When I saw this book for sale, I did a double take and decided to take a closer look as a fan of the late film star Gene Wilder (1933-2016). I previously watched interviews with Wilder wherein he discussed his life and the entertainment industry, but I was curious to read his words in this autobiography which is an interesting look at his life. I had no expectations before reading the book and reminded myself that life behind the camera is far different from when they are rolling. And that holds true in this book which I enjoyed reading. The book ends many years before Wilder’s death on August 29, 2016, at the age of eighty-three due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease but his life was from ordinary as readers will learn.

Wilder’s story begins in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the 1930s. And from the beginning, we learn a few things about his family life, including the health issues of family members which reappear later in the story. At school things are surreal as his Jewish background is noticed. His experience gets off to a rocky start in a way that left me both speechless and shaking my head. At home, his relationship with his mother is both strong and complicated and later in the book, as Wilder talks to his therapist Margie, we see how his early life had long-lasting effects. As he matures, life takes him in different directions, and I found the section about his time in the United States Army remarkably interesting. It is an aspect of his life overlooked but it was a crucial step in the direction which led to the silver screen. And when he is no longer in the possession of Uncle Sam, a move to New York City opens Pandora’s Box.

While the Gene Wilder we know is being constructed, behind the scenes, he was going through his own growing pains which included multiple marriages. In fact, I am amazed at the number of marriages but also understood why he walked down the aisle several times. And like a gentleman, he does not have a bad word for any of them. However, that does not mean the relationships were without their share of complications and drama. His stepdaughter Katie proves to be a challenge in her younger years before transforming into a mature woman focused on her life. Their ordeal is only one of the struggles Wilder faced as his fame increased. But anyone who is familiar with his life is aware of the dark clouds hovering over the story. And as each approached, I could feel the vibe shift as the issue of mortality is placed front and center.

After his divorce from second wife Jo, Wilder finds himself a bachelor again and meets the woman who would change his life in ways no one expected. In 1975 a new comedic series called Saturday Night Live made its debut, and one of the brains behind the success was a young woman named Gilda Susan Radner (1946-1989). And when she crosses paths with the comedic actor Wilder, the stage is set for their relationship and marriage. However, neither was instantaneous and what Wilder explains is interesting. And the incident which triggers their marriage gives credence to the saying that things happen for a reason. The elephant in the room soon makes its presence felt as Radner becomes sick with the cancer which took her life. Wilder discusses her illness, their battle to fight it and his own struggles in caring for her as the disease took its toll. It is a somber moment in the book and Wilder pull no punches regarding the impact of her death. But healing, a fresh start and his own battle with mortality are waiting in the wings. His fourth wife Karen Boyer would become a source of happiness and strength until his death in 2016. As the book concludes, it is the end of a journey we have taken with Wilder, a young boy from Milwaukee he went on to become a Hollywood great alongside frequent collaborators Mel Brooks and the late Richard Pryor (1940-2005), the latter of which Wilder makes clear was a not a close personal friend. Readers anticipating a lengthy discussion about Pryor will not find it here, but the author recalls aspects of their working relationship which are still interesting. Nonetheless, this autobiography is good and an invaluable source of information about Wilder as all it comes from the man himself.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003G83U50
Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin’s Press, April 1, 2010