{"id":364,"date":"2026-01-07T23:57:52","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T23:57:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/?p=364"},"modified":"2026-01-07T23:57:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T23:57:52","slug":"12-delicious-facts-about-willy-wonka-the-chocolate-factory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/?p=364","title":{"rendered":"12 Delicious Facts About Willy Wonka &#038; the Chocolate Factory"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">It\u2019s a movie that\u2019s nearly 50 years old, but\u00a0<em>Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory<\/em>\u00a0is nowhere near showing its age. A cinematic classic for generations of children, the 1971 film adaptation of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/52717\/11-scrumdiddlyumptious-facts-about-roald-dahl\" target=\"_self\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/52717\/11-scrumdiddlyumptious-facts-about-roald-dahl\">Roald Dahl<\/a>\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.roalddahl.com\/roald-dahl\/stories\/a-e\/charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.roalddahl.com\/roald-dahl\/stories\/a-e\/charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory\" aria-label=\"1964 - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">1964<\/a>\u00a0book\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/67102\/12-gloriumptious-facts-about-charlie-and-chocolate-factory\" target=\"_self\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/67102\/12-gloriumptious-facts-about-charlie-and-chocolate-factory\" aria-label=\"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory\" data-uw-rm-empty-ctrl=\"\"><em>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory<\/em><\/a>\u00a0told the fantastical tale of what happens when four spoiled kids (and one good, sweet little child) visit a delectable candy-making factory. The film also turned star Gene Wilder into a cultural icon, thanks to his inimitable portrayal of chocolatier extraordinaire Willy Wonka. Whether you\u2019ve seen\u00a0<em>Wonka<\/em>\u00a0200 times\u2014or, to quote poor Charlie Bucket, \u201cjust two\u201d\u2014we\u2019ve got some sweet facts about the movie that are sure to taste better than an Everlasting Gobstopper.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">1. GENE WILDER INSISTED ON DOING WILLY WONKA\u2019S NOW-SIGNATURE LIMP-INTO-A-FORWARD-ROLL\u2014OR ELSE HE WOULDN\u2019T TAKE THE PART.<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Gene Wilder on getting his role as Willy Wonka (2002)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XXOPZf8DwAI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/77312\/read-gene-wilders-thoughts-his-willy-wonka-costume\" target=\"_self\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/77312\/read-gene-wilders-thoughts-his-willy-wonka-costume\">Gene Wilder<\/a>, who died in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2016\/08\/30\/movies\/gene-wilder-dead.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2016\/08\/30\/movies\/gene-wilder-dead.html\" aria-label=\"2016 - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">2016<\/a>, knew exactly how he wanted to play Willy Wonka from the get-go. As he\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XXOPZf8DwAI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"recounted - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">recounted<\/a>\u00a0to Larry King on CNN in 2002, Wilder told\u00a0<em>Wonka<\/em>\u00a0director Mel Stuart he wanted to introduce the character as walking slowly with a cane, then conclude the ruse with an expert somersault. When Stuart asked why Wilder wanted to take this approach, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/60650\/15-things-you-might-not-know-about-young-frankenstein\" target=\"_self\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/60650\/15-things-you-might-not-know-about-young-frankenstein\" aria-label=\"Young Frankenstein\" data-uw-rm-empty-ctrl=\"\"><em>Young Frankenstein<\/em><\/a>\u00a0star responded, \u201cBecause no one will know from that point on, whether I\u2019m lying or telling the truth,\u201d thus adding the necessary element of mystery to the character. Wilder also told King he wouldn\u2019t accept the role unless this demand was met. Needless to say, Stuart made the right decision.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">2. THAT WONKA INTRODUCTION BECAME SO SYNONYMOUS WITH WILDER THAT KATE MCKINNON REENACTED IT AS A TRIBUTE TO THE ACTOR ON\u00a0<em>SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE<\/em>.