Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) Cast and Crew

Mel Stuart was born on 2 September 1928 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and director, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Running on the Sun: The Badwater 135 (2000) and The Making of the President 1960 (1963). He was married to Roberta Frances Silberman and Harriet Rosalind Dolin. He died on 9 August 2012 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.

Stan Margulies was born on 14 December 1920 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Spartacus (1960) and Roots (1977). He was married to Ferne Margulies and Lillian Margulies. He died on 27 February 2001 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

David L. Wolper was born on 11 January 1928 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and director, known for L.A. Confidential (1997), Murder in the First (1995) and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). He was married to Gloria Hill, Dawn Richard and Toni Carroll. He died on 10 August 2010 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.

Dahl was born in Wales in 1916. He served as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force during World War II. He made a forced landing in the Libyan Desert and was severely injured. As a result, he spent five months in a Royal Navy hospital in Alexandria. Dahl is noted for how he relates suspenseful and sometimes horrific events in a simple tone.

Arthur Ibbetson was born on 8 September 1922 in Bishop Auckland, Durham, England, UK. He was a cinematographer, known for The Bounty (1984), Where Eagles Dare (1968) and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). He died on 19 October 1997 in Hillingdon, Greater London, England, UK.

David Saxon was born on 23 June 1927 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an editor and producer, known for National Geographic Specials (1965), The Living Sands of Namib (1978) and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). He died on 5 July 2016 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

When he was 11, he wanted to be a comedian like Sid Caesar. Then, when he was 15 and saw Lee J. Cobb in 'Death of a Salesman,' he decided he would be a comedy actor and found that Mel Brooks was a great influence on his screen writing. He combined both talents with directing in The World's Greatest Lover (1977), followed by The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975).

A former song-and-dance man and veteran of vaudeville, burlesque and Broadway, Jack Albertson is best known to audiences as "The Man" in the TV series Chico and the Man (1974), for which he won an Emmy. In 1968 Albertson, the brother of actress Mabel Albertson, won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in The Subject Was Roses (1968), a part which also won him the Tony award during its Broadway run.

Peter Ostrum was born on 1 November 1957 in Dallas, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Sicko (2007) and Remembering Gene Wilder (2023). He has been married to Loretta Lepkowski since 1987. They have two children.

After his schooling in Edinburgh, the British character actor Roy Kinnear attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Following national service, Kinnear appeared on stage, radio, and television in Scotland before becoming a household name in Britain in the early 1960s as one of the original members of the television series That Was the Week That Was (1962). Around this time, he also established his film career, specializing in jovial, yet sometimes slightly sinister, characters, such as Finney, Moriarty's henchman, in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975). Another characteristic role was that of Planchet in the Musketeer movies, a role that tragically led to his death from a riding accident during the filming of The Return of the Musketeers (1989).

Julie Dawn Cole is an English actress from Guildford, Surrey. She is primarily remembered for playing the insatiably greedy and demanding character of Veruca Salt in the fantasy film "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" (1971). This was her film debut, and the first adaptation of the novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (1964) by Roald Dahl. The character's nationality was never specified in the novel, But Cole's version of Veruca was depicted as a British girl.

Cole was educated in a boarding school. She was only 12-years-old in 1970, during the filming of "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory". Cole took central stage in the "I Want It Now" sequence of the film, where Veruca states her desires. The sequence was filmed on Cole's 13th birthday. Cole had recorded her vocals for the song earlier, and focused on the character's dancing moves during the filming of the sequence.

Shortly after her film debut, Cole was cast in the recurring role of Arabella in the first two seasons of the sitcom "..And Mother Makes Three" (1971-1973). Her character in this series was depicted as snobbish adolescent girl. Early in her career, Cole was typecast in playing "bad girls" in various television productions. Her characters included a number of juvenile delinquents, such as burglars and prisoners. She played against type when cast as Alice (from Alice In Wonderland) in Christmas commercials for the retail chain Woolworths.

