Cleavon Little Biography

Born in Oklahoma, African American actor Cleavon Little was raised in California where he attended San Diego College. Trained for a performing career at the American Academy of Dramatic Art, Little made his off-Broadway debut in the 1968 political satire MacBird In 1970, he won a Tony award for his work in the Broadway musical Purlie, and within a year was hired as an ensemble player (along with such luminaries as Jack Gilford and Marcia Rodd) on the syndicated TV variety weekly The David Frost Revue. Little's star turn as Dr. Jerry Noland on the network sitcom Temperatures Rising (1972-74) made him a "hot" enough performer to win the coveted lead role of Sheriff Bart in Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles (1974) -- beating out Richard Pryor, who had written the part for himself! Blazing Saddles was the high point of Little's career, which subsequently went into a slow decline. Cleavon Little's last major assignment was the role of Sal on the 1991 TV series Bagdad Café; one year later, he died of colon cancer at the age of 53. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

• 1. Hedley Lamarr: Qualifications?
  2. Bart: Stampeding cattle.
  3. Buddy Bizarre: That's not much of a crime.
  4. Bart: Through the Vatican?
  5. Hedley Lamarr: Kinky! sign here
  From Blazing Saddles. Submitted by Daniel R (57 days ago)

• 1. Jim the Waco Kid: Don't know how you did it.
  2. Bart: He was nothing, the bitch was inventing the Candy Gram and they probably won't even give me credit for it.
  From Blazing Saddles. Submitted by Daniel R (57 days ago)

• 1. Bart: Excuse me while I whip this out.
  From Blazing Saddles. Submitted by Annias B (3 months ago)

• 1. Lyle: Come on, boys. Where's your spirit? I don't hear no singing. When you was slaves, you sang like birds. Come on, how about a gold ole nigger work song?
  2. Bart: I get no kick from champagne. [back up singers vocalize] 'Mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all So tell me why should it be true That I get a belt out of you. [back up singers throw some rhythm into it] Some get a kick from cocaine.
  3. Lyle: Hold it, hold it. What the hell is that shit? I meant a song. A real song. Something like, Swing low Sweet chariot. [the workers don't have a clue] Don't know that one, huh? How about "De Camptown Ladies?
  4. Bart: De Camptown Ladies? [other workers echo what Bart said].
  5. Lyle: Yeah. You know. De Camptown ladies sing this song Doo dah doo dah De Camptown race is five miles long Oh the doo dah day [joined by all his cohorts] Going to run all night, going to run all day I'd wage my money on a bobtail nag Somebody bet on the bay Going to run all night, going to run all day I wage my money on a bobtail nag [GUNSHOT in the distance]
  6. Taggart: [rides up] What in the wide world of sports is a-goin' on here? I hired you people to get a little track laid.
  From Blazing Saddles. Submitted by Jordan P (3 months ago)

• 1. Bart: Are we awake?
  2. Jim the Waco Kid: We're not sure. Are we black?
  3. Bart: Yes, we are.
  4. Jim the Waco Kid: Then we're awake. But we're very puzzled.
  From Blazing Saddles. Submitted by Jordan P (4 months ago)

• 1. Bart: Mongo was easy. The bitch was inventing the candy-gram. Probably won't even give me credit for it. [a knock at the window; Bart gets up and sees the same woman who insulted him earlier]
  From Blazing Saddles. Submitted by Jake R (6 months ago)

• 1. Bart: Candygram for Mongo!
  From Blazing Saddles. Submitted by Eli A (7 months ago)

• 1. Bart: Hey, where the white women at?
  From Blazing Saddles. Submitted by Jeff P (10 months ago)

• 1. Bart: Excuse me while I whip this out.
  From Blazing Saddles. Submitted by Chris P (13 months ago)