Willy Wonka
Willy Wonka is a fictional character who owns a chocolate factory in Roald Dahl's children's books Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. A musical film adaptation of Dahl's classic, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, directed by Mel Stuart and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, was released in 1971; it was originally a box office flop, but today is seen as a cult classic because of its campy humor. Another version of the tale, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka, was released in 2005, and was an immediate box office success.
Willy Wonka as a character
Neither the original novel nor Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory had a backstory for Willy Wonka (other than Grandpa Joe's explanation to Charlie).
Tim Burton's 2005 version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory added a history of the character: Willy Wonka was the son of dentist Dr. Wilbur Wonka, D.D.S. (played by Christopher Lee). Wonka had a traumatic childhood; his father forbade him to eat candy. Eventually, he tasted chocolate and started getting ideas for improving it. When he became an adult, Wonka opened a candy shop (Grandpa Joe was an employee for Wonka). A number of movie critics, including one from the New York Times, criticized this overly Freudian backstory for being both unnecessary and out of the spirit of Dahl's original novel. "Willy Wonka" can easily transmute to, "Willy Wanker". Willy also has a second meaning. He proved an unparalleled genius in confectionary development, inventing seemingly impossible products that captured the world's imagination. His chocolate became so popular that Wonka opened his own factory and his products were shipped and sold worldwide. However, other chocolate makers became jealous and started sending spies to find out the recipes for Wonka's special candies. Ruined, Wonka closed the factory and fired all his workers. A few years later, the factory once again started running, secretly staffed exclusively by Oompa Loompas, dwarves from Loompaland who desired only cacao beans above all else and his business resumed its dominance. Wonka discovered them while trying to find new exotic flavors for his candy.
Eventually Wonka, not having any heirs, feels the need to arrange for a successor for his business, if only to provide a home and work for the Oompa Loompas. However, he believes he needs one groomed from childhood to guarantee he or she would keep with his company's methods and spirit. To that end, he announces a lottery with five Golden Tickets randomly placed in his products promising a tour and a lifetime supply of his products to the winners for starters. Five children find the tickets, including Charlie Bucket, and they go on the tour of the bizarre factory. As Wonka had hoped, all the children but Charlie misbehave and find themselves in terrible predicaments that prompt their removal from the tour. With only Charlie remaining, the delighted Wonka reveals his true intentions and his offer, one that Charlie eagerly accepts along with his family who are all moved to live in the factory (In the original his family is invited immediatly, whereas in the remake Wonka initially refuses to allow Charlie to bring his family. An eventual reconciliation between Wonka and his father cause Wonka to change his mind and allow Charlie's family to move in with him as well).
Wonka is portrayed differently in both movies. In the 1971 film, Wonka is played as being mysterious; one cannot really tell what he will do next. When he is first seen, he exits the factory with a limp. Once he reaches the gates, Wonka performs a somersault. Wonka also seems weary of the immoral character qualities exhibited by the four naughty children, and is thus unsympathetic in their downfalls. Wonka seems somewhat apathetic and even cruel in this respect. When Augustus is seemingly trapped in the suction tube Wonka says "The suspense is killing me, I hope it will last." But in the end one cannot deny his apparent love of Charlie to whom he unselfishly gives the factory (and a affectionate hug). In the 2005 film, Wonka is more reclusive and takes an immediate dislike to the four bad children. When Violet gives her name, he responds (a little frightened) "I don't care".
A cartoon version of Willy Wonka (based on Gene Wilder's portrayal, and voiced by Maurice LaMarche in commercials), was used on products for Nestlé's Willy Wonka Candy Company brand.