Although he gave up a career as a studio artist, Wilding enjoyed painting far more than acting and continued sketching for the rest of his life.
An epileptic seizure triggered Wilding's fall down a long flight of stairs in 1979. The head injuries received in that fall proved fatal.
Father of Christopher Edward Wilding and Michael Wilding Jr.
Father-in-law of Brooke Palance.
His best friend was the British actor Stewart Granger. The Wildings (Elizabeth Taylor) and the Grangers (Jean Simmons) were often seen on the town together in the 1950s.
Was involved with and nearly married actress Marie McDonald after his divorce from Elizabeth Taylor.
Was more than twice Elizabeth Taylor's age when they married. She was 19 and he was 39. Wilding had divorced his wife of fifteen years, Kay Young, one month before marrying Taylor.
With five failed marriages between them, Wilding and Margaret Leighton allegedly had a difficult time finding someone to marry them in 1964. They were denied not only by their church, but by many justices of the peace in the Los Angeles area. Wilding finally convinced a local judge by bribing him with a hundred-dollar bill.