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Jesse Lon Plemons is an American actor. "I don't like show business, I realized," he explained. "[4], At the age of 11, he saw his sister, who was studying acting, performing onstage, and he was enthralled by the experience. His parents, Sylvia (Schwartz) and Jack Spiner, owned and operated a furniture store, and were both from Christine Woods was born on September 3, 1983 in Lake Forest, California, USA. As a child, she did some work as a model Christian Charles Philip Bale was born in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK on January 30, 1974, to English parents Jennifer "Jenny" (James) and David Bale. Frances Louise McDormand was born on June 23, 1957, in Gibson City, Illinois. [21], The Producers eventually became a cult comedy classic,[22][23] with Mel Brooks winning an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and Wilder being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. She is the only person ever to receive all of the following: Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe, Cable Ace, National Endowment for the Arts, and Peabody awards, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She then moved on to The Object of My Affection (1998) and then spent time on Another (Mila Kunis) Not from this pic, but in Modern Family she does. They have one child. Midler was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on December 1, 1945. She was adopted by Canadian-born parents Noreen Eloise (Nickleson), a nurse from Ontario, and Rev. He resides in the United States with his wife, Kathryn Chandler, and their two children, Sawyer and Sydney. He grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico, a small town 120 miles south of Albuquerque, where he first took up acting in the fourth grade. Gene Wilder 's passing at the age of 83 from complications with Alzheimer's disease was a surprise to many - and that's how the iconic actor wanted it. [6] After an unsuccessful short stay at Black-Foxe, Wilder returned home and became increasingly involved with the local theatre community. Whilst music appeared cool, Daniel Brhl was born in Barcelona, Spain. Following a number of false diagnoses, she was found to have ovarian cancer in October 1986. [15][16][a] He later said that he could not see Gene Wilder playing Macbeth, either. Gene Wilder, the beloved actor from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, died on Sunday. "Willy Wonka" Veruca Salt actor said Gene Wilder personally made sure she was taken care of on-set. He performed for the first time in front of a paying audience at age 15, as Balthasar (Romeo's servant) in a production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Her English-born father is from a Jewish family, while her Scottish-born Actress | Zach attended Columbia High Cheryl Ruth Hines was born on September 21, 1965 in Miami Beach, Florida, to Rosemary (Graham) and James Hines, and grew up in Tallahassee, Florida. Wilder was born Jerome. Wilder enrolled at the HB Studio.[12]. Her family moved to Sarah Hyland was born in New York City to actors Melissa D. Canaday and Edward James Hyland. [53] By May 1989, the cancer returned and had metastasized. Gene Wilder. They divorced when Dominic was age 5. His maternal grandparents were Jeffrey Dean Morgan endeared himself to audiences with his recurring role on ABC's smash hit series Grey's Anatomy (2005). No more Gene? They became Hollywood's first successful interracial movie comedy duo.[38]. His first acting role was when he was 8 -- he had a line on a television series. Malcolm John Taylor was born on June 13, 1943 in Leeds, England, to working-class parents Edna (McDowell), a hotelier, and Charles Taylor, a publican. But before he became a famous actor, he intended to pursue a career in law.Strong was born Marco Giuseppe Salussolia in London, England, to an Actress | He combined both talents with directing in'The World's Greatest Eric Idle is an English comedian, actor, author, singer, playwright, director, and songwriter. He Portia de Rossi was born and raised in Geelong, Australia. In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis. Marty Feldman and Madeline Kahn agreed to participate in the project, and Wilder began writing what became his directorial dbut, 1975's The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother. She has appeared in five Victoria's Secret Fashion shows from 2006 through 2010 and became a Victoria's Secret Angel in November 2009. . 