Gene Wilder dies at 83: Best life lessons from Willy Wonka

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Gene Wilder, who delighted generations of children and adults as Willy Wonka, has died at the age of 83.

He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease three years ago but didn't make the news public because he "simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world", said his family.

Wilder began his career in theatre, before landing the role of Leo Bloom in Mel Brooks's 1968 comedy The Producers and establishing himself as "one of Hollywood's top comedy talents", says the BBC.

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That role earned him the first of his two Oscar nominations and cemented a collaborative relationship with Brooks that led to other hit comedies, including Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.

But it was his role in the 1971 children's classic Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory that cemented his fame, even though Wilder said the film "wasn't a success when it came out".

Parents thought the story, based on the Roald Dahl book, was "cruel to the children", he once said.

"But it went on to gain a devoted following, and Willy Wonka remains one of the roles with which Mr. Wilder is most closely identified," says the New York Times.

Click on our gallery for some of the most memorable life lessons from Wilder's Willy Wonka.