Blazing Saddles

Blazing Saddles is a Warner Bros. 1974 comedy directed by Mel Brooks and starring Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder. The film was written (in what Brooks called Your Show of Shows-style) by a team of writers, namely Brooks, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg, and Alan Uger; it was based on Bergman's story and draft. Brooks appears in multiple supporting roles, including the Governor and a Yiddish-speaking Indian Chief. Slim Pickens, Alex Karras and Brooks regulars Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn and Harvey Korman are also featured. The film is an over-the-top parody of the Western film genre, in addition to being an intelligent satire about racism.

Trivia

• Brooks wanted Richard Pryor to play the sheriff's role given to Little, but the studio objected due to Pryor's perceived vulgarity (Pryor's comedy routines contained numerous obscenities, sexist remarks, and comments which some thought would be perceived as outright racist if they had come from a white man). Pryor was, however, one of the film's screenwriters.
• When the original title (Tex X) was turned down by the studio because it sounded like the title of a blaxploitation film, Brooks next choice was Black Bart; although that name wasn't used either, it was the name of a television pilot based on the film but produced without Brooks' participation. That pilot is included on the 30th anniversary DVD release of Blazing Saddles.
• Hedy Lamarr sued Warner Bros. for the unauthorized use of her name; an out-of-court settlement was reached. Coincidentally or otherwise, in the movie, the Governor calls his right-hand man "Hedy" to his face, and Lamarr sheepishly corrects him. He answers, "What are you worried about? This is 1874! You can sue HER!"
• Brooks didn't tell Laine that the movie was planned as a comedy, and was frankly embarassed by how much heart Laine put into singing the title song, which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Song (music by John Morris with lyrics by Brooks). After that, Brooks couldn't bear to tell Laine the truth.
• Gene Wilder's future wife Gilda Radner appears as a townswoman in the church scene.
• Blazing Saddles also offers a rare look into the Warner backlot, with scenes spilling off the Laramie Street set into various stages and eventually out of Gate 3 onto Olive Blvd. in Burbank, CA.
• The film contained two notable alumni of the University of Iowa: accomplished actor Gene Wilder as Jim (The Waco Kid), and Alex Karras, the NFL lineman playing Mongo.