Blazing Saddles (1974)

Director:

Mel Brooks

Writers:

Mel Brooks (screenplay) &
Norman Steinberg (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 February 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Tagline:

Never give a saga an even break!

Plot:

To ruin a western town, a corrupt political boss appoints a black sheriff, who promptly becomes his most formidable adversary.

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | Western Spoof | Railroad | Governor | Spoof

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Cleavon Little	...	Bart
Gene Wilder	...	Jim
Slim Pickens	...	Taggart
Harvey Korman	...	Hedley Lamarr
Madeline Kahn	...	Lili Von Shtupp
Mel Brooks	...	Governor William J. Lepetomane / Indian Chief
Burton Gilliam	...	Lyle
Alex Karras	...	Mongo
David Huddleston	...	Olson Johnson
Liam Dunn	...	Rev. Johnson
John Hillerman	...	Howard Johnson
George Furth	...	Van Johnson
Jack Starrett	...	Gabby Johnson (as Claude Ennis Starrett Jr.)
Carol Arthur	...	Harriett Johnson
Richard Collier	...	Dr. Sam Johnson
Charles McGregor	...	Charlie
Robyn Hilton	...	Miss Stein
Don Megowan	...	Gum Chewer
Dom DeLuise	...	Buddy Bizarre
Count Basie	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Karl Lukas	...	Cutthroat #1 (as Karl Lucas)
John Alderson	...	Gum Chewer (uncredited)
Don Ames	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Tom Anfinsen	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
David Armstrong	...	Pressman (uncredited)
Anne Bancroft	...	Extra in Church Congregation (uncredited)
Alex Brown	...	RR Worker (uncredited)
Eldon Burke	...	Desperado (uncredited)
David Cadiente	...	Mexican (uncredited)
Patrick Campbell	...	MC at Lili Von Shtupp's show (uncredited)
Bill Catching	...	Outlaw #1 (uncredited)
Ray Chabeau	...	German Soldier Dancer (uncredited)
Donald Chaffin	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Aneta Corsaut	...	Tourist Mother (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	...	Townsman #2 (uncredited)
George Dockstader	...	Politician (uncredited)
Ross Dollarhyde	...	Desperado (uncredited)
Stewart East	...	Pressman (uncredited)
Kenny Endoso	...	Mexican (uncredited)
Elly Enriquez	...	Mexican (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	...	Sheriff (uncredited)
Abel Franco	...	Mexican bandit (uncredited)
Ben Frommer	...	Convict (uncredited)
John Furlong	...	Tourist Man (uncredited)
Rick Garcia	...	Mexican Bandit (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	...	Outlaw #4 (uncredited)
Rosemary Johnston	...	Townswoman (uncredited)
Madge Journeay	...	Townswoman (uncredited)
M.J. Kane	...	Leopold (uncredited)
Sally Kirkland	...	Cashier (uncredited)
Patrick Labyorteaux	...	Henry (uncredited)
Tex Lambert	...	KKK Member (uncredited)
Jack Lilley	...	Overseer (uncredited)
Craig Littler	...	Tex (uncredited)
Jay Loft-Lyn	...	RR Worker (uncredited)
Ralph Manza	...	Extra in commissary playing Hitler (uncredited)
Jimmy Martinez	...	Scared Mexican Man (uncredited)
Bert May	...	German Soldier Dancer (uncredited)
Fred McDougall	...	Desperado (uncredited)
Rod McGaughy	...	Desperado (uncredited)
Bill McIntosh	...	Desperado (uncredited)
Clyde McLeod	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Troy Melton	...	Member of the Press (uncredited)
Ira Miller	...	Baker Man (uncredited)
Jessamine Milner	...	Elderly Woman (uncredited)
Richard Monahan	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan	...	Outlaw #3 (uncredited)
Hal Needham	...	Outlaw (uncredited)
Daniel Núñez	...	Mexican (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	...	(uncredited)
Jack Perkins	...	Tomato Man (uncredited)
Alan Peterson	...	German Soldier Dancer (uncredited)
Booty Reed	...	RR Worker (uncredited)
Tony Regan	...	Pressman (uncredited)
Danny 'Big Black' Rey	...	Bart's Father (uncredited)
Robert Ridgely	...	Boris the Hangman (uncredited)
Rodney Allen Rippy	...	Bart (age 5) (uncredited)
Hank Robinson	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Darrell Sandeen	...	KKK Man (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller	...	Outlaw #2 (uncredited)
Marrietta Schmidt	...	Woman in Ladies Room (uncredited)
David Sharpe	...	Man in Suit (uncredited)
Eddie Smith	...	RR Worker (uncredited)
Tom Steele	...	Townsman who falls from chair (uncredited)
Tim Sullivan	...	Dancer (uncredited)
George Tracy	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Jerry Trent	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Frankie Van	...	Fighter (uncredited)
Richard Vitagliano	...	Anal Johnson (uncredited)
Al Ward	...	Man at Pond (uncredited)
Janice Whitby	...	Tour Guide (uncredited)
Joe Yrigoyen	...	Townsman #3 (uncredited)
Bill Zuckert	...	Official (uncredited)

Directed by
Mel Brooks

Writing credits
Mel Brooks		(screenplay) &
Norman Steinberg		(screenplay) &
Andrew Bergman		(screenplay) &
Richard Pryor		(screenplay) &
Alan Uger		(screenplay)
Andrew Bergman		(story)

Produced by
Michael Hertzberg	....	producer

Original Music by
John Morris

Cinematography by
Joseph F. Biroc		(director of photography) (as Joseph Biroc)

Film Editing by
Danford B. Greene		(as Danford Greene)
John C. Howard

Casting by
Nessa Hyams

Production Design by
Peter Wooley

Set Decoration by
Morris Hoffman		(as Morey Hoffman)

Makeup Department
Alan Fama	....	makeup artist (as Al Fama)
Lola 'Skip' McNalley	....	hair stylist (as Lola 'Skip' McNally)
Terry Miles	....	makeup artist

Production Management
William P. Owens	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John C. Chulay	....	first assistant director
Leonard S. Smith Jr.	....	second assistant director (as Leonard Smith Jr.)

