Gene Wilder in a scene from Bonnie and Clyde

Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka

Gene Wilder (Jerome Silberman)

Wilder is a retired stage and screen actor, comedian, director, screenwriter,
author and activist. He began his career on stage, and made his screen
debut in the TV-series Armstrong Circle Theatre in 1962. Although his first
film role was portraying a hostage in the 1967 motion picture Bonnie and
Clyde, Wilder’s first major role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1968 film The
Producers for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best
Supporting Actor. He is also well-known for his performance as Willy
Wonka in the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 1971.

1974

Gene Wilder singing “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Candy cigarettes were first introduced in the early 20th century They were
made out of chalky sugar, bubblegum or chocolate, and wrapped in paper
to resemble real cigarettes. They have long been controversial because
many critics believe the candy leads children to become smokers later in
life. Because of this, the selling of candy cigarettes has been banned
in several countries such as Finland, Norway, the Republic of Ireland,
Turkey and Saudi Arabia.The state of North Dakota enacted a ban on
candy cigarettes from 1953 until 1967.

Candy cigarettes continue to be manufactured and consumed in many
parts of the world. However, many manufacturers now describe their
products as candy sticks, bubble gum, or candy.