Mel Stuart Dies at 83, “Willy Wonka” Director

If you are a fan of the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (starring Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, and Peter Ostrum), you are a fan of director Mel Stuart’s work. Mel Stuart was a wonderfully well-known film director and producer who unfortunately died this past Thursday (August 9th, 2012).

Even though Mel Stuart was known for his movie musical Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, he also directed various documentaries, such as: Four Days in November (1964), and Wattstax (1974). Both of these documentaries were nominated for various awards: Four Days in November (Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature), and Wattstax (Golden Globe Award for Best Documentary Film).

Mel Stuart’s most recent works were involved in producing the following films and movies: The Making of a President, Ripley’s Believe It or Not (1982), American Masters, Best of the Worst, BBC: A Window on the World, John Ashbery: The Poet’s View, and Acting Normal. (Source: IMDb)

On Thursday, August 9th, 2012, Mel Stuart passed away at the age of 83 due to cancer. Many fans of his work have left their condolences via Twitter:

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