Episode Details

Gene Wilder was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2013 and told almost no one. He could not bear the thought of a child seeing Willy Wonka and learning the actor was ill. He chose to disappear quietly rather than diminish the joy his work had given people.

This episode traces Wilder from his childhood in Milwaukee through his collaborations with Mel Brooks, his partnership with Richard Pryor, the devastating loss of his wife Gilda Radner, and the private dignity of his final years.

• He kept his Alzheimer's diagnosis secret for three years to protect his legacy for young fans
• His performance as Willy Wonka was largely improvised, including the famous somersault entrance
• He starred in four films with Richard Pryor, forming one of cinema's great comedy duos
• After Gilda Radner's death from ovarian cancer, he became an advocate for cancer detection