Watch Mel Brooks Mourn Gene Wilder: ‘I’m Still Reeling’

Other celebrities also paid their respects on Twitter and the news of Wilder’s death broke Monday.

As the world mourns the loss of Gene Wilder, known for making people laugh in amusing films like Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, a local school is looking back on the time the legendary actor spent time with their students.

“I expected he would go”, Mel revealed during an appearance on America’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Rusty, who was 22 when the movie was filmed, said Gene was a very amusing man with a magical aura about him. Brooks said that once he had gathered the money for the movie and told Wilder that he would be playing Leo Bloom, the late actor began to openly cry.

Wilder was known for his prolific film career that also included memorable turns in Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask), and more.

“Everyone loved him no matter what he did, whether it was The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Willy Wonka, everyone loved him”.

Surprisingly, it took the two men a few minutes to get around to talking about Wilder’s life and work, but once they did Brooks was eager to share stories about not only their working relationship but their friendship as well.

“I think a part of him, after Gilda, wondered, ‘Will I ever find someone who excites me again, ‘ ” Walker-Pearlman told People.

To have made one film and to be associated with Jack and Gene, I feel like I really found the golden ticket.

Even when battling a debilitating disease, Gene Wilder’s family still thought of the children who knew of his famous character in “Willy Wonka”. “Yeah, you’re going to get the money!”. “He came backstage and I got to know him a little bit”, Brooks said.

Gene asked Mel an honest question on why people we laughing at him and Mel decided to make a joke, suggesting Gene look in a mirror and blame God! “I look at the top and it says, ‘Young Frankenstein.’ And I say, ‘What the hell is that?”‘ He said, ‘Well, I had an idea.

Brooks clearly knew how amusing Wilder could be from the moment he met him. “It was a wonderful moment”, the Oscar victor recalled.