Black Bart (1975) (TV)

User Rating:

3.3/10   

Director:

Robert Butler

Writers:

Andrew Bergman (creator)
Michael Elias (writer)

Release Date:

4 April 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Comedy | Western

Plot:

Western spoof concerning the adventures of a black sheriff and his fast-drawing sidekick fighting corruption and bigotry in the old west. Based on the feature film Blazing Saddles (1974). |

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | Saloon Singer | White Horse | Trial | African American

Cast

Louis Gossett Jr.	...	Black Bart (as Lou Gossett)
Steve Landesberg	...	Reb Jordan
Millie Slavin	...	Belle Buzzer
Noble Willingham	...	Fern Malaga
Ruben Moreno	...	Moonwolf
Theodore Lehmann	...	Mr. Swenson
Gerrit Graham	...	Curley
Brooke Adams	...	Jennifer
Tamar Cooper	...	Mrs. Swenson (as Tamara Cooper)
Rand Bridges	...	Porter
Poindexter Yothers	...	Hughie (as Poindexter)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jock Livingston

Runtime:

USA:22 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

Originally, the pilot teleplay was titled "Superdude" when it was written by 'Michael Elias' and Frank Shaw. Additionally, the main role (which ended up being Black Bart) was called Johnny Digs and three actors were in mind for the role: Louis Gossett Jr. (who got the part), Richard Pryor, and Cleavon Little. For the role of Belle, Sally Kellerman, Tammy Grimes, and Amanda Blake were considered. Finally, Bert Remsen, Lou Frizzell and Sorrell Booke were considered for the part of Mayor Malaga.

Quotes:

Fern Malaga: You are already the highest paid black Sheriff in the West!
Black Bart: Milk Face... I am the *only* black Sheriff in the West!

Movie Connections:

Version of Blazing Saddles (1974)

good idea but needed more work.

I laughed at this show, mainly because I have seen many people with the same attitudes that this show harpooned. it was not as good as the movie, and would have been much better if they had stayed more with the characters of the movie, but in its own right it was not that bad. most pilots are made more to showcase the idea of the show than the show itself.

An example is Charmed. it had two pilots, the one that was made to show the studio execs and the one that aired. they were basically the same, but one was well done, and had the actors that became the well loved sisters and their companions, while the other was shot, not with the best cameras and sets, but what they could use within their budgets. the same could be said of this pilot. it would have had to be redone if it had ever gotten on air. It might have made it if Mel Brooks had had a hand in it.