First Time Watching Blazing Saddles (1974) Movie REACTION & COMMENTARY/REVIEW

[@markspencer8790]

This movie did more to advance racial equality through satire than any politician could accomplish at that time. Laughter and love will always win over prejudice and hatred 😁

[@wlsonx]

Facts

[@robg1151]

True story, excellent post.

[@petertosh4748]

Gotta love Mel . Classic and one of my favorite movies. Now take a knee.

[@davenc8527]

Great comment, Mark. I grew up in the 70's and this was the best comedy of all time.

[@UncleRons_3D_Pub]

Mel picked on everybody. this has been one of my favorite movies for years, because Mel pushed the edges so far. Wilson, thanks for sharing your reactions to this movie. Crazy thought, and I am not sure of the copyright limitations, but, if you could do one of these viewings as a live stream, while we could all interact with you in the chat....that would be pretty cool. Maybe skirt the copyright by having everyone watch the movie on their own at the same time, and you only inject the clips and such as it goes. A Watch With Wilson event :) Maybe do it as a stream on Twitch, then edit and post the finished review here

[@michaelconnor1542]

Slim Pickens felt bad about what the script had him saying to Cleavon Little. When he brought his concerns to his fellow actor, Cleavon asked if he believed those things. Pickens said no and Cleavon told him, it would only hurt if Slim believed in what was in the script. They were friends for many years after. Little died in the eighties.

[@shannonmccullough8324]

The censors nearly had a heart attack over the racial jokes. Mel Brooks argued that without these jokes, the movie was pointless. The whole premise was to highlight how comedic racist people are.

[@Scyllax]

This was before Archie Bunker had appeared in Blackface and used the nagger word, but after he had said coons, jigaboos, coloreds, black beauties, Spicks, Hebes, Kikes, fruits and Fairies. Were any of you even born then?

[@facubeitches1144]

Mel Brooks did an interview where he talked about how the studio hated the racial jokes. When Brooks told Richard Pryor who wrote most of them, Pryor just said "You white people are crazy."

[@cyrilmauras4247]

True. However, when this movie is shown on TV, with few exceptions, the n word is always bleeped out.

[@wrigleyville]

Shannon McCullough, not to mention stupid and ignorant but I get your point. Great anti-racist film.

[@dfhowes]

@@cyrilmauras4247 Even the campfire scene's farts are censored - with horse whinnies! SMDH!

[@saetmusic]

In 1974, on my first date with my future wife, we went to see "Blazing Saddles" at the movies. I thought it was hilarious! In the famous "Campfire Scene", I was laughing SO hard that I, literally, fell OUT OF MY SEAT and ended up sitting in the aisle! My date just looked at me and said, "I don't think that's very funny." LOL Married 45 years!

[@jgrant4736]

Oh my God. I saw this film at a college campus and audience laughed so much!

[@user-DrJoe-Future]

In 1974, I was in the Army down South at an outside Drive-In Theater with my girlfriend, and our car was surrounded by cars full of Blacks. I was afraid we would not get out alive after the movie started. However, they were all laughing so hard I thought they were going to bust a rib. They were crying from laughing. I only saw parts of the movie, I was occupied with other things.

[@wrigleyville]

Joseph Saetveit, neat surname. May the both of you have many, many more wedding anniversaries. Stay safe and well.

[@Scyllax]

Thé farts convulsed the audience at the premiere.

[@julielabrouste6344]

The "actor" playing the "Gov" and the Native American is Mel Brooks, the guy who co-wrote and directed ;) He also did "Young Frankenstein" and many more movies. Love your reactions lol

[@fatherjoe1134]

plus Richard Pyre help write this movie

[@whatareyoulookingat908]

He also was one of the bad guys in the audition's line for Hedy Lamar's desperado army... he was one of the guys wearing sunglasses and was wearing a dark jacket.

[@2Snails1Shell]

[Another Easter egg:] Baseball cap, sun glasses, white scarf, fur-collared leather jacket...henchman sign-up line. ✌️

[@2Snails1Shell]

...referred to as a "director"...a "bad" one, obviously. (But only because of the company he's keeping.) 🤭

[@patmx5]

@@whatareyoulookingat908 That's _HEDLEY_ LOL

[@TheCBLingo]

Richard Pryor co-wrote this which is why I think it's still so edgy and funny 40 years later.

[@coachmikesfilmroom3111]

I found it interesting that Richard wrote the White jokes while Mel wrote the black jokes

[@jksgameshelf3378]

Mel said at one point he asked Richard Pryor if he should take out some of the n words in the script but Pryor told him to add more.

[@mickymoist]

Richard also wrote all of Mongo's lines.

[@bernhardtsen74]

@@mickymoist shame Pryor did so much blow back then, the producers were afraid he would overdose during filming, so they cast Cleavon Little!

[@mitchellnoll7402]

@@coachmikesfilmroom3111 I did not know this about the film

[@ignotouno523]

"They said you was hung." "And they was right."

[@Serai3]

It took me so many years to notice that joke. Nearly choked when I finally got it!

[@terrifictomm]

@@Serai3 Now go back and watch Bugs Bunny and Looney Tunes from the forties and fifties. You'll be amazed!! "Give me the bird! Give me the bird!" "If only [the censors] would let me, is sure like to give him the Bird!"

