 At various times in his life, Mr. Wilder was a soda jerk, a ship fitter, a theater usher, a shipping clerk, a newspaper copyboy, leader of a criminal gang, "a publicity agent" (Claudette Colbert was among his clients), a radio executive, and a journalist (for "The New York Sun").Wilder traveled widely and contributed stories to "The New Yorker", among other publications.Two of his plays were "Sweet Chariot", based on the life and career of African-American activist Marcus Garvey, and "Stardust", both produced on Broadway, at a time when Wilder was living in Bayside, New York.