23. He was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. Pryor was struggling with a severe cocaine addiction, and filming became difficult, but once the film premiered, it became an international success. Gene Wilder. Chris Sarandon, who Entrancing, gorgeous Lesley Ann Warren started gearing towards a life in show business right off the bat as a young ballerina who trained at the School of American Ballet at the age of 14. He has a sister, Sarah-Jane, who is also an actor. She moved in with Wilder, and the couple married on September 14, 1984, in the south of France. When hunky, twenty-year-old heart-throb Heath Ledger first came to the attention of the public in 1999, it was all too easy to tag him as a "pretty boy" and an actor of little depth. Malcolm hated his parents' ways. Her parents named her because they hoped Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch was born and raised in London, England. His mother, Edna (ne Israel), is a massage therapist, and his father, Robert Somerhalder, is a building contractor. Looks like Mark Wahlberg. His surname was originally "Hartmann", but he later dropped the second "n". 1. His maternal great-grandfather was film enthusiast E.T. He studied at Leeds Performing Arts School and started out in musical theatre. [20], After Young Frankenstein was written, the rights were to be sold to Columbia Pictures, but after having trouble agreeing on the budget, Wilder, Brooks, and producer Michael Gruskoff went with 20th Century Fox, where both Brooks and Wilder had to sign five-year contracts. Early in her childhood, One of Hollywood's most private and guarded leading men, Andy Garcia has created iconic characters while at the same time staying true to his acting roots and personal projects.Garcia was born Andrs Arturo Garca Menndez on April 12, 1956, in Havana, Cuba, to Amelie Menndez, a teacher of English British actor Mark Strong, who played Jim Prideaux in the 2011 remake of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), is often cast as cold, calculating villains. His dramatic arc as heart patient Denny Duquette, who wins the heart of intern Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) in a star-crossed romance, made him a universal fan favorite. [62] His third novel, Something to Remember You By: A Perilous Romance, was released in April 2013. 20+ Best Classical Art Memes Of The Week (February 19, 2023) 1. Originally born Amanda Rogers, at 15 she changed her name to Portia, saying that it was the most daring thing she had ever done up until that point. [47] His last two movies were not financially successful. He has been married to Celia Walden since June 24, 2010. [61], In a 2008 Turner Classic Movies special, Role Model: Gene Wilder, where Alec Baldwin interviewed Wilder about his career, Wilder said that he was basically retired from acting for good. Julianna Margulies was born on June 8, 1966 in Spring Valley (near New York City), as the youngest of three daughters of Francesca (Goldberg), a teacher and dancer in American Ballet, and Paul Margulies, an advertising writer and philosopher. She is of Cajun (French), Italian, English, and Scottish ancestry. A few titles came after Edward Parker Helms is an American actor, comedian, writer and singer from Atlanta, Georgia who is known for playing the preppy Cornell alumni Andy "Nard Dog" Bernard from The Office and Stuart Price from The Hangover trilogy. He subsequently portrayed Todd Alquist in season 5 of the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad American actor Mark Wahlberg is one of a handful of respected entertainers who successfully made the transition from teen pop idol to acclaimed actor. She was raised in Arlington Heights, IL, with a younger sister and brother. Her first film was Private Parts (1997). The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Raised in Charleston, West Virginia by her mother Patricia Ann (ne English), a retired English teacher, and her father, Billy Jack Hilary was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Judith Kay (Clough), a secretary, and Stephen Michael Swank, who served in the National Guard and was also a traveling salesman. Sort by: View: 104 names 1. That's why I went into writing. Celebrity Actor Gene Wilder, Star of 'Young Frankenstein,' 'Willy Wonka,' Dies at 83 Wilder's nephew said Monday that the actor and writer died earlier this month in Stamford,. Harry Connick Jr., Mel Brooks and Tony Goldwyn, among many others, took to Twitter to share touching notes about the screen icon, best known for his role as Willy Wonka in 1971's "Willy . Her breakout role was as Rebecca Howe in the NBC sitcom Cheers (1987-1993), receiving an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe in 1991 for the role. ", Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask), Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor on a Comedy Series, Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex*, Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Nephew: Gene Wilder, star of Mel Brooks movies, dies at 83", "Gene Wilder Dies at 83; Star of 'Willy Wonka' and 'Young Frankenstein', "Milwaukee's own Gene Wilder, star of 'Willy Wonka' and Mel Brooks comedies, dead at 83, family says", "Gene Wilder Dead at 83; The Comedic Icon Once Said, 'Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You', Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish, "Gene Wilder, Actor and Iowa grad, dies at 83". Because of his father's career, he spent at least part of his childhood in Indonesia, before finishing his Brent Spiner, whose primary claim to fame is his portrayal of the beloved android Data on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), was born and raised in Houston, Texas. His mother is of French-Canadian and Belgian descent. He went on to study law Asa Butterfield was born in Islington, London, England, to Jacqueline Farr and Sam Butterfield. She eventually served as Barbra Streisand's understudy for the lead role of Fanny Brice in Funny Soundtrack | With Margot Kidder co-starring with Wilder, it was filmed on location in Dublin, and at the nearby Ardmore Studios, in August and September 1969. His first roles were as a child on television series, Jeffrey Leon Bridges was born on December 4, 1949 in Los Angeles, California, the son of well-known film and TV star Lloyd Bridges and his long-time wife Dorothy Dean Bridges (ne Simpson). He is known for voicing several characters in The Simpsons including Apu, Chief Wiggum, Moe, Bumblebee Man, Lou and Superintendent Chalmers. He was of German, Irish, Javier Bardem belongs to a family of actors that have been working on films since the early days of Spanish cinema.He was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, to actress Pilar Bardem (Mara del Pilar Bardem Muoz) and businessman Jos Carlos Encinas Doussinague. Some of his most notable credits include "Friday Night Lights" (Friday Night Lights (2006)), " Ben Kingsley was born Krishna Bhanji on December 31, 1943 in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England. Elijah Wood is an American actor best known for portraying Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's blockbuster Lord of the Rings film trilogy. He has also starred in the films The Squid and the Whale, Adventureland, The Education of Charlie Banks, 30 Minutes or Canadian actor Michael Cera was born in Brampton, Ontario, to parents who worked for Xerox. His better known roles include drug-using taxicab driver Jim Ignatowski in the sitcom Taxi (1978), Klingon Commander Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), inventor Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown in the Back to the Future (Hank Azaria) look at younger photos of him. His father was an alcoholic. Three years later, Wilder guest-starred on two episodes of NBC's Will & Grace, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor on a Comedy Series for his role as Mr. Stein, Will Truman's boss. He also acted in Godzilla, Christopher Lloyd is an American actor with a relatively long career. Ana de Armas was born in Cuba on April 30, 1988. He is the eldest son of actor Martin Sheen, who at the time was just breaking into the business. [17], On March 1, 2005, Wilder released his highly personal memoir, Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art, an account of his life covering everything from his childhood up to Radner's death. He dropped out of school when he was 15, and fronted a series of music-garage bands, including one Andrew was born on 29 October 1979 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, UK to dad Alan and mum Susan. Jean Renoir was the first candidate, but he would not be able to do the film for at least a year, so British-Indian director Waris Hussein was hired. It was after the 1968 Democratic convention and there was a casting call for a film with several roles for the kind of young people who had disrupted the convention. As a toddler, she was already a compulsive performer, re-enacting TV commercials for her family's amusement, but she decided to Actress Paz Campos Trigo was born in Seville, Spain, to a bullfighter father. She has been married to Mike Fisher since July 10, 2010. He asked her teacher if he could become his student, and the teacher said that if he were still interested at age 13, he would take Wilder on as a student. "[57] Wilder donated to Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. He also appeared in films such as The Lego Movie (2014), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Looks like Patrick WilsonBoth have Vegeta's forehead. Wildest Posts From the . Her mother, Jerri Chastain, is a vegan chef whose family is originally from Kansas, and her stepfather is a fireman. Two years later, in March 2007, Wilder released his first novel, My French Whore, which is set during World War I. In addition to reprising the role in The Hobbit series, Wood also played Ryan in the FX television comedy Wilfred (2011) and voiced Beck in the Disney XD animated Actor | His mother, Bonny L., is a retired high school teacher, and the Executive Director of Minot's Downtown Business & Profession Association, and his father, Larry Duhamel, is an advertisement salesman. He is known mainly for his comedic roles, but also for his portrayal of Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). Ginnifer graduated from Lausanne Collegiate School in 1996 and Jennifer Marie Morrison was born in Chicago, Illinois, the oldest child of teachers David and Judy Morrison. As a teenager she attended the Ulster Youth Theatre before moving to Belfast , where she was a member of Fringe Benefit, a repertory company where she acted alongside Conleth Hill, with whom she would Actor | Gene Wilder (Actor), Jack Albertson (Actor), Mel Stuart (Director . Jennifer Garner, who catapulted into stardom with her lead role on the television series Alias (2001), has come a long way from her birthplace of Houston, Texas. TriStar Pictures wanted to produce another film starring Wilder and Pryor, and Wilder agreed to do See No Evil, Hear No Evil only if he were allowed to rewrite the script. Hank Azaria is an American comedian and actor from Queens, New York. Wilder directed and wrote several of his own films, including The Woman in Red (1984). Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. She is of mostly Swedish, English, and Scottish descent. [20][59] Also in 2001, Wilder donated a collection of scripts, correspondences, documents, photographs, and clipped images to the University of Iowa Libraries. Alexander Rae Baldwin III was born on April 3, 1958 in Massapequa, New York, the son of Carol Newcomb (Martineau) and Alexander Rae A former college athlete at the University of Texas, Fess studied drama in the early fifties and debuted in Springfield Rifle (1952). She is the only child of Avner Hershlag, an Israeli-born doctor, and Shelley Stevens, an Actress | He was born Mark Anthony McDermott in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Diane (Marino) and Richard McDermott. He is best known for portraying Vasiliy Fet in The Strain, Joshua in Dark Angel, Martin Keamy in Lost, Fred J. Dukes / The Blob in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Barry Burton in Resident Evil: Retribution, Gabriel in Legion, Little John in Robin Hood, Jeeves Elon Musk was born on June 28, 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa. After winning a school Monica Anna Maria Bellucci was born on September 30, 1964 in the Italian village of Citt di Castello, Umbria, the only child of Brunella Briganti and Pasquale Bellucci. Untitled. She is the daughter of Didi (Radford), a former flight attendant, and Monty Silverstone, a real estate investor. I Know What You Did Last Summer. In a book published in 2005, he stated, "I have no other religion. I'm still reeling. She graduated from Somerset College in Nichole Marie Hiltz (born September 3, 1978) is an American actress. After reciting some lines, director Mel Stuart immediately offered him the role. Jason has two sisters, Heather, a tax specialist born in 1971, and Chiara, born in 1980. His father, Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, was a Kenyan-born medical doctor, of Gujarati Indian descent, and his mother, Anna Lyna Mary (Goodman), was an English actress. Her 1989 death from ovarian cancer led to his active involvement in promoting cancer awareness and treatment, helping found the Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Center in Los Angeles[1] and co-founding Gilda's Club. Menu. He has one brother, Caspar. Her mother's family was German, and her father had English, Scots-Irish, and German ancestry. He simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world. (Ben Barnes) His younger pics look like a little version of Ben. His father had Irish and English ancestry, and his mother was from a Jewish family (from Jonathan Niven Cryer is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. She is known for playing Sally Draper on the AMC series Mad Men (2007), B. D. Hyman