Art Department
Sam Gordon	....	property master

Sound Department
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	sound
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recordist
Arthur Piantadosi	....	sound re-recordist
Richard Tyler	....	sound re-recordist
Raul A. Bruce	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Douglas Pettibone	....	special effects

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts (uncredited)
May Boss	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alex Brown	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eldon Burke	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
William H. Burton	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Cadiente	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Catching	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dottie Catching	....	stunts (uncredited)
Barbara Chrysler	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Couch	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paula Dell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Dockstader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ross Dollarhyde	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts (uncredited)
Andy Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Stephanie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chad Evans	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lila Finn	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Fisher	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Gatlin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Julie Ann Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rosemary Johnston	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harold Jones	....	stunts (uncredited)
William T. Lane	....	stunts (uncredited)
Walt La Rue	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Leonard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Lilley	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred McDougall	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rod McGaughy	....	stunts (uncredited)
S.J. McGee	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill McIntosh	....	stunts (uncredited)
Troy Melton	....	stunts (uncredited)
John T. Mitchell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Minor Mustain	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hal Needham	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Orrison	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Regina Parton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Regis Parton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wally Rose	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Sawaya	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Shannon	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunts: man dragged by horse (uncredited)
Eddie Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Stromsoe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Summers	....	stunts (uncredited)
April Tatro	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marvin Walters	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Warlock	....	stunts (uncredited)
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Wills	....	stunts (uncredited)
Al Wyatt Sr.	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Al Wyatt Sr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Walter Wyatt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Yrigoyen	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Orville Hallberg	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Thomas S. Dawson	....	wardrobe (as Tom Dawson)
Vittorio Nino Novarese	....	special costume designer (as Nino Novarese)

Editorial Department
Carroll Timothy O'Meara	....	assistant editor (as C. Timothy O'Meara)
Steve Potter	....	assistant editor (as Stephen Potter)

Music Department
Eugene Marks	....	music editor (as Gene Marks)
John Morris	....	conductor
John Morris	....	orchestrator
Jonathan Tunick	....	orchestrator
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Tommy Morgan	....	musician: harmonica (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Anthony Goldschmidt	....	title designer
Alan Johnson	....	choreographer
Julie Pitkanen	....	script supervisor
Herbert Winters	....	dialogue coach

Production Companies

• Crossbow Productions
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1975) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1988) (2007) (2009) (Finland) (TV)
• Nelonen (1999) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Scanvideo (????) (Finland) (video)
• Warner Bros. (1999) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1994) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

Black Bart (USA) (working title)
Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles or Never Give a Saga an Even Break (USA) (poster title)
Tex X (USA) (original script title)
The Purple Sage (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Yiddish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2004) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Finland:K-12 | Portugal:M/12 | UK:12A (re-rating: 2008) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Norway:16 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Crossbow Productions

Trivia:

On the marquee at Graumann's Chinese Theater, the flashing title Blazing Saddles is a matte lay-in, covering the film's original title, Black Bart. The final title of the movie wasn't decided until after principal photography.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When the camera is panning past the bikers who are waiting to apply for the army to take down Rock Ridge, the one on the left moves the handlebars a little too high and you can see that they aren't actually connected to anything. This is not a revealing mistake, but a deliberate sight gag which showed the two "biker cowboys" who have chopper handlebars connected to not to a motorcycle, but to their holster belts, which was obviously shown on purpose as part of the gag, and which was just one of many sight gags seen while the camera pans down the line.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lyle: Come on, boys! The way you're lollygaggin' around here with them picks and them shovels, you'd think it was a hundert an' twenty degree. Can't be more than a hundert an' fourteen.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service: South by Southwest (#6.17)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Blazing Saddles

"That's Hedly, not Hedy..."

Mel Brooks found a way in 1974 to direct two of the greatest comedies of all time. And in that one year, he found a way to cram as many movie parodies, and not have any overlap, as any director can in Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles. What Young Frankenstein was to the 1930s horror movies Blazing Saddles was to the Westerns of the 1960s. And add in there the oppression of blacks during the same time, and you have a biting satire on the role of blacks in society, if not in 1974, at least the way it was in 1874. Cleavon Little (by the way, he's black) plays Bart, a slave laborer for Hedley Lamarr's (Harvey Korman in a GREAT performance as a scheming government employee) railroad who needs to cut through the town of Rock Ridge for completion. The townspeople won't sell their land, so Lamarr has the sheriff killed and replaced with Bart. He's not really welcomed into the town, but with help from Jim, the Waco Kid (Gene Wilder) he is able to earn's the town's trust. Standard plot, and a plot that does not really matter. The humor is so scatological, from so many periods of time, that we know it's a movie, and the characters in the movie know they are in a movie. Take Slim Pickens when he cries out "What in the wide world of sports is going on here?" And the final 10 minutes of the movie is just odd in any other movie, but somehow works in Blazing Saddles. So much humor is cut out of the TV versions, so don't waste your time with it. It has to be seen with the language and "sexually suggestive" scenes to be fully appreciated.