Gene Wilder to appear at Avon Theatre film

Hour photo / Erik Trautmann Actor, writer and director and Stamford resident Gene Wilder talks about his life and the upcoming screening at the Avon Theater of the movie, "Stir Crazy," in which he starred with Richard Pryor. less Hour photo / Erik Trautmann Actor, writer and director and Stamford resident Gene Wilder talks about his life and the upcoming screening at the Avon Theater of the movie, "Stir Crazy," in which he starred with ... more Photo: (C)2012, The Hour Newspapers, all rights reserved Photo: (C)2012, The Hour Newspapers, all rights reserved Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Gene Wilder to appear at Avon Theatre film 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

STAMFORD -- Seated comfortably in his expansive Stamford home, two-time Academy Award nominee Gene Wilder reflected on his considerable body of work in film and writing; the death of his wife Gilda Radner; his opinion of today's films; and the public perception of him.

"People will ask me for autographs and say things like, 'you are so funny,' but they're thinking of my movies," Wilder said, his signature mop of curly hair and expressive eyes having changed only slightly with age. "When I did 'Young Frankenstein,' 'Silver Streak,' and 'Stir Crazy,' I was intending to be funny. People tend to think that's who I am, but I don't think I'm really funny in the day-to-day life."

Wilder's introduction to being funny came from childhood tragedy.

"When I was seven my mother had a heart attack," he said. "The first thing her doctor said to me when she came home was 'don't ever argue with your mother, because you could kill her.' That was awful, and right after that he said, 'try to make your mother laugh,' so that's what I did. I got pretty good at making her laugh."

Wilder then became enamored with acting as a child after watching his older sister perform in a play.

"When that spotlight came on my sister, I was absolutely mesmerized," Wilder said.

Wilder went on to perform in community theatre and summer stock, punctuated by a stint in the Army where he worked in the neuropsychiatric ward of a military hospital. After the Army, his focus returned to acting.

"My sister and I went to New York and I got a role in "Death of A Salesman" on Broadway," Wilder said. "I was doing a show with Anne Bancroft and she asked me, 'do you want to meet my boyfriend?' Her boyfriend was Mel Brooks."

Wilder's film repertoire include a bit part in "Bonnie and Clyde," his first major film role as Leopold Bloom in "The Producers;" collaborations with Mel Books that included "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein," which Wilder wrote; and "Silver Streak," "Stir Crazy," "See No Evil, Hear No Evil," and "Another You" with Richard Pryor; and his portrayal of Willy Wonka in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

The Avon Theatre will present its annual "Wilder's Picks" screening of Wilder's 1980 film, "Stir Crazy" followed by a question-and-answer session with Wilder, to be moderated by his wife, Karen.

"The Avon is a wonderful place to see movies," Wilder said. "I pick three movies a year, one of mine and two others. My wife Karen interviews me and it's great. She knows me better than anyone else."

"Stir Crazy" is one of a series of four comedies Wilder starred in with Pryor.

"I don't know what it was as far as the chemistry between Richard and me," Wilder said. "I can't explain it, but it was there right off the bat. (Director) Sidney Poitier set up three cameras for our first scene together and told us to feel free and do whatever we liked. The entire scene with us walking into the prison was ad libbed. We only did two takes and it turned out to be a long funny entrance."

"My favorite film by far is "Young Frankenstein" because I wrote it and cast it," Wilder said. "It's a funny, joyous film. I loved making it."

Still a member of the Academy of Film, Wilder is sent over 50 new films a year to vote on in the major categories of Best Picture, Best Actor and Actress, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress.

"Out of those 50 or so, I have a hard time coming up with five good ones," Wilder said.

Wilder reflected on what he called the changes in the movie industry.

"Films now are all about money, money, money and money," he said. "Films used to have budgets of three to four million dollars, now it's 100 million, 150 million, 200 million. The majority of them have so much swearing, explosions, guns, ammunition. There are maybe two or three that are wonderful films. 'The King's Speech' was a fabulous film and they didn't spend 100 million on it.

"There are very few actors that can pull of comedy and drama. Meryl Streep is one, Steve Martin is another. There are some serious actors who try to be funny and it's embarrassing."

Wilder makes it a point to avoid watching his old films.

"If one is on television, I may watch a scene or two and I laugh, but no I don't watch them," he said.

Wilder had his last acting role in 2003 and has since turned his attention to writing.

The inspiration for his book's epilogue came from his late wife, actress Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer.

"That whole time was very difficult," he said. "Up until the last three weeks I thought she'd pull out of it."

He recalled a time during her illness when she came to him and said," 'Kiss me like a stranger.'

"I had no idea at the time what that meant," Wilder said. "I was working on my second draft, sitting next to Gilda with her dog beside her. I asked her why it was that when everyone comes to visit you hug them and treat them like princes and princesses, but with me you scream and yell.

"She said, 'I need to get it out of my system, and you're the only one I can do that with.' She knew she was dying, and it was then that I knew exactly what kiss me like a stranger meant."

After Radner's death from ovarian cancer, Wilder became actively involved in promoting cancer awareness and treatment and helped found the Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Center and co-founded Gilda's Club.

"We opened 16 Gilda's Clubs in the U.S. and Canada," Wilder said, "but then I sort of O'D on it, the fundraising aspect of it."

In addition to his 2005 memoir, "Kiss Me Like a Stranger," Wilder has written several novels.

"I still get three to five letters every day with people asking me for autographs," Wilder said. "I'm very proud of that."

WIlder's Picks "Stir Crazy" premiers on Wednesday, Oct. 17 with a 6:30 p.m., reception followed by a 7:30 p.m. film screening at The Avon Theatre, 272 Bedford St.

A questions-and-answer session with Wilder will follow the film. Tickets are $25 for members and $35 for non-members. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (203)661-0321 or (203) 967-3660, ext. 2.