Cleavon Jake Little (June 1, 1939 – October 22, 1992) was an American stage, film, and television actor. Little began his career in the late 1960s on the stage. In 1970, he starred in the Broadway production of Purlie for which he earned both a Drama Desk and a Tony Award. In 1972, Little starred as the irreverent Dr. Jerry Noland on the ABC sitcom Temperatures Rising. Two years later, he won the role for which he is best known, as Sheriff Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles.In the 1980s, Little continued to appear in stage productions, films, and in guest spots on television series. In 1989, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor for his appearance on the NBC sitcom Dear John. From 1991 to 1992, he starred on the Fox sitcom True Colors.
October 22, 1992, Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA
Height
6' (1.83 m)
Profession
Actor, Soundtrack
Spouse
Valerie Wiggins (m. 1972–1974)
Siblings
DeEtta Little
Star Sign
Gemini
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Fact
1
Upon his death, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered into pacific ocean.
2
He was a talented Shakespearean but was forced at the time to accept comedy parts when few black actors were considered for such important and serious roles. His passion remained for the classics, and he returned frequently to play such parts.
3
He won the lead role of Sheriff Bart in Blazing Saddles (1974) over Richard Pryor, who co-wrote the script intending to play the role himself. Studio execs were apparently nervous over Pryor's reputation as a racy comedian and thought Cleavon would be a safer choice.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Tales from the Crypt
1992
TV Series
Pack Brightman
True Colors
1991-1992
TV Series
Ron Freeman
Goin' to Chicago
1991
Edward Sr.
In the Nick of Time
1991
TV Movie
Freddy
MacGyver
1989-1991
TV Series
Frank Colton
Bagdad Cafe
1990-1991
TV Series
Sal
Separate But Equal
1991
TV Mini-Series
Robert L. 'Bob' Carter
Perfect Harmony
1991
TV Movie
Pastor Clarence Johnson
Murder by Numbers
1990
David Shelby
Midnight Caller
1990
TV Series
Reverend James Allen
Fletch Lives
1989
Calculus Entropy
227
1989
TV Series
Amber Neal
Dear John
1989
TV Series
Tony Larkin
CBS Summer Playhouse
1988
TV Series
'Bake' Baker
Tanner '88
1988
TV Mini-Series
Rev. Billy Crier
Lincoln
1988
TV Mini-Series
Frederick Douglass
ALF
1987
TV Series
George Foley
The Gig
1985
Marshall Wilson
Once Bitten
1985
Sebastian
E. Nick: A Legend in His Own Mind
1984
Edmundo
Toy Soldiers
1984
Buck
Surf II
1984
Daddy O
The Fall Guy
1983
TV Series
Max Downey
Simon & Simon
1983
TV Series
Bookkeeper Jared Swope
Double Exposure
1983
Police Chief
Jimmy the Kid
1982
Herb
One of the Boys
1982
TV Series
A House Divided: Denmark Vessey's Rebellion
1982
TV Movie
ABC Afterschool Specials
1981
TV Series
Community Leader
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige
1981
TV Movie
Rabbit
Fantasy Island
1981
TV Series
Charlie Raines
High Risk
1981
Rockney
The Salamander
1981
Major Carl Malinowski, USMC
The Sky Is Gray
1980
TV Movie
Monsieur Bayonne
The Love Boat
1980
TV Series
Andrew Hopkins
Scavenger Hunt
1979
Jackson
Supertrain
1979
TV Series
Preacher Ross
Mr. Dugan
1979
TV Series
Rep. Dugan
Uptown Saturday Night
1979
TV Movie
Wardell Washington
FM
1978
Prince
Once Upon a Brothers Grimm
1977
TV Movie
Wolf (segment "Little Red Riding Hood")
The Tony Randall Show
1977
TV Series
Willie Alexander
Greased Lightning
1977
Peewee
The Rockford Files
1977
TV Series
Billy Merrihew
The Rookies
1975
TV Series
Cully Ames
The Waltons
1971-1975
TV Series
James Trevis Clark / Hawthorne Dooley
Police Story
1975
TV Series
Marshall Priest
The Day the Earth Moved
1974
TV Movie
Harley Copeland
The New Temperatures Rising Show
1972-1974
TV Series
Dr. Jerry Noland
Blazing Saddles
1974
Bart
Money to Burn
1973
TV Movie
Calvin Baker
Mod Squad
1972
TV Series
Bolo
The David Frost Revue
1971
TV Series
The Homecoming: A Christmas Story
1971
TV Movie
Hawthorne Dooley
All in the Family
1971
TV Series
Coke
Vanishing Point
1971
Super Soul
Cotton Comes to Harlem
1970
Lo Boy
John and Mary
1969
The Film Director
The Felony Squad
1968
TV Series
Jesse Hawkins
What's So Bad About Feeling Good?
1968
Phil (uncredited)
Another World
1964
TV Series
Capt. Hancock (1980s)
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter
1982
TV Movie documentary performer: "I Get a Kick out of You" - uncredited
The 28th Annual Tony Awards
1974
TV Special performer: "New Fangled Preacher Man"
The 24th Annual Tony Awards
1970
TV Special performer: "Walk Him up the Stairs"
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Biography
1996
TV Series documentary
Himself
The 40th Annual Tony Awards
1986
TV Special
Himself - Performer
Working in the Theatre
1985
TV Series documentary
Himself
Ossie and Ruby!
1981
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The Mike Douglas Show
1975-1977
TV Series
Himself - Actor / Himself - Comedian
The $10,000 Pyramid
1975
TV Series
Himself
The 29th Annual Tony Awards
1975
TV Special
Himself - Presenter
Dinah!
1975
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The Merv Griffin Show
1975
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The 28th Annual Tony Awards
1974
TV Special
Himself - Performer
The David Frost Show
1971-1972
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1970
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The 24th Annual Tony Awards
1970
TV Special
Himself - Performer and Winner: Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical