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The Ridgefield Playhouse Screens Blazing Saddles, and ‘Oh Dah Do Dah Day,’ There Was Plenty to Rejoice with Burton Gilliam

Blazing Saddles Actor Lets Audience in on the Joke

By Rich MonettiPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
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Burton Gilliam

“Comedy has to walk a thin line, take risks. Comedy is the lecherous little elf whispering into the king’s ear, always telling the truth about human behavior,” Mel Brooks told Maane Khatchatourian of Variety in 2017. The American icon also lamented that our “stupidly politically correct” culture is the death of comedy, and that Blazing Saddles could never be made today. Even so, it’s pretty hard to find anyone online who doesn’t get the joke. A packed audience at the Ridgefield Playhouse seconded the sentiment on the February 22 screening of Blazing Saddles. But the showing wasn’t the only thing that made the audience want to jig it up with some Camp Town Lady.

“When you were slaves you sang like birds,” the film’s signature red neck opened the satirical song and dance. The same Burton Gilliam was on hand and clad in the memorable red and black outfit to discuss the 1974 comedy.

Of course, the funny lines, biting social commentary and sight gags still “kicked like cocaine.” At the same time, a repeated refrain directed at the young and less learned among the audience served as validation of the the film's timeliness. “Wait until you see this,” was the ongoing murmur.

But the gap in the comedic learning curve was something Gilliam playfully took issue with. “How did you get to be 18 and not see Blazing Saddles?” he joked rhetorically.

No Acting Background

Still, the long career that followed as an actor was also pretty scant on background. Gilliam was a Golden Gloves boxer with a record of 211-6, and at one point, was on the same team as Cassius Clay.

On some pretty big stages, there turned out to be more to it than learning how to duck. “I loved hearing people clapping for me,” Gilliam beamed.

The seed planted, the Texan's work as a fireman was a pit stop, and when the filming of Paper Moon came to town, he applied to be an extra. “I might get to meet Ryan O’Neill,” Gilliam declared his only expectation.

Instead, Gilliam came away with the part of Floyd, and claimed he almost got an Oscar nomination.

Nonetheless, Gilliam went back to the fire department, and figured that was the end of his acting career. But one day the phone rung at work. “Hi, I’m Mel Brooks,” Gilliam recalled the moment.

Mel Brooks Calls Back and Gilliam Joins in the Revelry

So without hesitation, Gilliam proceeded to hang up. “My fellow firefighters were doing that all the time, but Mel called back,” said Gilliam.

On set with the lunacy, an audience member wondered how he was able to keep a straight face in delivering lines. Gilliam’s status as a novice meant he didn't put a lot of thought into the process, and it served him well. “I had no training. I didn’t know that an actor has choices of what a character could be. I just did the first thing that came to my mind,” he said. “Lucky, I guessed right.”

The choice of Gene Wilder came as a result of a little of good fortune too - or not. Brooks’ first choice was Dick Dailey. “He did a good job, because he was a drunk,” said Gilliam.

So, it was in the cards that Dailey would self destruct, and Gig Young went the same route. But Gilliam believes that Mel Brooks knew that neither would not be able to deliver.

So valuable time wasted, Gene Wilder came available as his prior shoot ended at the same time Blazing Saddles was scrambling to fill the part. “Mel Brooks won’t admit this, but I think that’s what he planned,” said Gilliam.

The choice, though, could not really be seen at first glance. “Gene wasn’t funny in real life. He was laid back. But when Mel said action, the words just jumped off the pages,” revealed Gilliam.

However, the prospects on both the studio and production end were far from a guarantee. “We had no idea. Mel had no idea. They just gave us $3 million, and said, 'go have a good time,'” remembered Gilliam.

45 years later, it was money well spent, and "Oh Dah Do Dah Day," as Gilliam rejoiced, we hopefully realize that we are much better at taking a joke than believed.

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Rich Monetti

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