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 | Governor | Railroad | Western Town | 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
Karl Lukas	...	Cutthroat #1 (as Karl Lucas)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Billy Akins	...	Townsman (uncredited)
John Alderson	...	Gum Chewer (uncredited)
Don Ames	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Tom Anfinsen	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
David Armstrong	...	Pressman (uncredited)
Anne Bancroft	...	Congregation Extra (uncredited)
Herman Boden	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Alex Brown	...	RR Worker (uncredited)
Jerry Brown	...	Stage Driver (uncredited)
Eldon Burke	...	Desperado (uncredited)
David Cadiente	...	Mexican (uncredited)
Patrick Campbell	...	MC at 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)
Alfred DeSio	...	German Soldier Dancer (uncredited)
George Dockstader	...	Politician (uncredited)
Ross Dollarhyde	...	Desperado (uncredited)
Hobert Durham Jr.	...	Railroad Worker (uncredited)
Stewart East	...	Pressman (uncredited)
Kenny Endoso	...	Indian (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)
Seamon Glass	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Cecil Gold	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	...	Outlaw #4 (uncredited)
Robert Hitchcock	...	Funkie (uncredited)
Kal Isaacs	...	Railroad Worker (uncredited)
Rosemary Johnston	...	Townswoman (uncredited)
Madge Journeay	...	Townswoman (uncredited)
M.J. Kane	...	Leopold (uncredited)
Sally Kirkland	...	Cashier (uncredited)
Patrick Labyorteaux	...	Henry (uncredited)
Almeteer LaFrance	...	Bart's Mother (uncredited)
Tex Lambert	...	KKK Member (uncredited)
Jack Lilley	...	Overseer (uncredited)
Craig Littler	...	Tex (uncredited)
Jay Loft-Lyn	...	RR Worker (uncredited)
Bert Madrid	...	Convict in Line (uncredited)
Ralph Manza	...	Man 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)
Beans Morocco	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Hal Needham	...	Outlaw (uncredited)
Daniel Núñez	...	Mexican (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Jack Perkins	...	Desperado (uncredited)
Alan Peterson	...	German Soldier Dancer (uncredited)
Tom Pittman	...	Official (uncredited)
Booty Reed	...	Railroad Worker (uncredited)
Tony Regan	...	Pressman (uncredited)
Danny 'Big Black' Rey	...	Bart's Father (uncredited)
Robert Ridgely	...	Boris (uncredited)
Rodney Allen Rippy	...	Bart - Age 5 (uncredited)
Hank Robinson	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Wally Rose	...	Desperado (uncredited)
Darrell Sandeen	...	KKK Man (uncredited)
Danny Sands	...	Desperado (uncredited)
George Sawaya	...	Townsman (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)
Jerry Summers	...	Desperado (uncredited)
Lisa Summers	...	Manicurist (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)
Pinocchio Roy Wilson	...	Dancer (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	....	hairdresser (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
John Alvin	....	poster artist (uncredited)

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)
John Ashby	....	stunts (uncredited)
May Boss	....	stunts (uncredited)
Skip Botelho	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alex Brown	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry 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)
Ken Ferguson	....	stunt performer: Fighting Cowboy (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)
Walt La Rue	....	stunts (uncredited)
William T. Lane	....	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)
Joe Pronto	....	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)
Bobby Somers	....	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)
Kenneth Peach Jr.	....	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)
M.V. Gerhard	....	soundtrack producer (uncredited)
Dan Goldwasser	....	soundtrack producer (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
Gloria G. Robertson	....	voice (uncredited)
Vernon White	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (presents)
• Crossbow Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1975) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1975) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Llamentol (2011) (Spain) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1988) (2007) (2009) (Finland) (TV)
• Nelonen (1999) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Scanvideo (????) (Finland) (video)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• 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)

Other Companies

• La-La Land Records  score album released by (limited edition) (uncredited)
• Panavision  filmed in
• Technicolor  filmed in

Also Known As:

"Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles or Never Give a Saga an Even Break" - USA (poster title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Yiddish | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Norway:16 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 (original rating) | UK:15 | USA:R (No. 23752) | West Germany:12 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2004) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Finland:K-12 | Portugal:M/12 | UK:12A (re-rating: 2008) | New Zealand:PG | Sweden:11 (re-rating) (1974) | Ireland:15

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

When auditioning for the role of Lilly, Madeline Kahn was asked by Mel Brooks to pull up her skirt so he could see her legs. She was quite hesitant, being unclear of Brooks's intentions. Brooks actually just wanted to see if she had legs good enough to approximate Marlene Dietrich's famous "gams".

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: During the Chess game, the Waco Kid's right hand is steady as a rock, but he says he shoots with his fluttering left hand. But later in the movie when he detonates the dynamite, he shoots with his right hand. His attitude during the discussion during the Chess game suggests he's telling a tall tale.

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 "Jeopardy!: Episode #22.5" (2005)

Soundtrack:

I Get a Kick Out of You

One of the funniest movies of all time. Corny by today's standards but icon shattering in it's day. A stroke of two geniuses, Brooks and Pryor.

I can only imagine the laughter in the room when Brooks and Pryor combined their heads to create this one. A Jew making fun of Jews, a Black making fun of Blacks, two Western Americans making fun of the West, movie makers making fun of the movies. The childish fart-level humor and utter cornball gags keep you rolling of the floor unable to breathe. This movie doesn't pretend to be anything more than cornball humor, but it's the all-time best at that. Let's not pretend to be intelligent adults, let's just watch this gem and laugh our heads off like the kids we are inside. Downsides are the overuse of swear words, which were funny in the early 70's because of their shock value during those censored times, but today are just annoying and unnecessary. Another annoying scene is the sexual perversion when Hedley makes love to the statue, though it's funny that the creep gets horny over the thought of money, it creeps me out. But the strength of the movie is its originality for its day, long before the Zuckors. The jokes come so fast and so unexpectedly that you can watch this movie many times before you catch them all.