgerald
was singing

1831
01:28:29,376 --> 01:28:31,082
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

1832
01:28:31,083 --> 01:28:32,500
<i>♪ Way up high ♪</i>

1833
01:28:32,501 --> 01:28:34,332
I was lying next to him,

1834
01:28:34,333 --> 01:28:37,208
and he sat up in bed
and he said...

1835
01:28:38,208 --> 01:28:41,582
"I trust you."

1836
01:28:41,583 --> 01:28:45,165
Then he said, "I love you."

1837
01:28:49,750 --> 01:28:52,083
That's the last thing he said.

1838
01:28:56,666 --> 01:28:58,166
{\an8}There was
some really sad news

1839
01:28:58,167 --> 01:28:59,957
{\an8}about the passing
of Gene Wilder.

1840
01:28:59,958 --> 01:29:02,457
{\an8}We're learning more about
the death of Gene Wilder.

1841
01:29:02,458 --> 01:29:05,666
{\an8}One of the most legendary
comedic talents of our time...

1842
01:29:05,667 --> 01:29:08,875
{\an8}...has died due to complications
from Alzheimer's disease.

1843
01:29:08,876 --> 01:29:12,165
The reactions pouring in
from coast to coast.

1844
01:29:12,166 --> 01:29:17,186
I was inconsolable
for a couple of weeks.

1845
01:29:17,187 --> 01:29:22,208
When he lived his life,
he lived it loud and eloquently.

1846
01:29:22,209 --> 01:29:25,541
He was an outstanding actor,

1847
01:29:25,542 --> 01:29:28,875
and also, an outstanding person.

1848
01:29:28,876 --> 01:29:31,208
You are my best friend!

1849
01:29:33,541 --> 01:29:37,125
I believe
Leo Bloom exists.

1850
01:29:37,126 --> 01:29:40,415
I believe the Waco Kid exists.

1851
01:29:40,416 --> 01:29:43,125
I believe
Dr. Frankenstein exists.

1852
01:29:43,126 --> 01:29:44,624
That's insane.

1853
01:29:44,625 --> 01:29:48,166
Gene makes you think
that that guy is out there,

1854
01:29:48,167 --> 01:29:50,499
trying his hardest,

1855
01:29:50,500 --> 01:29:52,290
despite all these obstacles,

1856
01:29:52,291 --> 01:29:54,750
to navigate
this impossible world.

1857
01:29:54,751 --> 01:29:57,395
He embodied these characters,

1858
01:29:57,396 --> 01:30:00,041
and we felt their humanity.

1859
01:30:03,958 --> 01:30:06,707
This is a wonderful man.

1860
01:30:06,708 --> 01:30:09,457
He made me what I am today.

1861
01:30:09,458 --> 01:30:12,666
I miss
his enjoying my humor.

1862
01:30:12,667 --> 01:30:15,249
I could make him laugh

1863
01:30:15,250 --> 01:30:17,291
where he would
sometimes grab his belly,

1864
01:30:17,292 --> 01:30:18,208
hit the ground,

1865
01:30:18,209 --> 01:30:21,499
and roll around
on the ground and laugh.

1866
01:30:21,500 --> 01:30:24,791
That's the real payment
in being a comic.

1867
01:30:24,792 --> 01:30:28,250
And, boy, he paid,
he was delicious.

1868
01:30:30,541 --> 01:30:33,625
<i>Acting seems
so much easier than life,</i>

1869
01:30:33,626 --> 01:30:35,665
<i>and when I'm taking my bow,</i>

1870
01:30:35,666 --> 01:30:38,665
<i>I have the belief that I've
earned my feeling of grace,</i>

1871
01:30:38,666 --> 01:30:43,291
<i>as if God were saying,
"You did something worthwhile."</i>