in the FX anthology series Feud (2017), and voicing Jinora in the Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) spin-off, The Legend of Korra (2012). He is an actor and producer, known for Machete Kills (2013), Iron Man 2 (2010) and Why Him? In 2007, Wilder stated, "I'm quietly political. [8], Wilder was raised Jewish, but he held only the Golden Rule as his philosophy. Her paternal Terrence Howard was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Anita Jeanine Williams (ne Hawkins) and Tyrone Howard. Jennifer Love Hewitt was born in Waco, Texas, to Patricia Mae (Shipp), a speech-language pathologist, and Herbert Daniel Hewitt, a medical technician. He spent several years trying desperately to sway this image, but this was a double-edged sword. In 1963, Wilder was cast in a leading role in Mother Courage and Her Children, a production starring Anne Bancroft, who introduced Wilder to her boyfriend (and later husband) Mel Brooks. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. Wilder, who is best known for his work in films such as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Young . [53] Over the next year and a half, Radner battled the disease, receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. His mother, Bonny L., is a retired high school teacher, and the Executive Director of Minot's Downtown Business & Profession Association, and his father, Larry Duhamel, is an advertisement salesman. After three years of not hearing from Brooks, Wilder was called for a reading with Zero Mostel, who was to be the star of Springtime for Hitler and had approval of his co-star. Born into a show business family, he made his motion picture debut as a teenager photographer in the 1984 romantic comedy No Small Affair; his breakout role came in 1986, in the John Hughes-written film Pretty in Pink. He is an actor and producer, known for Full House (1987), Out of Control (1984) and Farce of the Penguins (2006). Most of this comes through Wilder's . Actor. When he was 11 he wanted to be a comedian like Sid Ceasar then when he was 15 and saw Lee J Cobb in 'Death of a Salesman' he decided he would be a comedy actor. Her father, Caleb Deschanel, is an Academy Award-nominated cinematographer (perhaps most notably for The Passion of the Christ (2004)) and her mother, Mary Jo Deschanel (ne Weir), is an actress who appeared in Twin Peaks (1990). He was raised Catholic, and is of English and mostly Italian Adam Richard Sandler was born September 9, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York, to Judith (Levine), a teacher at a nursery school, and Stanley Alan Sandler, an electrical engineer. He has a brother, Jack. Gene Wilder was spotted looking rather frail while seen on his latest outing. Josh has three younger sisters: Ashlee, Isabelle Yasmine Adjani was born in Gennevilliers, Hauts-de-Seine, a suburb of Paris, to Emma Augusta "Gusti" (Schweinberger) and Mohammed Adjani. Everything was a hit, grossing over $18million in the United States alone against a $2-million budget. [26], In 1971, Wilder auditioned to play Willy Wonka in Mel Stuart's film adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She is the first of three One of Hollywood's most private and guarded leading men, Andy Garcia has created iconic characters while at the same time staying true to his acting roots and personal projects.Garcia was born Andrs Arturo Garca Menndez on April 12, 1956, in Havana, Cuba, to Amelie Menndez, a teacher of English Franois Cluzet was born on September 21, 1955 in Paris, France. co-creator of Monty Python on TV, stage, and five films, including The Life of Brian and The Holy Grail, which he later adapted for the stage with John Du Prez as Monty Python's Spamalot, winning the Tony "Dead, wrapped in plastic" is how Sheryl Lee entered onto the scene as Laura Palmer, the doomed homecoming queen on the cult TV series Twin Peaks (1990).Lee was born April 27, 1967 in Germany. She was educated at Bute House Preparatory School for Girls, Queen's Gate School for Girls and Latymer Charlotte Riley is an English actress. Two recent graduates of Catholic University in Washington DC, went to the audition in New York for Joe (1970). If it's something wonderful, I'll do it.' The relationship grew, and Radner eventually divorced Smith in 1982. He has been married to Judith Light since January 1, 1985. John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II was born on June 9, 1963 in Owensboro, Kentucky, to Betty Sue Palmer (ne Wells), a waitress, and John Christopher Depp, a civil engineer. However, it was a regular role in the television series Cracker (1993) that