I just finished watching Blazing Saddles a little while ago. I remember that we lost Cleavon Little way too early and then was amazed at all the actors/actresses that starred in that movie that are no longer with us - what A GREAT CAST! What a loss of talent!!!!!
Madeline Kahn (September 29, 1942 – December 3, 1999) was an American actress, known primarily for her comedic roles. Director Mel Brooks — who directed her in four films — said of her: "She is one of the most talented people that ever lived. I mean, either in stand-up comedy, or acting, or whatever you want, you can't beat Madeline Kahn."
Cleavon Jake Little (June 1, 1939 – October 22, 1992) was an American film and theatre actor, best known for his lead role as Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles and as the irreverent Dr. Jerry Noland in the early 1970s sitcom Temperatures Rising. In 1978 he played "The Prince of Darkness" in the radio station comedy FM. He was also in the 1984 action film Toy Soldiers and acted out the role of Super Soul in the film Vanishing Point in 1971.
Harvey Herschel Korman (February 15, 1927 – May 29, 2008) was an American comedic actor who performed in television and movie productions beginning in 1960. His big break was being a featured performer on The Danny Kaye Show, but he was probably best remembered for his performances on the sketch comedy series The Carol Burnett Show and in the comedy films of Mel Brooks, most notably as Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles.
Louis Burton Lindley, Jr. (June 29, 1919 – December 8, 1983), better known by the stage name Slim Pickens, was an American rodeo performer, and film and television actor, who epitomized the profane, tough, sardonic cowboy, but who is best remembered for his comic roles, notably in Dr. Strangelove and Blazing Saddles.
Liam Dunn (November 12, 1916 - April 11, 1976) was an American character actor. The New Jersey native's early career was spent toiling in television in series such as Bonanza, Room 222, Alias Smith and Jones, Mannix, and Gunsmoke. Dunn's breakout role was as the judge (and Barbra Streisand's father) in the 1972 film What's Up, Doc?, in which he was noticed by Mel Brooks, who was in the process of forming a stock company of actors. Dunn went on to appear in Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Silent Movie for the director.
George Furth (December 14, 1932 - August 11, 2008) was a Tony Award-winning American librettist, playwright, and actor.
Jack Starrett (November 2, 1936 – March 27, 1989) was an American actor and film director. He is credited as Claude Ennis Starrett Jr. in some of his films. Starrett is perhaps best known for his role as Gabby Johnson, a parody of Gabby Hayes, in the 1974 classic parody film Blazing Saddles and is also known for his role as the brutal deputy Galt in the 1982 action film First Blood. He also played the cruel foreman Swick in The River. Starrett was often typecast as a tough-talking police officer and played essentially the same character in a trio of biker films: The Born Losers (the film that introduced Billy Jack), Hell's Angels on Wheels (both from 1967), and Angels from Hell (1968). He acted in another biker film, Hell's Bloody Devils (1970), and directed two more: Run, Angel, Run in 1969 and Nam's Angels (1970).
Anne Bancroft (September 17, 1931 – June 6, 2005) was an American actress associated with the method school of acting. (She was in the church scenes of Blazing Saddles but got no film credit).
William "Count" Basie (March 24, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Widely regarded as one of the most important jazz bandleaders of his time.
Mongo - just a pawn in the game if life!!!!
