Gene Wilder, the star of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory and Mel Brooks comedies, died late Sunday night, his family announced. He was 83.

Wilder passed away at his Samford, Connecticut home after suffering complications from Alzheimer’s disease, his nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman said in a statement. Wilder and his loved ones chose to keep his diagnosis within the family.

“It is with indescribable sadness and blues, but with spiritual gratitude for the life lived that I announce the passing of husband, parent, and universal artist Gene Wilder,” Mr Walker-Pearlman said on Monday. “It is almost unbearable for us to contemplate our life without him.”

Wilder was born Jerome Silberman in Milwaukee on June 11, 1933. When he was 8-years-old, his mother suffered a heart attack and he began performing comedic skits to keep her entertained.

The frizzy-haired comedian’s career in Hollywood began with a minor role in Bonnie and Clyde in 1967, and the following year, he portrayed his breakout role in The Producers, in which he received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.

He also appeared in classics such as Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and eventually won an Emmy Award in 2003 for his role in Will & Grace.

Brooks, his longtime friend and collaborator, mourned Wilder after the news let out.

“Gene Wilder is one of the truly great talents of our time,” he wrote on Twitter. “He blessed every film we did with his magic and he blessed me with his friendship.”

The comedic genius of Gene Wilder Show all 10 1 /10 The comedic genius of Gene Wilder The comedic genius of Gene Wilder Mandatory Credit: Photo by Elisa Leonelli/REX (3615976a) Gene Wilder Gene Wilder at home, America - 1976 Rex Features The comedic genius of Gene Wilder No Merchandising. Editorial Use Only. No Book Cover Usage Mandatory Credit: Photo by Moviestore/REX (2251751a) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) Gene Wilder Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - 1971 Rex Features The comedic genius of Gene Wilder American comic actor Gene Wilder, originally Jerry Silkman stars with nightclub comedian Richard Pryor in the action comedy 'Silver Streak'. Directed by Arthur Hiller, the film was chosen for the 31st Royal Film Festival. Hulton Archive/Getty The comedic genius of Gene Wilder Actor Gene Wilder congratulates Venus Williams after her match against Lindsay Davenport during final of the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament August 24, 2002 at the Tennis Center at Yale in New Haven, Connecticut. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty The comedic genius of Gene Wilder Actor Gene Wilder signs copies of his new book at Barnes and Noble in Midtown Manhattan March 15, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty The comedic genius of Gene Wilder In this Aug. 27, 1981 file photo, Gilda Radner, center, and Gene Wilder, right, perform in a scene from the film "Hanky Panky," directed by Sidney Poitier in Boston. Wilder’s nephew said Monday, Aug. 29, 2016, that the actor and writer died late Sunday at his home in Stamford, Conn., from complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He was 83. Bill Polo/AP The comedic genius of Gene Wilder Wilder in Young Frankenstein. Rex Features The comedic genius of Gene Wilder No Merchandising. Editorial Use Only. No Book Cover Usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Moviestore Collection/REX (1554058a) Blazing Saddles, Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder Film and Television Rex Features The comedic genius of Gene Wilder Mandatory credit: TM & copyright 20th Century Fox. No Merchandising. Editorial Use Only. No Book Cover Usage. No Book or TV usage without prior permission from Rex Mandatory Credit: Photo by c.20thC.Fox/Everett/REX (495536d) 'Silver Streak' - Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder - 1976. RICHARD PRYOR Rex Features The comedic genius of Gene Wilder American actor Gene Wilder (L) performs alongside compatriot Rolf Saxon, October 2, during the rehearsal of a scene from Neil Simon's 'Laughter on the 23rd Floor'. - RTXGHFE

Wilder married four times and met his third wife, comedian Gilda Radner, when they co-starred in Hanky Panky back in 1982. After Radner died from ovarian cancer in 1989, Wilder founded the Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Center in Los Angeles. Just 10 years later, Wilder was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1999.

He’s survived by his fourth wife Karen, who he married in 1991, and his daughter Katherine from a previous marriage.