<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton Debate Cold Open - SNL\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-nQGBZQrtT0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">The 42nd season of\u00a0<em>Saturday Night Live<\/em>\u00a0didn\u2019t premiere until about a month after Gene Wilder\u2019s August 2016 death, but the news was still timely enough for cast member Kate McKinnon to pay a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2016\/10\/2\/13138298\/saturday-night-live-adam-baldwin-kate-mckinnon-clinton-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2016\/10\/2\/13138298\/saturday-night-live-adam-baldwin-kate-mckinnon-clinton-trump\" aria-label=\"fitting tribute - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">fitting tribute<\/a>. During the episode\u2019s cold open, McKinnon, playing a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/morning-mix\/wp\/2016\/09\/12\/what-hillary-clintons-pneumonia-diagnosis-means\/?utm_term=.c31ed60e1e4a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/morning-mix\/wp\/2016\/09\/12\/what-hillary-clintons-pneumonia-diagnosis-means\/?utm_term=.c31ed60e1e4a\" aria-label=\"pneumonia-battling - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">pneumonia-battling<\/a>\u00a0Hillary Clinton, limped slowly\u2014cane in hand\u2014onto the faux presidential debate stage. But before she could fall over from fatigue, McKinnon then executed a flawless somersault. Both Wonka and Wilder would\u2019ve been proud.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">3. DENISE NICKERSON\u2019S FACE WAS STILL TURNING PURPLE EVEN AFTER SHOOTING ENDED.<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory - Violet Blows Up Like a Blueberry Scene (7\/10) | Movieclips\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8Yqw_f26SvM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s commonplace for actors to hear some of the most famous lines from their movie repeated back to them via devoted fans. But when it happened to 13-year-old Denise Nickerson,\u00a0<em>Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory<\/em>\u00a0hadn\u2019t even hit theaters yet. According to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/archive\/berry-happy-vol-55-no-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/archive\/berry-happy-vol-55-no-3\/\" aria-label=\"Magazine - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\"><em>People<\/em>\u00a0Magazine<\/a>, two days after Nickerson, who played gum-chewing brat Violet Beauregarde in the movie, had shot the famous scene in which Violet turns into a blueberry, her face started reverting back to that now-familiar shade of purple. As luck would have it, this embarrassing moment happened when Nickerson was back at school and trying to be a normal kid again. But since the makeup needed another 36 hours to disappear, she ended up hearing friends of hers (unwittingly) paraphrase one of Sam Beauregarde\u2019s lines from the movie: \u201cYou\u2019re turning blue!\u201d At least it wasn\u2019t, \u201cViolet! You\u2019re turning violet, Violet!\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">4. PARIS THEMMEN LIT UP TWITTER AS A\u00a0<em>JEOPARDY!<\/em>\u00a0CONTESTANT.<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Back in March 2018, a gentleman by the name of Paris Themmen competed on the long-running game show\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/89040\/15-brainy-secrets-jeopardy-winners\" target=\"_self\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/89040\/15-brainy-secrets-jeopardy-winners\" aria-label=\"Jeopardy!\" data-uw-rm-empty-ctrl=\"\"><em>Jeopardy!<\/em><\/a><em>,\u00a0<\/em>finishing in second place. Describing himself as an \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/paris-themmen-mike-teavee-actor-from-willy-wonka-appears-on-jeopardy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/paris-themmen-mike-teavee-actor-from-willy-wonka-appears-on-jeopardy\/\" aria-label=\"avid backpacker - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">avid backpacker<\/a>,\u201d Themmen seemed like another run-of-the-mill trivia expert passing through the Alex Trebek-hosted set. But it wasn\u2019t long before fans\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.etonline.com\/willy-wonka-star-paris-themmen-who-played-mike-teevee-appears-on-jeopardy-98398\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.etonline.com\/willy-wonka-star-paris-themmen-who-played-mike-teevee-appears-on-jeopardy-98398\" aria-label=\"took to Twitter - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">took to Twitter<\/a>\u00a0in their realization that Themmen had neglected to reveal a tiny detail from his childhood: He portrayed pint-size binge-watcher Mike Teavee in\u00a0<em>Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory<\/em>\u00a0when he was 11.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">5. PETER OSTRUM BECAME A DAIRY CATTLE VETERINARIAN.<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"overflow-hidden bg-lightGrey undefined\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_360,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F557789-warner-home-video2-1e17ac9575c37d08bfa25deb816a836c.jpg 1x,  \nhttps:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F557789-warner-home-video2-1e17ac9575c37d08bfa25deb816a836c.jpg 2x, \n    https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F557789-warner-home-video2-1e17ac9575c37d08bfa25deb816a836c.