Blazing Saddles with Richard Pryor

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    Mel Brooks' 1974 comedy Blazing Saddles had Richard Pryor as one of the writers. Brooks had wanted Pryor to play the lead as well. However, the studio did not want to back the film with him starring because of his various drug arrests. The role went to Cleavon Little who made a memorable character of Bart. Gig Young was cast as the drunken gunslinger but when they started shooting he had the DTs so bad they couldn't continue so Gene Wilder was hired with whom Mel Brooks made the movie The Producers. Two years after Blazing Saddles Wilder and Pryor were in Silver Streak and they made such a good comedic double act that they made four films together.

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