Gene Wilder, who died at the age of 83 late on Sunday night, will be remembered as one of film and TV’s most original comic actors.
Best known for playing the title role in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, he became a star of the small screen after appearing in season five of Will & Grace.
His performance was met with a standing ovation by the studio audience, according to Entertainment Weekly - an accolade he wrongly assumed all guest stars received,.
It was his final ever role on screen, and it earned him an Emmy Award in 2003.
In footage that’s being shared online, Will (Eric McCormack) goes off script, adding a cheeky reference to Wilder's lead role in Young Frankenstein, to the delight of the actor.
The star passed away at his Connecticut home after suffering complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
Wilder's nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman said in a statement: “It is with indescribable sadness and blues, but with spiritual gratitude for the life lived that I announce the passing of husband, parent, and universal artist Gene Wilder.
“It is almost unbearable for us to contemplate our life without him.”