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 719px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F557789-warner-home-video2-1e17ac9575c37d08bfa25deb816a836c.jpg 1x, \nhttps:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F557789-warner-home-video2-1e17ac9575c37d08bfa25deb816a836c.jpg 2x, \n    https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F557789-warner-home-video2-1e17ac9575c37d08bfa25deb816a836c.jpg 3x\" media=\"(max-width: 1079px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F557789-warner-home-video2-1e17ac9575c37d08bfa25deb816a836c.jpg 1x, \nhttps:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F557789-warner-home-video2-1e17ac9575c37d08bfa25deb816a836c.jpg 2x,\n    https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F557789-warner-home-video2-1e17ac9575c37d08bfa25deb816a836c.jpg 3x\" media=\"(min-width: 1080px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/shape\/cover\/sport\/557789-warner-home-video2-1e17ac9575c37d08bfa25deb816a836c.jpg\" alt=\"Warner Home Video\" data-uw-rm-alt-original=\"\" data-uw-rm-alt=\"CT\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-grey font-group-tiny m-3\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-4 text-grey font-group-tiny m-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Warner Home Video<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"inline-text-14\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">He\u2019ll forever be immortalized as the good-natured blond moppet who won a golden ticket\u2014and an entire chocolate factory\u2014but Hollywood was never in the cards for former child actor Peter Ostrum. Despite Charlie Bucket\u2019s central role to the story,\u00a0<em>Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory<\/em>\u00a0was the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0652578\/?ref_=tt_cl_t3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0652578\/?ref_=tt_cl_t3\" aria-label=\"only movie - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">only movie<\/a>\u00a0Ostrum ever made<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0652578\/?ref_=tt_cl_t3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0652578\/?ref_=tt_cl_t3\" aria-label=\". - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">.<\/a>\u00a0Although he\u2019ll appear occasionally for\u00a0<em>Wonka<\/em>\u00a0anniversary interviews (he also\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/news\/gene-wilders-willy-wonka-costar-charlie-924292\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/news\/gene-wilders-willy-wonka-costar-charlie-924292\" aria-label=\"spoke extensively - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">spoke extensively\u00a0<\/a>about Gene Wilder following the actor\u2019s death), Ostrum chose a quiet life for himself,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.today.com\/popculture\/original-charlie-bucket-keeps-low-profile-wbna8545067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.today.com\/popculture\/original-charlie-bucket-keeps-low-profile-wbna8545067\" aria-label=\"working - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">working<\/a>\u00a0as a dairy cattle veterinarian in upstate New York.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-15\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">6. JULIE DAWN COLE AND DENISE NICKERSON WERE RIVALS FOR OSTRUM\u2019S HEART.<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory - Pure Imagination Scene (4\/10) | Movieclips\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LIYNk4ARUR8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">That fierce elbowing between Veruca Salt and Violet Beauregarde during the \u201cPure Imagination\u201d scene (see above clip) may not have been acting after all. Both Julie Dawn Cole\u2014who played the petulant Veruca\u2014and Denise Nickerson have since copped to a crush on co-star Peter Ostrum. \u201cPeter was a hot patootie,\u201d\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/archive\/berry-happy-vol-55-no-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/archive\/berry-happy-vol-55-no-3\/\" aria-label=\"Nickerson told - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">Nickerson told<\/a>\u00a0<em>People<\/em>\u00a0in 2001. Cole admitted that she and \u201cDenise were competing for [Ostrum\u2019s] attention\u201d in a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=OvY1EUkw2j8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"2011 interview - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">2011 interview<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-18\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">7. WILLY WONKA DOESN\u2019T SHOW UP UNTIL NEARLY 45 MINUTES INTO THE MOVIE.