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'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' director Mel Stuart dies

Mel Stuart definitely made our childhoods a little bit sweeter. The veteran director, who helmed the 1971 classic "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," passed away on Thursday. He was 83.Per the BBC, Stuart died from cancer at his Beverly Hills home.Marvin Hamlisch, composer of A Chorus Line and The Way We Were, dead at 68Born in New York, Stuart spent much of his more than 50-year career creatin
Mel Stuart, director of the 1971 film \"Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,\" poses with the Oompa Loompas characters on the set of the film.
Mel Stuart, director of the 1971 film \"Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,\" poses with the Oompa Loompas characters on the set of the film.Warner Bros. via Reuters / Today
By Peter Gicas

Mel Stuart definitely made our childhoods a little bit sweeter. The veteran director, who helmed the 1971 classic "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," passed away on Thursday. He was 83.

Per the BBC, Stuart died from cancer at his Beverly Hills home.

Marvin Hamlisch, composer of A Chorus Line and The Way We Were, dead at 68

Born in New York, Stuart spent much of his more than 50-year career creating documentaries and earned an Oscar nomination in 1965 for his John F. Kennedy-assassination film, "Four Days in November."

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And while he made more than 180 films, Stuart will undoubtedly be best remembered for bringing Roald Dahl's novel to life with Gene Wilder starring as the famous candy maker.

He is survived by his wife, Roberta, and three children.

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