Cole was given a more substantial role when cast as student nurse Jo Longhurst in the first 3 seasons of the medical drama "Angels" (1975-1983). Jo was depicted as a genuinely compassionate character, who had to question the cynical decisions of various authority figures. This was Cole's first major role in a television series.

Cole also played a complex character in the second (and last season) of the period drama "Poldark" (1975-1977). She portrayed Rowella Chynoweth, younger sister of the season's romantic lead Morwenna (played Jane Wymark). Rowella was the mistress of the Reverend Osborne Whitworth (played by Christopher Biggins), who was also Morwenna's husband and her own brother-in-law. Rowella was able to manipulate Osborne into arranging her marriage to a man she herself chose, and to provide her entire dowry.

Cole portrayed the supporting character of Lucy Deane is a 1979 television adaptation of the novel "The Mill on the Floss" (1860) by George Eliot. In the novel, Lucy is both a cousin and a friend to the protagonist Maggie Tulliver. Maggie's efforts to rescue Lucy from a river flood result in Maggie's death at the end of the novel.

Cole was a familiar face in television over the following decades, though she was often limited to playing one-shot characters. She was eventually cast in the regular role of Judy Hollingsworth in the short-lived sitcom "Married for Life" (1996). The series was a British remake of the American sitcom "Married... with Children", while the character of Judy was a British version of Marcy Rhoades from the original series. The British sitcom only lasted for 7 episodes.

By the end of the 1990s, Cole had earned qualifications as a fitness instructor and psychotherapist. She pursued these new careers in the 2000s, while regularly appearing in television roles. In 2004, Cole was a guest-star in a theatrical show called "Willy Wonka Explained (The Search for Veruca Salt)" which was part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In 2016, Cole published her memoir. It was titled "I Want It Now!", named after Veruca Salt's famous song.

In 2019, Cole's keepsake props from the "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" were sold at auction for upwards of 15,000 pounds sterling. By 2022, Cole was 65-years-old. She has had no known television roles for several years, but she still has fans who fondly recall her debut role. Several actresses have followed her footsteps in playing Veruca Salt, with the character remaining popular for decades.

Leonard Stone was born on 3 November 1923 in Salem, Oregon, USA. He was an actor, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Soylent Green (1973) and I Spy (1965). He was married to Carole H. Kleinman. He died on 2 November 2011 in Encinitas, California, USA.

Denise Nickerson was best known for her role as Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) and as a member of the Short Circus on The Electric Company (1971). She left the acting business at the end of 1993, and she worked as a nurse and later a stay at home mom. She will be remembered as Violet!

Nora Denney was born on 3 September 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. She was an actress, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Splash (1984) and The Witching Hour (1958). She was married to Alan Denney. She died on 20 November 2005 in Crestline, California, USA.

The former child actor Paris Themmen was born on June 25th, 1959 in Boston, Massachusetts, the self-proclaimed "Hub" of the Universe, to classical musicians. Young Paris first appeared on stage in 1965, while his parents were performing in summer stock in Michigan. After the family returned to New York, NY after the summer season closed, Themmen's mother sought an agent for the tyro actor. His on-screen career began with a TV commercial for bubble bath, the first of over two score TV and radio commercials and voice overs.

On stage in New York City in the late '60s, Themmen appeared in the classic Euripides play "Iphegenia in Aulis" at the Circle in the Square Theatre in the 1967-68 season with Irene Papas, and was a replacement in the long-running Broadway musical "Mame" in 1968, appearing in support of Ann Miller in the title role. In 1970, he appeared in the first version of Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", as "Mike Tee Vee" in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). He subsequently appeared on Broadway in the musical "The Rothschilds", as a replacement in the role of Young Jacob Rothschild, and continued on in the role for the national your.

After entering adolescence, Themmen abandoned his child acting career when he was 14. He went to New York University, where he received his Bacherlor of Fine Arts degree. In business he has worked at a variety of jobs including Real Estate Broker, Walt Disney Imagineer and Financial Advisor and in Los Angeles running commerical casting sessions.

