Denise Nickerson obit

‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’ actress Denise Nickerson dies at 62

She was not on the list.



Denise Nickerson, who played perpetual gum-chewer Violet Beauregarde in the classic “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” has died at 62.

Her family shared the news in a short post on Facebook early Thursday.

“She’s gone,” they wrote.


Her family had announced Tuesday that Nickerson suffered a “major medical emergency” on Monday and was hospitalized.

“She’s had seizures this morning and is in pulmonary and respiratory distress,” they wrote in an earlier Facebook post. “The doctors have found that she aspirated and has developed pneumonia.”

They said in an update Wednesday that Nickerson’s condition was not going to improve.


“Things have been relatively quiet and peaceful all day,” that post read. “We’ve had visitors to share fond memories, say their goodbyes, lift our spirits, and support us. We’ve taken turns resting, and crying, and coping, and back again.”

The former child actress previously suffered a stroke in June of last year.

Nickerson appeared in a number of TV and film roles as a kid and teen during the 1960s and ’70s but was best known for her performance alongside Gene Wilder in 1971’s “Willy Wonka,” in which her character expands into a giant blueberry after trying an innovative piece of gum she shouldn’t have during her visit to the chocolate factory.

The actress was 14 when that beloved fantasy flick adapted from an earlier book premiered.

She also appeared on 71 episodes of the horror series “Dark Shadows” from 1968 to 1970 and played Allison on the children’s show “The Electric Company” from 1972 to 1973.  In 1978 she appeared in The Wonderful World of Disney as Connie Sue Armsworth  in the episode Child of Glass based on Richard Peck's novel The Ghost Belonged to Me .

Nickerson appeared on an episode of “The Brady Bunch” in 1974 as well. She mostly stopped acting in 1978, when she was 21.

Filmography

Film

Year       Title       Role       Notes    Ref.

1971      Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory      Violet Beauregarde        

    Musical fantasy family film directed by Mel Stuart

    Based on Roald Dahl's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

1975      Smile     Shirley DeLuxe Color satirical comedy-drama film directed by Michael Ritchie     

1978      Zero to Sixty       'Larry' Wilde       Comedy film directed by Don Weis          

1991      Dark Shadows: Behind the Scenes             Archival footage of Amy Jennings, Nora Collins, & Amy Collins                 Direct-to-video documentary directed by Dan Curtis        

1996      Dark Shadows 30th Anniversary Tribute Herself Documentary    

2001      Pure Imagination: The Story of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory    Documentary directed by J.M. Kenny                 

2012      Celluloid Bloodbath: More Prevues from Hell       Direct-to-video documentary directed by Jim Monaco & James F. Murray Jr.         

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes    Ref.

1963      The Doctors        Kate Harris          Pilot episode      

1964      Rome Sweet Rome          Guest    Unsold television pilot on The New Phil Silvers Show       

1965      Flipper Tina       Episode: "Bud Minds Baby"         

1968–1970          Dark Shadows    Amy Jennings, Nora Collins (1897), & Amy Collins (1970 PT)          71 episodes       

1971      The Neon Ceiling              Paula Miller        Made-for-TV movie directed by Frank Pierson    

1971–1972          Search for Tomorrow      Liza Walton Kaslo Sentell Kendall               2 episodes         

1972      Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law             Ardis Carpenter                Episode: "Words of Summer"     

1972–1973          The Electric Company     Allison in The Short Circus            130 episodes    

1973      The Man Who Could Talk to Kids               Dena Pingitore Made-for-TV movie directed by Donald Wrye     

1974      The Brady Bunch              Pamela Phillips Episode: "Two Petes in a Pod"   

If I Love You, Am I Trapped Forever?        Sophie Pennington         

    Unsold television pilot (sitcom) directed by Gene Reynolds

    Based on M. E. Kerr's novel of the same name

    Screenplay by Larry Gelbart

1976      The Dark Side of Innocence         Gabriela Hancock             Made-for-TV movie directed by Jerry Thorpe      

Bert D'Angelo/Superstar               Guest    Episode: "What Kind of Cop Are You?"   

1978      The Wonderful World of Disney                 Connie Sue Armsworth

    Episode: "Child of Glass"

    Based on Richard Peck's novel The Ghost Belonged to Me

2003      After They Were Famous              Herself Episode: "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory"               

2011      Top Chef: Just Desserts Episode: "Pure Imagination"       

2012      Beyond the Marquee     Episode: "Meet the Wonka Kids"