10 Things You Didn't Know About Gene Wilder
1. Mel Brooks Plied Him With Coffee And Chocolate During The Producers
At the height of his acting career, Gene Wilder was known for his hilarious collaborations with writer and director Mel Brooks. Arguably the most famous was Wilder's performance as Leo Bloom in Brooks' The Producers, which contained the iconic (and hilarious) "blue blanket" scene,
In the scene, Bloom becomes incredibly agitated by the character Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) who takes away his blanket which he uses to comfort himself when annoyed or frustrated. Biaystock's reaction is absolutely hilarious; it's a breakdown so manic and exaggerated that it's impossible not to laugh.
Recently, Brooks revealed the story behind the scene, and how Wilder managed to come across so frantic.
The scene was shot at the close of a day of filming. When Brooks asked Wilder what would give him the energy to continue, Wilder requested chocolate with no nuts, but Brooks convinced him to drink a cup of black coffee - which Wilder disliked - along with eating seventeen or eighteen chocolate bars. The result, in the words of Brooks, was "insanity".