Steven piver gilda radner biography

American actress and comedian (1946–1989)

Gilda Susan Radner (June 28, 1946 – May 20, 1989) was an American actress and comedian. She was one of the seven original cast members of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" on the NBCsketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from its inception in 1975 until her departure in 1980. In her sketches on SNL, she specialized in parodies of television stereotypes, such as advice specialists and news anchors. She also played various original characters. In 1978, Radner won an Emmy Award for her performances on the show. She also portrayed those characters in her highly successful one-woman show Gilda, Live on Broadway in 1979 and later on film in 1980.

After leaving Saturday Night Live, she appeared in various films, including three with her future husband Gene Wilder, with whom she first appeared in 1982's Hanky Panky. She also worked on stage, appearing in the play Lunch Hour with Sam Waterston in 1980. She also continued to work on network and premium cable television, making appearances on Lorne Michaels' The New Show and It's Garry Shandling's Show.

She died of ovarian cancer in 1989. Shortly before her death, she published her autobiography It's Always Something, which dealt frankly with her life, work, and personal struggles, including her struggles with the illness. Her widower, Gene Wilder, carried out her wish that information about her illness would be used to help other people living with cancer, founding—and inspiring the founding of—organizations that emphasize early diagnosis, attention to hereditary factors, and support for cancer patients.

Posthumously, Radner won a Grammy Award in 1990, was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in 1992, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003. Other comedians have cited Radner as an influence on their work.

Early life

Radner was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Jewish parents Henrietta (née Dworkin), a l

Gilda Radner died of ovarian cancer on May 20, 1989. When the New York Times published "Research Links Diet and Infertility Factors to Ovarian Cancer," by medical writer Larry Altman, on July 25, 1989, Gilda's husband, Gene Wilder, wrote the author to ask some pointed questions. Altman urged him to contact Dr. M. Steven Piver at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York.Wilder and Piver met via telephone and immediately recognized their shared common desire. From that time, they have worked together to communicate to the general public what is known about ovarian cancer. When Dr. Piver decided to write Gilda's Disease, he asked Wilder to help him by sharing what he had learned during Gilda's struggle so that others might benefit from their ordeal. Wilder and Piver have worked diligently to ensure that the material provided here is accessible and informative without being too scary. The result is a book that offers both medical and personal insights into ovarian cancer.All royalties will benefit two organizations honoring Gilda's memory: "Gilda's Club," a free, nonresidential support community located in New York City for people with cancer, their families, and friends; and "The Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry" in Buffalo, New York, which tracks women with a family history of ovarian cancer and advises them of their risk for developing the disease and methods of prevention.