<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">It\u2019s a rare breed of actor who can completely encapsulate one\u2019s memory of a particular film, especially when it\u2019s almost half over by the time his character appears. Viewers tend to forget that we first have to endure a good 43 minutes of Charlie Bucket character development (and Grandpa Joe\u2019s whining) before Gene Wilder\u2019s Willy Wonka\u00a0<em>finally<\/em>\u00a0tumbles into our hearts. Wilder\u2019s belated entrance also reminds audiences that good things really do come to those who wait.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-20\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">8. THE FILM\u2019S FIRST SONG, &#8220;THE CANDY MAN,&#8221; GAVE SAMMY DAVIS, JR. HIS ONLY NUMBER ONE HIT.<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sammy Davis Jr - The Candy Man (Live in Germany 1985)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rsp35yn411A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>But this famously upbeat tune wasn\u2019t without its problems: Actor Aubrey Woods, who played the candy store owner, originally sang \u201cThe Candy Man\u201d in the movie\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HcpDdWIaAuE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"opening scene - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">opening scene<\/a>. Leslie Bricusse, who co-wrote the song with Anthony Newley, was horrified by this version,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2016\/08\/30\/gene-wilders-most-famous-song-was-originally-a-dud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2016\/08\/30\/gene-wilders-most-famous-song-was-originally-a-dud\/\" aria-label=\"telling - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">telling<\/a>\u00a0the\u00a0<em>New York Post<\/em>\u00a0in 2016, \u201cThe song was diabolically performed by an actor who couldn\u2019t sing.\u201d Enter Sammy Davis, Jr., whose manager was seeking a song that the Rat Packer could perform for children. Even though Davis wasn\u2019t a fan of the treacly tune, he couldn\u2019t argue with its success; his \u201cCandy Man\u201d cover garnered him his only\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/sammy-davis-jr\/chart-history\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/sammy-davis-jr\/chart-history\" aria-label=\"number one hit - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">number one hit<\/a>\u00a0back in 1972.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-23\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">9. GENE WILDER HATED THE\u00a0<em>CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY<\/em>\u00a0REMAKE.<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-24\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Wilder did not mince words when\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?time_continue=2&amp;v=ezfVc5MGmIU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"he spoke - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">he spoke<\/a>\u00a0with Robert Osborne in 2013 about the Tim Burton-directed\u00a0<em>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory<\/em><em>,<\/em>\u00a0which was released in 2005. \u201cI think it\u2019s an insult,\u201d Wilder told Osborne, \u201cto do that with Johnny Depp [who played Willy Wonka in this version], who I think is a good actor, and I like him.\u201d But Wilder\u2019s real rancor was reserved for Burton: \u201cI don\u2019t care for that director, and he\u2019s a talented man, but I don\u2019t care for him doing stuff like he did.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-25\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">10. THERE IS A LARGE ANTI-GRANDPA JOE MOVEMENT ON THE INTERNET.<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory - I&#039;ve Got a Golden Ticket Scene (3\/10) | Movieclips\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Oa6OoTVXG6E?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/unclick\/people-still-hate-grandpa-joe-willy-wonka-chocolate-factory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/unclick\/people-still-hate-grandpa-joe-willy-wonka-chocolate-factory\/\" aria-label=\"2004 - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">2004<\/a>, ostensibly in response to the upcoming\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0367594\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0367594\/\" aria-label=\"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-empty-ctrl=\"\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\"><em>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory<\/em><\/a>\u00a0movie, a website called\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/saynotograndpajoe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"http:\/\/saynotograndpajoe.com\/\" aria-label=\"Say No to Grandpa Joe - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">Say No to Grandpa Joe<\/a>\u00a0appeared. It proceeded to underline every single solitary reason why Charlie Bucket\u2019s initially bedridden Grandpa Joe (played by Jack Albertson in the 1971 film) is the absolute worst. A quick refresher: Grandpa Joe spends 20 years refusing to get out of bed while the Bucket family nearly starves to death (and