--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On screen, Gene Wilder could often be…" description: "\"On screen, Gene Wilder could often be summed up as an accident waiting to happen, that frizzy, flyaway hair, the eyes darting this way and that and the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/gene-wilder-3914_accidents_on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-sum_271671.png" --- # On screen, Gene Wilder could often be summed up as an… ![“On screen, Gene Wilder could often be summed up as an accident waiting to happen, that frizzy, flyaway hair, the eyes darting this way and that and then something would set him off, Zero Mostel, say, in the movie that made Wilder a star, "The Producers."” quote by Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/gene-wilder-3914_accidents_on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-sum_271671.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/gene-wilder-3914_accidents_on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-sum_271671.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/gene-wilder-3914_accidents_on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-sum_271671.png) > “On screen, Gene Wilder could often be summed up as an accident waiting to happen, that frizzy, flyaway hair, the eyes darting this way and that and then something would set him off, Zero Mostel, say, in the movie that made Wilder a star, "The Producers."” [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wilder's unpredictable, energetic nature made him seem like a chaotic force ready to erupt, especially in his breakout role. **In simple terms:** Wilder was a lively, unpredictable performer. Key Takeaway Embrace spontaneity in creativity. Themes creativity unpredictability performance energy Mood playful analytical Type biographical entertaining When to use this quote - acting workshops - improv comedy - creative brainstorming Key Concepts character study film history Questions to Reflect On - What role does spontaneity play in artistic success? - How can chaos be channeled productively? A Different Perspective The description may exaggerate for effect, overlooking discipline. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gene-wilder/) [Genes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genes/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Movie Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-wilder-2654998/) [Often is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/often-is/) [Producers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/producers/) [Screens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screens/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilder/) [Wilder Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilder-star-2654999/) [Wilder Summed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilder-summed-2655000/) [Zero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zero/) ## Related quotes > [Gene Wilder often said that his job as an actor wasn't to make something funny but to make it real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/gene-wilder-often-said-that-his-job-as-an-actor-wasn-t-to-make/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [Gene Wilder characters wanted to be calm, but to the great delight of audiences, they rarely succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/gene-wilder-characters-wanted-to-be-calm-but-to-the-great-delight-of/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.This was said by gene wilder ... what does it mean ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/a-little-nonsense-now-and-then-is-relished-by-the-wisest-men-this-was/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [ In fact, \[Gene Wilder\] had made a hysteric seem considerably less funny in his film debut as a terrified undertaker in "Bonnie And Clyde."… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/in-fact-gene-wilder-had-made-a-hysteric-seem-considerably-less-funny/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [Gene Wilder is so funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/gene-wilder-is-so-funny/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [I was devastated by Gene Wilder's death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-david/i-was-devastated-by-gene-wilder-s-death/) [Craig David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-david/) > [I had been a fan of Gene Wilder's for many years, but the first time I saw him in person, my heart fluttered -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/i-had-been-a-fan-of-gene-wilder-s-for-many-years-but-the-first-time-i/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [I was immediately into all the great movie comedians - Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder. Everything those guys had anything to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-benson/i-was-immediately-into-all-the-great-movie-comedians-woody-allen-mel/) [Doug Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-benson/) > [I could never be Charlie Chaplin. But the films that were made by people like him, or Gene Wilder, or John Candy, the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/i-could-never-be-charlie-chaplin-but-the-films-that-were-made-by/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [One day, God said 'Let there be prey.' And he created pigeons, rabbits, lambs and Gene Wilder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/one-day-god-said-let-there-be-prey-and-he-created-pigeons-rabbits/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [When we spoke, Gene Wilder had just written a memoir called "Kiss Me Like A Stranger." The title was suggested by his late wife…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gross/when-we-spoke-gene-wilder-had-just-written-a-memoir-called-kiss-me/) [Terry Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gross/) > [My heroes were Gene Wilder, Steve Martin, and Martin Short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-pally/my-heroes-were-gene-wilder-steve-martin-and-martin-short/) [Adam Pally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-pally/) > [Gene Wilder made his movie debut in "Bonnie And Clyde," starred in the Mel Brooks films "The Producers," "Young Frankenstein" and "Blazing Saddles," played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gross/gene-wilder-made-his-movie-debut-in-bonnie-and-clyde-starred-in-the/) [Terry Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gross/) > [My parents took me to that I think is just one of those near-perfect comedies is Young Frankenstein. Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-benson/my-parents-took-me-to-that-i-think-is-just-one-of-those-near-perfect/) [Doug Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-benson/) > [My mother loved Gene Wilder when I was growing up, so I used to watch all his movies with her. I just adore him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-punch/my-mother-loved-gene-wilder-when-i-was-growing-up-so-i-used-to-watch/) [Lucy Punch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-punch/) ## More by Gene Wilder > [Dont put the sheep on the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/dont-put-the-sheep-on-the-table/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [When your mother gives you confidence about anything that you do, you carry that confidence with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/when-your-mother-gives-you-confidence-about-anything-that-you-do-you/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I'm an actor, not a clown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-m-an-actor-not-a-clown/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [ \[Gilda Radner\] died in '89, and I got non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2000. I've just passed the five-year mark and I'm now what you call… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/gilda-radner-died-in-89-and-i-got-non-hodgkin-s-lymphoma-in-2000-i-ve/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I like - it's not that I want to be someone different from me, but I suppose it partly is that. I love creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-like-it-s-not-that-i-want-to-be-someone-different-from-me-but-i/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I live in a small town in Connecticut, and they don't write scripts there, but I get them anyway because my agent is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-live-in-a-small-town-in-connecticut-and-they-don-t-write-scripts/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [Little surprises around every corner, but nothing dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/little-surprises-around-every-corner-but-nothing-dangerous/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I don't like giving speeches. It makes me nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-don-t-like-giving-speeches-it-makes-me-nervous/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [Gene Wilder often said that his job as an actor wasn't to make something funny but to make it real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/gene-wilder-often-said-that-his-job-as-an-actor-wasn-t-to-make/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [When I'm not working on something, I seem to go through periods of depression. It helps to keep busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/when-i-m-not-working-on-something-i-seem-to-go-through-periods-of/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [What I learned from Mel Brooks was audacity - in performance as in life. Maybe you go too far, but try it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/what-i-learned-from-mel-brooks-was-audacity-in-performance-as-in-life/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I'm going to tell you what my religion is. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Period. Terminato. Finito.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-m-going-to-tell-you-what-my-religion-is-do-unto-others-as-you-would/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [Gene Wilder characters wanted to be calm, but to the great delight of audiences, they rarely succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/gene-wilder-characters-wanted-to-be-calm-but-to-the-great-delight-of/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I love acting, especially if it's a fantasy of some kind, where it's not just realistic, it's not naturalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-love-acting-especially-if-it-s-a-fantasy-of-some-kind-where-it-s/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [A lot of comic actors derive their main force from childish behavior. Most great comics are doing such silly things; you'd say, 'That's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/a-lot-of-comic-actors-derive-their-main-force-from-childish-behavior/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) [Explore all 119 Gene Wilder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) ## More Accidents quotes > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I made out with a homeless guy by accident. I had no idea -- he was really tan, he had no shoes on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-made-out-with-a-homeless-guy-by-accident-i-had-no-idea-he-was/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/in-a-city-where-you-walk-around-it-s-impossible-to-plan-your-day-and/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I don't think it's by accident that I was first attracted to translating two French women poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-don-t-think-it-s-by-accident-that-i-was-first-attracted-to/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Dont stand outside in a lightning shower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig/dont-stand-outside-in-a-lightning-shower/) [Padraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) [Browse all 1,971 Accidents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On screen, Gene Wilder could often be summed up as an accident waiting to happen, that frizzy, flyaway hair, the eyes darting this way and that and then something would set him off, Zero Mostel, say, in the movie that made Wilder a star, \"The Producers.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gene Wilder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-summed-up-as-an-accident-waiting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accidents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-summed-up-as-an-accident-waiting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/gene-wilder-3914_accidents_on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-sum_271671.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/gene-wilder-3914_accidents_on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-sum_271671.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/gene-wilder-3914_accidents_on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-sum_271671.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On screen, Gene Wilder could often be summed up as an accident waiting to happen, that frizzy, flyaway hair…” — Gene Wilder", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gene Wilder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "On screen, Gene Wilder could often...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-summed-up-as-an-accident-waiting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-summed-up-as-an-accident-waiting/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```