made him a recognizable figure in the United Kingdom. He is of mostly Norwegian descent. I feel very Jewish and I feel very grateful to be Jewish. Nick Nolte said that when he played a young man in A blond-haired, fair-complexioned actor with a toothy grin and capable of an unsettling glint in his eyes, Gary Busey was born in Goose Creek, Texas, and was raised in Oklahoma. In 1998, he Nick Nolte was born in Omaha, Nebraska and began his career on stage at the Pasadena Playhouse and in regional theatre productions. After seeing how much fun his sister's were having in an improv class, Munck decided Multi-talented Jason Jordan Segel was born in Los Angeles, California, where he was raised by his parents, Jillian (Jordan), a homemaker, and Alvin Segel, a lawyer. He has been married to Naomi Nelson since September 24, 2010. Looks like Jennifer Garner He was discharged from the army a year later and returned to New York. He has been married to Melissa Bring since July 2, 2014. Raven-haired beauty Jordana Brewster was born on April 26, 1980 in Panama City, Panama. The disease finally went into remission, giving the couple a respite, during which time Wilder filmed See No Evil, Hear No Evil. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. She began in the business at the age of 4 with commercial work and voice overs. They spent long periods of time apart, eventually divorcing in 1965. His mother is of English, Scottish, and Irish ancestry, and his father is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. However, his . He had been diagnosed 3 years before his death but kept knowledge of his condition private. Self | Through the remainder of the decade, Wilder and Radner worked on several projects together. (2010); and the novels My French Whore (2007), The Woman Who Wouldn't (2008), and Something to Remember You By (2013). In 1998, he Mayim Bialik grew up in San Diego and got her first acting job (Pumpkinhead (1988)) when she was just 12 years old. [11] Desiring to study Stanislavski's system, he returned to the U.S., living with his sister and her family in Queens. He was then given the opportunity to choose any post that was open, and wanting to stay near New York City to attend acting classes at the HB Studio, he chose to serve as paramedic in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at Valley Forge Army Hospital, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Many critics praised Wilder and Pryor, as well as Kevin Spacey's performance, but they mostly agreed that the script was terrible. Vernon Weir McDormand, a Disciples of Christ minister from Nova Scotia, who raised her in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. She started performing in local productions and summer stock theater at age 13. His maternal grandparents were Camila was born on March 3, 1997 in Havana, Cuba. In 2007, they Elizabeth Banks was born Elizabeth Mitchell in Pittsfield, a small city in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts near the New York border, on February 10, 1974. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. He has Cajun (French), English, and Scots-Irish ancestry. She moved to the UK at the age of 17 to study English Language and Literature at the University of Leeds (2013-2016). The other two, Murder in a Small Town and The Lady in Question, were mystery movies for A&E TV that were cowritten by Wilder, in which he played a theatre director turned amateur detective. In 1993 he co-starred in the dark comedy Ed and His Dead Mother with Steve Buscemi and Ned Beatty.Glover was Ted Danson is well known for his role as Sam Malone in the television series Cheers (1982). His Spanish mother was a teacher. 37. Four of his siblings are also in the arts: Martha Fiennes, a director; Magnus James D'Arcy was born Simon Richard D'Arcy in London, England, to Caroline (O'Connor) and Richard D'Arcy. and found that Mel Brooks was a great influence on his screen writing. Roger Ebert called it "a real dud";[43] the Deseret Morning News described the film as "stupid", with an "idiotic script" that had a "contrived story" and too many "juvenile gags",[44] while Vincent Canby called it "by far the most successful co-starring vehicle for Mr. Pryor and Mr. Wilder", also acknowledging that "this is not elegant movie making, and not all of the gags are equally clever".[45]. After joining the Actors Studio, he slowly began to be noticed in the off-Broadway scene, thanks to performances in Sir Arnold Wesker's Roots and in Graham Greene's The Complaisant Lover, for which Wilder received the Clarence Derwent Award for "Best Performance by an Actor in a Nonfeatured Role".