Billy Wilder has passed away at the age of 95.
Viennese-born Billy Wilder, one of Hollywood's greatest writer-directors whose films ranged from thrillers and melodramas to comedies and romances, died Wednesday night of pneumonia at his home in Beverly Hills.
Mr Lee, who worked with Mr Wilder in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is very saddened by the great loss.
Billy Wilder is one of cinemas greatest geniuses and my very first endcounter with this genius was Ninotchka. His lines was so geniusly written that I giggled from the first line to a hysterical laughter at the end. Some Like it Hot was shown on the tele a few days back and that's a film you can't leave out when you talk about Mr Wilder: Tony Curtis: "Who's the lucky girl??" Jack: " I am".
I haven't seen The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes but I sure would love to see it to see more of his magic.
Perhaps one of Wilder's least appreciated but best films was Stalag 17, the movie that won William Holden an Oscar after years of being type cast as the pretty boy. It was Stalag 17 that gave the networks the idea for a series like Hogan's Heroes. No comparison, of course. Hogan's Heroes is basically a sitcom, and while Stalag had its share of clowns in the cast, the story itself was ruthless and cynical.
A great film I highly recommend.
When i heard he died the first thing tht came to my mind was all I have read Christopher Lee saying about the man. He was so pleased to have had the chance to work with him. I think I read he still talked to him often. He was I believe the director that said to him
"I dont care what you've done before or what parts you had before I just care if your right for this part."
Im sure thats not the word for word quote but i cant remember how it went and where i read it
One thing im sure of ...Dudley Moore, Milton Berle and Billy Wilder...tough week for Hollywood
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Charles Prepolec www.sherlocknews.com