THEN AND NOW: What the stars of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' look like today
Some of the child actors in "Willy Wonka" didn't have many acting roles beyond the classic movie, while others continued to work for years afterward.
Many members of the cast have gotten together to celebrate the movie. Here are the five "kids" celebrating the film's 30th anniversary.
From left to right: Michael Bollner, Denise Nickerson, Paris Themmen, Julie Dawn Cole, and Peter Ostrum.
Three of them, as well as the film's director, Mel Stuart, and an actor who played an Oompa Loompa, gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary too.
The protagonist, Charlie Bucket, was played by Peter Ostrum.
Now 58, Ostrum turned down deals to act in further movies and instead went on to become a vet specializing in cattle and horses living in Glenfield, New York.
The gum -oving Violet Beauregarde was played by Denise Nickerson.
The 59-year-old has a number of other acting credits under her belt, including a role on the soap opera "Dark Shadows." She largely quit acting by the end of the '70s, save for some smaller parts.
Nickerson tweeted out a heartfelt tribute to Wilder after news of his death broke.
RIP Gene. You were so talented and kindhearted. You will be sorely missed by so many. All of us have lost OUR Willy Wonka. Love, Violet
— Denise Nickerson (@deniseviolet71) August 30, 2016
The bratty, spoiled Veruca Salt was played by Julie Dawn Cole.
Cole, 58, continued to act after "Willy Wonka" in TV shows until 2013, but she currently works as a psychotherapist.
She also tweeted to express her sorrow about Wilder's death.
Such very sad news. Words not enough. Treasured memories ??
— Julie Dawn Cole (@realverucasalt) August 29, 2016
"Time is a precious thing, never waste it" #genewilder??
— Julie Dawn Cole (@realverucasalt) August 30, 2016
The corpulent Augustus Gloop was played by Michael Bollner.
After "Willy Wonka" wrapped, his parents wanted him to focus on school rather than acting. He had a couple more roles in Germany, but today he's an accountant in Munich.
Mike Teavee, the aptly named twerp who loved TV, was played by Paris Themmen.
Themmen took a break from acting when he turned 14. The 57-year-old has run a travel agency, photography business, worked in casting, real estate, and picked up a few acting roles as an adult.
Rusty Goffe played the apparent leader of the Oompa Loompas.
The 67-year-old has had a pretty exciting film career, as he landed roles in the original "Star Wars" and played several goblins in the "Harry Potter" franchise.
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