Cleavon Little
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Cleavon Jake Little (June 1, 1939 – October 22, 1992) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He 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, he starred as the irreverent Dr. Jerry Noland on the ABC sitcom Temperatures Rising. Two years later, Little starred in 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.
