Why Did John Wayne Turn Down An Opportunity To Star In Blazing Saddles?

Brooks approached John Wayne about having on the job of The Waco Child. Wayne took the script household and read through it right away. Come the future day, Wayne responded to Brooks, politely declining the position. “The subsequent morning I noticed him and he says that he enjoys it — each and every beat, every single line — but that it is way too blue, that it would disappoint his followers. He reported, although, that he would be the to start with one in line to see it,” Brooks shared in a 2016 interview with Philly Metro (by using Outsider).

Most of Wayne’s films were household pleasant and remained inside of non-offensive bounds up right until that stage, so becoming a member of the solid of “Saddles” would have most likely been a key overstep in the reverse way. Wayne assumed the script’s barrage of sexual innuendo and racial jokes would pose too fantastic a risk to his job. Nonetheless, he admittedly loved what Brooks was cooking up (via Showbiz Cheat Sheet). 

Brooks tried out for other Hollywood veterans just before generating a cellular phone contact to Gene Wilder (earlier mentioned, right, with Cleavon Minimal). They’d labored together in the original model of “The Producers.” Wilder signed on, and “Blazing Saddles” was a success, with Wilder’s portrayal of The Waco Child as one particular for the publications. Wilder’s involvement also led to one more of Mel Brooks’ profitable comedy movies, “Young Frankenstein” — Wilder reportedly pitched the script to Brooks even though on the set of “Blazing Saddles” (for every Psychological Floss).