(audience applauding) Wow. You're very good at what you do. I couldn't do what you do. We haven't figured out what I do yet. But whatever it is, you're good at it. Well, thank you. It's a real thrill to have you here. I'm a huge fan of so many of your movies. I wanted to start with, I
have an 18-month old daughter, and she's not old enough yet
to watch movies or anything. I can't wait to show her "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." (audience applauds)
For my money it's the best movie for children and adults
to watch at the same time. And with the new technology, DVD, so many kids are seeing that film now and seen it over the years
since the film was first made, how do kids respond to
you when they see you now? Their eyes light up.
Yeah. They don't say anything. Every four and a half
years I get a new crop. [Conan] Right, right. Because their mommas won't let them see it until they're about four
and a half years old, five years old.
Right. And then I'll walk down the street and I see the eyes light up like that. They're too nervous to say
anything most of the time. [Conan] Right. Those who aren't come and
want to sit on my lap. Right, right, which
could get you in trouble. (audience laughs) You don't need that. Do people try to sing the
"Oompa Loompa" song to you? No, too difficult.
Good. 'Cause they forget the words. ♪ Oompa Loompa ♪ But then they get lost.
Right. But if you've had a few
drinks that wouldn't stop one. You know? ♪ Oompa Loompa, blibity blee ♪ (audience laughs) You'd be like "Please, shut up." One of the things I love
so much about that movie that makes it work for me, which is unlike a lot of children's movies are afraid to have any menace. And "Willy Wonka," there's
some darkness in that role that you added to the character, and I think that probably
scared some moms away when the movie first came out. It did, because it wasn't
a commercial success. No, which always surprised me. When the movie came out the
movie didn't do that well and I think it was because
there's some scariness to it a little bit. The kids weren't scared,
the mothers were scared. Right, on behalf of the kids. On behalf of the kids but the kids knew it was a morality play. Right. Where do you draw the line and
they wanted the line drawn. [Conan] Right, right. The mothers were afraid of it. Right, and what's interesting
is the kids get older the parents feel okay with them seeing it and then they realize
there's nothing scary about this movie at all. When going through the tunnel,
the psychedelic tunnel, a little bit scary. When I saw that movie for the first time and you're taking the
kids through the tunnel and Willy Wonka starts
to seem to insane to me in a scary way, and I was afraid, but then you learn later on
there's a purpose to all of it. I wanna ask you about
"Young Frankenstein," which is easily one of the
funniest movies ever made. (audience applauds) You co-wrote this film and
Mel Brooks directed the movie, and I only found out much later on that my favorite scene in the whole movie, and I think for many people
their favorite scene, is when Dr. Frankenstein,
you, do the number, the tap dance number,
"Puttin' on the Ritz" with the monster, and it's so insane and so absurd, and I only realized later on, I guess, that was your idea and Mel
Brooks didn't wanna do it. Is that right? I would write all day and then he'd come over
after dinner, look at it, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay
now we need a villain. "The burgermeister isn't
a good enough villain. "We need a real villain," and so on. And one night he came over
and he looks at the pages and he says, "You tap dance to Irving Berlin?" (audience laughs)
Right, right. "In top hat and tails with the monster?" [Conan] Right, right. He said, "Are you crazy? "It's frivolous."
Right, right. And I started to argue and then I argued for about 20 minutes 'til I was at least red in the face, I think it may have been blue, and all of a sudden he
says, "Okay, it's in." And I said, "Well why did
you put me through this?" He said, "Because I wasn't
sure if it was right or not. "And if you didn't argue for
it, I knew it would be wrong, "but if you really argued
I knew it was right." That's actually an interesting technique. So if you had just been
like, oh, okay, whatever, maybe it is a stupid idea. But I knew him well and that is the only
argument that we've ever had. Yeah. I think, also, one of
the earliest movies I saw that was a comedy where
the acting was so straight and so sincere, do you know what I mean? I do. You're believing in everything 1,000% and that's what makes it so funny. 18 years of study.
Right, right. In order to learn finally
that the more real you can make a comedy, the
funnier it's going to be, instead of making faces,
and doing funny sounds, and doing all of that. Right, it's why I've been
barred from the movies. (audience laughs) You did so much great
work with Richard Pryor. And you guy seem to have this chemistry that doesn't come along
that often in movies. Did you feel the same
way with Richard Pryor? Did you feel it while you
were working with him? From the first day. I'll tell you something, I
don't wanna be shocking you, but it's a little bit
like a sexual chemistry. It's true.
Right, right. You see someone and you say, "I really am attracted to that woman." [Conan] Right. And someone says, "But why her? "This girl is much prettier." She's taller, she's shorter,
she's fatter, she's slimmer. Why that one? I don't know, I am.
Right. And when Richard and I did our first scene some magic happened,
what they call chemistry, and he improvised, I used
to improvise in class, but not in front of the movie camera. And I would answer him back
and forth, back and forth, and we were on such a similar wavelength. Not in private life so much. That's interesting, it
didn't translate off camera? No, uh-uh, he had his own world, his friends and everything. I wanted to more.
Right. Anyway, I'm telling you
that there was something going on when we did that first
big scene in "Stir Crazy," and tore the place apart, the prison. [Conan] Right. At the same moment we both
started to hum, to sing. ♪ Da-dum, da-dum, da-dum, da-dum ♪ Laurel and Hardy.
Right. When Sidney Poitier said, "Cut," I said, "Did you know you were gonna do that?" And he said, "No, did you know?" I said, "No, I didn't," but we both did it on
beat at the same time. There's something in the
air, that's just magic. Yeah, no one can explain that. That's very cool. I was reading through your book and one of the things
that made me so happy, because I've been such a
fan of you and your work, is that you've been through so much, you've had incredible career success, you've had high highs, you've
had tragedy in your life, and when you get to the end of the book you seem like you're in
a really good place now, you're happy. And that made me feel really, you know, that made me feel good,
'cause I want you to be happy. So that was nice. That's true, you feel good? I'm happier than I've
ever been in my life. That's fantastic.
(audience applauds) I wish we had more time
but the biggest kick for me in having a show like this is I get to meet people who influenced me and meant a lot to me the way you have, so thank you so much for being here. Go out and buy this book. It's an incredible story. Gene Wilder, "Kiss me Like
a Stranger," check it out. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Real honor to have you here. (audience applauds) Brian Kiley when we
come back, stick around.
This is my fav Conan interview because it reminded me of The Greats in that sweet delicate way Carson would allow people to talk. While Fallon want’s to play games, Colbert wants to be political and Kimmel wants to be cuttings. Its rare for Conan to find a person of Ernest. Occasionally. Always at the right time.
This was so sweet. You can feel Wilder’s sensitive personality in that interview and Conan very respectfully lets it shine through. Stellar moment.
Gene was one of those amazing, sweet men everyone wishes was their Dad. They way he grasps Conan’s hand is adorable.