As with many of his films, Mel Brooks not only directed and co-wrote “Blazing Saddles,” but gave himself some appearances in the movie, as well. Among these parts is that of Governor William Le Petomane, Rock Ridge’s dim-witted government official who is convinced by Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman) to bring Bart in as the town’s sheriff. Later — in a role you definitely wouldn’t see nowadays — he appears as a Yiddish-speaking Native American chief who spares Bart and his family from a Sioux attack in a flashback scene.
“Blazing Saddles” would be Brooks’ third directorial effort and his biggest box office success at the time. Following in the trailblazing satire’s footsteps would be other fan-favorite parodies, such as “Young Frankenstein,” “Silent Movie,” “Spaceballs,” and “Robin Hood: Men in Tights.” Following the disappointing reception of 1995’s “Dracula: Dead and Loving It,” Brooks’ creative energy has been put into producing plays based on his movies and voice acting in numerous projects, including “Robots,” “Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” and the “Hotel Transylvania” franchise. In 2022, he acted as a co-writer, executive producer, and voice performer in “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank,” a loose animated remake of “Blazing Saddles.” Having taken home several Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, the 97-year-old entertainer is one of the few EGOT winners still alive today.
