Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel debuted in 1971. Some of the cast reunited for the 44th anniversary of the film.
The film was directed by Mel Stuart and starred Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, Jack Albertson as Grandpa Joe, and Peter Ostrum as Charlie.
Ostrum, made no other films. He later became a veterinarian. In fact, of all the children in this movie, Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt) is the only one still acting.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory opened on February 2, 1971, and made $2,126,226 its opening weekend. The film had a budget of $3 million.
