In attendance at the Sept. 4 taping of the annual Chabad Telethon in West Los Angeles, actor Jon Voight, a major supporter of the Chabad movement and outspoken Zionist, reminisced about the late Gene Wilder, the Jewish comic actor who died Aug. 29, spoke of his love of “Seinfeld” and explained his support for Israel.
“I was always amazed at Gene Wilder’s talent. I’m a big fan of his talent and when I want a good laugh I’ll turn on one of his films, whether it is “The Producers” or “Stir Crazy” and I’ll get myself a tremendous laugh and a lot of enjoyment and we lost him a couple of days ago and the world has lost a beloved figure in Gene,” Voight said. “He’s a wonderful fellow and now up there with his girlfriend [Gilda Radner], and his work is over, but he has given us an awful lot.”
Radner was “the love of his [Wilder's] life, and she past away because she had cancer and that broke his heart. I was friends with Gene after that event and it took a great toll on him,” Voight said. “He is one of the greats.”
Voight, who currently stars in the Showtime drama “Ray Donovan” opposite Jewish actor Liev Schrieber, said he watches “Seinfeld” when he wants to laugh.
“They’re brilliant those guys, a brilliant troupe, each one of those people. George Costanza, Jason Alexander, is brilliant and every once in a while I’ll watch one of the episodes and get myself a good laugh, which is always the most wonderful thing. When people come up to you and say ‘thank you for your work’ I understand that because what other performers have meant to me over the years. It always gives me a good feeling to watch a “Seinfeld” or the old guys I grew up with, Sid Caesar, Jackie Gleason and “I Love Lucy” and all of that,” he said.
Voight appears in the “Seinfeld” episode, “The Mom and Pop Store,” in which George is told he has bought Jon Voight's car. It turns out to be John Voight's car.
As for Israel, Voight said the way in which the Jewish state’s Israel Defense Forces often sets up field hospitals in countries that have been struck by disasters, including Haiti, Japan and the Philippines, reflects shared values with America.
“I'm proud to be an American,” Voight said, “and I’m very honored to be a friend of Israel.”
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