Gene Wilder, star of "Willy Wonka," "Blazing Saddles," dead at 83

Gene Wilder dead at the age of 83

Gene Wilder, whose kinky curls and startled blue eyes brought an enduring and frantic air to roles in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and "Blazing Saddles," died on Monday at the age of 83, his family said.

Wilder, whose best work came in collaborations with director-writer Mel Brooks and actor Richard Pryor, died at his home in Stamford, Connecticut, from complications of Alzheimer's disease, the family said in a statement.