Ursula Reit was born on 5 March 1914 in Wuppertal, Germany. She was an actress, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Der Teufelsschüler (1973) and The Devil's Female (1974). She died on 9 November 1998 in Germany.

Michael Bollner was born on 14 September 1958 in Munich, Germany. He is an actor, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), M.U.G.E.N (1999) and Bizarre Transmissions from the Bermuda Triangle (2015).

Diana Sowle was born on 19 June 1930 in Chico, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Clear and Present Danger (1994) and Guarding Tess (1994). She was married to Robert K Gibson and William David Sowle. She died on 19 October 2018 in the USA.

Aubrey entered the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art after winning a Leverhulme Scholarship in 1954. He left after two years to work in rep at Worthing, Richmond, Palmer's Green and Leatherhead. He did seasons at Startford on Avon and Regents Park Open Air and appeared in West End productions of "Men Without Shadows", "Oliver", "The Lord Chamberlain Regrets" and "The Four Musketeers". He has also appeared in revues and cabaret at the the Savoy in Dorchester as well as Music Hall at the Players Theatre Club. Aubrey is married to Gaynor.

David Battley (5 November 1935 - 20 January 2003) was a British actor specialising in laconic, lugubrious comedy roles. The elder son of John Battley, post-WW2 Labour MP, David was born in Battersea, London. Born with a hole in the heart, he was initially taught at home before attending a special school. He later enrolled at Camberwell Art School but left before completing the course. He earned a living working for the family printing firm, Battley Brothers, before applying to Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Battley found steady work as a character actor and comic stooge. His TV work ranged from the satire show BBC-3 and the military police drama Redcap (1964), the 1975 TV adaptation of Moll Flanders, and the 1977 Christmas Special of The Good Life, as well as in episodes of such television serials as The Bill, Lovejoy, The Climber, Comrade Dad, Don't Rock the Boat, Roger Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Thicker Than Water, Crown Court, Annie's Bar, and As Time Goes By.

His best-known work in the mid-1970s was as comic foil to Monty Python team member Eric Idle in the BBC series Rutland Weekend Television (1975). Idle praised Battley's dry, poker-faced style on the show. Battley played the Paul McCartney part in the original RWT sketch of The Rutles, a parody of The Beatles, but did not appear in The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash (1978), the American version of the sketch.

He also appeared in films and made-for-television movies including Alice in Wonderland (1966), Hotel Paradiso (1966), Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), S.O.S. Titanic (1979), Mrs. Wilson's Diary (1969), Up the Front (1972), The Chastity Belt (1972), The London Connection (1979), and Krull (1983). Among his last roles were a golf course employee in the episode "Tee Off, Mr. Bean" (1995) of the comedy series Mr. Bean (1990) and as a doctor examining new regimental recruits in Sharpe (1993).

Battley died on 20 January 2003, after a heart attack, aged 67, in Epsom, Surrey, England.

Günter Meisner was born on 18 April 1926 in Bremen, Germany. He was an actor and director, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), The Boys from Brazil (1978) and In a Glass Cage (1986). He was married to Gisela Albrecht Meisner. He died on 5 December 1994 in Berlin, Germany.

Peter Capell was born on 3 September 1912 in Berlin, Germany. He was an actor and writer, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Paths of Glory (1957) and One, Two, Three (1961). He died on 3 March 1986 in Munich, Bavaria, West Germany.

Werner Heyking was born on 14 June 1913 in Denmark. He was an actor, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Bloody Friday (1972) and Tatort (1970). He died on 10 October 1974 in Denmark.

Peter Stuart was born in 1958. He is a producer and director, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Another State of Mind (1984) and En Berline à Berlin (2009).

Rusty Goffe was born on 30 October 1948 in Herne Bay, Kent, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011), Flash Gordon (1980) and Fred Claus (2007). He is married to Sarah. They have two children.