The following facts are summarized from the commentary track available on the 2016 release of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971). This track features the some of the surviving child actors from this classic of cinema.

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Through out the commentary, it is noted while some of the actors in the film are British or American, the film was shot in and around Munich, Germany and so many extras and day-players are locally sourced.

Julie Dawn Cole the actress who played Verruca Salt didn’t like chocolate at the time of filming – but has since developed a taste for expensive coco products, which she claims is in keeping with her character.

Grandpa George (Ernst Ziegler) a World War I veteran had to be convinced by a translator to allow the production team to remove his personal shoes from set. Having prized his shoes during the war, he was afraid that someone would steal the prized footwear.

The introduction of Augustus Gloop (Played by Michael Böllner) was shot in an active restaurant. The cast and crew used to eat at this restaurant during production.

Of the child actors, Peter Ostrum who played Charlie Bucket was a 11 at time of shooting – compared to the others who were 13. Some jokes are made about “the girls” having crushes on Ostrum, who says he may have been too young to be interested anyway.

Paris Themmen said about his characters’ introduction that the scene required “like 45 takes” to get right due to a combination of issues with the set and issues with the line reading of “Not until you’re 12” by Mike TeeVee’s father.

In the scene where the “final” golden ticket is found – Smoke was used to help Peter Ostrum cry, with the implication that the smoke came from a non-tobacco cigarette.

The chocolate that Peter Ostrum eats in the chocolate shop were not German but instead Mounds bars flown in by production.

Jokes are made about Peter Ostrum running – including a note that Gene Wilder, having seen daily’s from production, didn’t ever want to see Ostrum running again. It was also noted that the first shot with Ostrum was the shot of Charlie running under the arches after finding the Golden Ticket.

Julie Dawn Cole stole props from set (a golden ticket and an Everlasting Gobstopper), the only child cast member to admit to stealing items from set. Peter Ostrum firmly states that he did not steal anything from set.

The Bucket home had fly away walls that were used in the “I have a golden ticket” dance number to allow the film crew to work around the sequence. Peter Ostrum.

The Ladies first day on set was the scene where Gene Wilder is introduced outside the factory. in the commentary the day is described as a cold. Gene Wilder made his forward tumble a condition of taking the film. The cast was not warned that Gene would be doing a tumble nor acting like he had a limp. Styrofoam brick was used to help the cane stand in place.

Before sugarless gum the actress who played Violet (Denise Nickerson) needed 2 months of dental work to help relieve problems from chewing so much gum over the course of her scenes.

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