Cleavon Jake Little (June 1, 1939 – October 22, 1992) was an American actor. His portrayal of Sheriff Bart in Mel Brooks’s Blazing Saddles was his calling card from its release in 1974 until his death from colon cancer in 1992 at the age of 53 (and arguably beyond.) He was also known for Vanishing Point and Fletch Lives.
Little was briefly married to Valerie Wiggins. He had a daughter, the multimedia artist Adia Millett.
Works with Cleavon Little:
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Film roles
- 1968 Whats So Bad About Feeling Good: Phil (Uncredited Role)
- 1969 John And Mary: The Film Director
- 1970 Cotton Comes To Harlem: Lo Boy
- 1971 Vanishing Point: Super Soul
- 1971 The Homecoming: A Christmas Story: Hawthorne Dooley (Made-for-TV Movie)
- 1973 Money To Burn: Calvin Baker (TV Movie)
- 1974 Blazing Saddles: Bart
- 1974 The Day The Earth Moved: Harley Copeland (TV Movie)
- 1977 Greased Lightning: Peewee
- 1977 Once Upon a Brothers Grimm: Wolf (TV Movie)
- 1978 FM: Prince
- 1979 Scavenger Hunt: Jackson
- 1980 The Sky Is Gray: Monsieur Bayonne (TV Movie)
- 1981 High Risk: Rockney
- 1981 Dont Look Back The Story Of Leroy Satchel Paige: Rabbit (TV Movie)
- 1981 The Salamander: Major Carl Malinowski, USMC
- 1982 Double Exposure: Police Chief
- 1982 Jimmy The Kid: Herb
- 1983 Surf II: Daddy O
- 1984 Toy Soldiers: Buck
- 1984 E Nick A Legend In His Own Mind: Edmundo
- 1985 Once Bitten: Sebastian
- 1985 The Gig: Marshall Wilson
- 1989 Fletch Lives: Calculus
- 1990 Goin To Chicago: Edward Sr.
- 1991 In The Nick Of Time: Freddy (TV Movie)
Television roles
- 1968 The Felony Squad: Jesse Hawkins (2 episodes)
- 1971 All in the Family: Coke (1 episode)
- 1972 The Mod Squad: Bolo (1 episode)
- 1972–74 The New Temperatures Rising Show: Dr. Jerry Noland
- 1975 Police Story (1973): Marshall Priest (1 episode)
- 1975 The Waltons: James Travis Clark (1 episode)
- 1975 The Rookies: Cully Ames (1 episode)
- 1977 The Rockford Files: Billy Merrihew (1 episode)
- 1977 The Tony Randall Show: Willie Alexander (1 episode)
- 1979 Supertrain: Preacher Ross (1 episode)
- 1980 The Love Boat: Andrew Hopkins (1 episode)
- 1981 Fantasy Island: Charlie Raines (1 episode)
- 1981 Afterschool Special: Community Leader (1 episode)
- 1982 One Of The Boys: Jimmy (2 episodes)
- 1982 Another World: Capt. Hancock
- 1983 Simon & Simon: Bookkeeper Jared Swope (1 episode)
- 1983 The Fall Guy: Max Downey (1 episode)
- 1987 ALF: George Foley (2 episodes)
- 1988 Lincoln: Frederick Douglass (2 episodes)
- 1988 Tanner 88: Reverend Billy Crier (1 episode)
- 1988 CBS Summer Playhouse: “Bake” Baker (1 episode)
- 1989 Dear John: Tony Larkin (1 episode) note
- 1989 227: Abner Neff (1 episode)
- 1990 Midnight Caller: Reverend James Allen (1 episode)
- 1990 American Playhouse: Nate Shaw (1 episode)
- 1991–92 True Colors: Ron Freeman
- 1992 Separate But Equal: Robert L. “Bob” Carter
- 1992 Tales from the Crypt: Pack Brightman (1 episode)
Stage roles
- 1967 Mac Bird: Muslim Witch
- 1967 Scuba Duba: Foxtrot
- 1971 Purlie: Purlie note
- 1972 Narrow Road To The Deep North: Shogo
- 1985–86, 1987–88 Im Not Rappaport: Midge
Tropes associated with Cleavon Little:
- The Other Darrin: He replaced Frankie Faison in the second season of the short-lived '90s sitcom True Colors, a kind of cross-racial spin on The Brady Bunch.
