Cleavon Little
Biography
Cleavon Jake Little was an American film and theatre actor born on June 1, 1939, in Chickasha, Oklahoma, and he passed away on October 22, 1992. He is known for his lead role as Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles and as Dr. Jerry Noland in the early 1970s sitcom Temperatures Rising. His film and television work includes portraying the blind radio personality Super Soul in the 1971 car-chase movie Vanishing Point and playing preacher Hawthorne Dooley in the 1971 pilot for The Waltons, titled The Homecoming: A Christmas Story. He also appeared as The Prince of Darkness in the 1978 radio station comedy FM and acted in the 1984 action film Toy Soldiers.
Career overview
Cleavon Jake Little was an American film and theatre actor born in Chickasha, Oklahoma on June 1, 1939. He was known for his diverse television and film roles. In 1971, he portrayed the character Super Soul, a blind radio personality, in the car-chase film Vanishing Point. That same year, he played preacher Hawthorne Dooley in the television pilot for The Waltons, which was titled The Homecoming: A Christmas Story.
Continuing his career in television and film during the 1970s and 1980s, Little took on the role of the irreverent Dr. Jerry Noland in the early 1970s sitcom Temperatures Rising. In 1974, he starred in his well-known lead role as Bart in the Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles. Later in the decade, he appeared as The Prince of Darkness in the 1978 radio station comedy FM. His subsequent film work included an appearance in the 1984 action film Toy Soldiers. Throughout his career, Little amassed numerous acting credits across film and television. He passed away on October 22, 1992 at the age of 53.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
59 titles- Blaze of Glory: Mel Brooks' Wild, Wild West (2014) as Self (archive footage)
- Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (2013) as Self (archive footage)
- Back in the Saddle (2001) as Self (archive footage)
- Separate but Equal (1991) as Robert L. 'Bob' Carter
- Separate but Equal (1991) as Robert L. 'Bob' Carter
- In the Nick of Time (1991) as Freddy
- Perfect Harmony (1991) as Pastor Clarence Johnson
- True Colors (1990) as Ron Freeman
- Bagdad Cafe (1990) as Sal
- Murder by Numbers (1990) as David Selby
- Goin' to Chicago (1990)
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) as Pack Brightman (segment "This'll Kill Ya")
- Fletch Lives (1989) as Calculus Entropy
- Dear John (1988) as Tony Larkin
- Tanner '88 (1988) as Rev. Billy Crier
- Lincoln (1988) as Frederick Douglass
- ALF (1986) as George Foley
- MacGyver (1985) as Frank Colton
- 227 (1985)
- Once Bitten (1985) as Sebastian
- The Gig (1985) as Marshall WIlson
- Toy Soldiers (1984) as Buck
- Surf 2 (1984) as Daddy O
- E. Nick: A Legend in His Own Mind (1984) as Edmundo
- American Playhouse (1982) as Ned Shaw
- Double Exposure (1982) as Police Chief
- A House Divided: Denmark Vesey's Rebellion (1982) as Rolla
- Jimmy the Kid (1982) as Herb
- Simon & Simon (1981)
- The Salamander (1981) as Major Carl Malinowski, USMC
- High Risk (1981) as Rockney
- Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige (1981) as Rabbit Thompson
- The Sky Is Gray (1980) as Monsieur Bayonne
- Supertrain (1979) as Preacher Ross
- Scavenger Hunt (1979) as Jackson
- FM (1978) as Prince
- The Love Boat (1977) as Andrew Hopkins
- Greased Lightning (1977) as Peewee
- Once Upon a Brothers Grimm (1977) as Wolf
- The Tony Randall Show (1976)
- The Rockford Files (1974) as Billy Merrihew
- Blazing Saddles (1974) as Bart
- The Day the Earth Moved (1974) as Harley Copeland
- Police Story (1973)
- Money to Burn (1973) as Calvin Baker
- The Waltons (1972)
- The Rookies (1972)
- Temperatures Rising (1972) as Jerry Noland
- All in the Family (1971) as Coke
- Vanishing Point (1971) as Super Soul
- The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971) as Hawthorne Dooley
- Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) as Lo Boy
- The Mod Squad (1968)
- What's So Bad About Feeling Good? (1968) as Phil
- Felony Squad (1966)
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Nominee / Performer
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Cleavon Little best known for?
Cleavon Little is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Snow Country (1957), True Colors (1990), Bagdad Cafe (1990), Tales from the Crypt (1989).
When and where was Cleavon Little born?
Cleavon Little was born on June 1, 1939 in Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA. They passed away on October 22, 1992.
How many credits does Cleavon Little have?
Cleavon Little has accumulated over 59 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1956 to 2014.
What is Cleavon Little's background in cinema and television?
Cleavon Jake Little was an American film and theatre actor born on June 1, 1939, in Chickasha, Oklahoma, and he passed away on October 22, 1992. He is known for his lead role as Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles and as Dr. Jerry Noland in the early 1970s sitcom Temperatures Rising. His film and televis...
Cleavon Little by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- True Colors (1990) as Ron Freeman — aged about 51
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) as Pack Brightman (segment "This'll Kill Ya") — aged about 50
- All in the Family (1971) as Coke — aged about 32
- MacGyver (1985) as Frank Colton — aged about 46
- ALF (1986) as George Foley — aged about 47
- The Rockford Files (1974) as Billy Merrihew — aged about 35
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