don\u2019t get me started on how Charlie gives his hard-earned cash to Joe so the guy can buy friggin\u2019 tobacco). Then, the second Charlie comes home with a golden ticket in his hand, Joe springs out of bed, does a dance of joy and declares that\u00a0<em>he\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0the lucky winner, not his pitiful grandson. Cut to 2018, and not only is the Say No to Grandpa Joe site still around, but there\u2019s now a nearly 20,000-person strong<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wonkawash\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wonkawash\/\" aria-label=\"Facebook group - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">\u00a0Facebook group<\/a>\u00a0called \u201cThe I Hate Grandpa Joe From\u00a0<em>Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory<\/em>\u00a0Page.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-28\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">11. DIRECTOR MEL STUART\u2019S DAUGHTER PERSUADED HIM TO MAKE\u00a0<em>WILLY WONKA<\/em>.<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-29\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">Never ignore the bit players in a film, because they might just be the reason you\u2019re watching it in the first place. Madeline Stuart, whose father, Mel Stuart, directed\u00a0<em>Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory<\/em>, was the mastermind behind getting the movie made. \u201c[<em>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory<\/em>] was my favorite book at the time, and I told him this would make a great movie,\u201d\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/articles.latimes.com\/2012\/aug\/11\/local\/la-me-mel-stuart-20120811\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"http:\/\/articles.latimes.com\/2012\/aug\/11\/local\/la-me-mel-stuart-20120811\" aria-label=\"Madeline told - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">Madeline told<\/a>\u00a0the\u00a0<em>Los Angeles Times<\/em>\u00a0in 2012. Madeline\u2019s \u201cfinder\u2019s fee\u201d came in the form of a small role in Wonka: She played \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm1306702\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm1306702\/\" aria-label=\"Madeline Durkin - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">Madeline Durkin<\/a>\u201d in the schoolroom scene where Charlie\u2019s obnoxious teacher was conducting the percentages lesson. \u201cMadeline\u201d answered that she opened \u201cabout a hundred\u201d Wonka bars during the golden ticket contest.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-30\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">12. THE MOVIE TITLE WAS CHANGED TO\u00a0<em>WILLY WONKA &amp; THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY<\/em>\u00a0BECAUSE OF A MARKETING STRATEGY.<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-31\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1\">You thought it was because of Wilder\u2019s sardonic portrayal, didn\u2019t you? Nope. The reason was far more prosaic: The film was\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/67102\/12-gloriumptious-facts-about-charlie-and-chocolate-factory\" target=\"_self\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/67102\/12-gloriumptious-facts-about-charlie-and-chocolate-factory\">financed<\/a>\u00a0by Quaker Oats, who, naturally, wanted to use\u00a0<em>Wonka<\/em>\u00a0to advertise their forthcoming line of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/brian-cronin\/was-willy-wonka-and-the-c_b_8102576.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-uw-rm-brl=\"PR\" data-uw-original-href=\"https:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/brian-cronin\/was-willy-wonka-and-the-c_b_8102576.html\" aria-label=\"chocolate bars - open in a new tab\" data-uw-rm-ext-link=\"\">chocolate bars<\/a>. The simplest way to forge a tie-in was to change the movie\u2019s title from that of the book (<em>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory<\/em>) to one that included the name of the product. Since the chocolate bars were named for Willy Wonka\u2014and not Charlie Bucket\u2014the decision was easy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s a movie that\u2019s nearly 50 years old, but\u00a0Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory\u00a0is nowhere near showing its age. A cinematic classic for generations of children, the 1971 film adaptation of\u00a0Roald Dahl\u2019s\u00a01964\u00a0book\u00a0Charlie and the Chocolate Factory\u00a0told the fantastical tale of what happens when four spoiled kids (and one good, sweet little child) visit a delectable [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":365,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stars"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=364"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":366,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/364\/revisions\/366"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}