[@mymartianhome]

And that led to one of the few lines that was cut due to censorship. Madeline Kahn and Cleavon Little in the seduction scene:- MK .. is it true what they say about black men? (Left in) MK .... Oh it's true, it's true. (Left in) CL ..... Lady, let go of my arm! (Cut)

[@robertrouse4503]

The Actress that played Lily Von Schtup, Madelin Kahn was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. This was one of the greatest anti-racism films ever.

[@1ofLouisBoys]

"They darker than us." as an Ojibwe, I gotta say that is my favorite comedy line of all time.

[@kdrapertrucker]

That and the chief speaking yiddish.

[@williamsporing1500]

Kweh! Half Wyandot! Yea, I don’t think Yiddish was spoken in that tribe……but it’s funny!!!? And he says goodbye in German! Lol

[@wrigleyville]

B Boyd, blessings to you and yours. Best of health, always. As an Italian, I suggest Jane Austen's "MAFIA". That film rips the shit out of Italians and the Mob in a humorous way. Worth a watch.

[@1ofLouisBoys]

that is a great comedy, the whole hiding in a donkey bit had me broken when I first watched it.

[@dfhowes]

Red, white and blue warpaint!

[@ProfessionalTroll420]

“They lose me right after the bunker scene” 😂😂😂

[@terrifictomm]

That's also where the movie loses me. I thought it was a very weak ending; there Brooks just gave up. But up till then... Is why it's a classic.

[@datamike00]

@@terrifictomm I'm 50-50 on the endind, fairly similar to the ending for monty pythons holy grail

[@terrifictomm]

@@datamike00 I don't think I've ever say through that movie to the end. Not mention movies I'm so disinterested in I don't make it to the end. Star Trek: Nemesis, the only ST movie I've ever walked out of the theater on. Tried to watch it since. I can't do it. It's so bad.

[@spindletopcenter]

Notice when Heddley is humping that statue... he's basically fu**ing justice! Brilliant film!

[@StewartUSAF]

Mel Brooks asked John Wayne to be in this movie. Mr. Wayne said that he couldn't be in it, but he would be first in line to see it at the theater.

[@snorpenbass4196]

The Indian chieftain (yes, Mel Brooks, we know by now) says "Let them go!" in Yiddish. I dunno why that still cracks me up.

[@elbystump56]

Probably a crack on Mormons and their belief that there was an American Indian tribe of Jews. Mel Brooks spared nobody when making jokes. Wouldn't surprise me in the least that that was where he was going with having Jewish Indians.

[@spindletopcenter]

Also, "Could belive something like that could happen? They darker than us! Woof!"

[@Caseytify]

@@dacomputernerd4096 Note that all the "Indian" guest stars in F Troop were Jewish comedians.

[@outrez]

@@elbystump56 RKO hired Jewish men as extras to play Indians in many of their Westerns to promote their own racist agenda. Sad, but true, and if you need to make a buck you got to make concessions sometimes even as a hireling.

[@michaelconnor1542]

@@dacomputernerd4096 that may be true, but look at Mel, next to actual native Americans in the scene. Facial structure is very similar. Now that doesn't mitigate any actual racism going on, but it does raise a question on genealogy that could be an interesting story.

[@001Flange]

Mongo was recently inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.

[@coachmikesfilmroom3111]

Took way too long to induct him.

[@billbrandine5857]

His Hall of Fame plaque just says "Mongo, from Blazing Saddles."

[@mitchellnoll7402]

I knew that he was a football player I was going to state that

[@Scyllax]

@@billbrandine5857 And Webster

[@Lugnut64052]

And he was known to be very smart, which makes the whole "pawn in game of life" funnier.

[@Emilyhildegaard1]

That "band" is Count Basie. Look him up. REALLY.

[@annettewacha991]

It always surprises me that so few people recognize him.

[@SierraSierraFoxtrot]

@@annettewacha991 And it says "Count Basie's Orchestra" right there...

[@rollotomasi1873]

Legends.

[@christhornycroft3686]

I thought it was Cab Calloway at first.

[@royfugate]

During production for the film, retired longtime film star Hedy Lamarr sued Warner Bros. for $100,000, charging that the film's running parody of her name infringed on her right to privacy. Brooks said that he was flattered and chose to not fight it in court; the studio settled out of court for a small sum and an apology for "almost using her name." Brooks said that Lamarr "never got the joke."This lawsuit would be referenced by an in-film joke where Brooks' character, the Governor, tells Hedley Lamarr that, "This is 1874; you'll be able to sue HER."

[@zelgkopitar8799]

My favorite type of Blazing Saddles reaction are those that start off by saying something along the lines of "So, we're watching Blazing Saddles today, I dont know anything about it but I guess its a western movie, so I'm expecting lots of action and gun fights. Lets go!" then its immediately followed by "what the f*ck?" and once the shock settles down its nothing but laughing the rest of the way.

[@margretrosenberg420]

The actor who played the governor was, indeed, the same actor who played the Indian chief. Mel Brooks. He always finds a way to appear in his own movies.

[@SeekingHisWill78]

He also played as the criminal in the aviator outfit.

[@margretrosenberg420]

@@SeekingHisWill78 Where he's hard to recognize. Thanks; I knew he was one of them but not which one.

[@DrBoneright]

You spotted Mel in both roles! He's a genius. Part of that bit is that the "Chief" is speaking Yiddish. (So he's a Jewish Indian.)

[@garret_thorne]

He's also in the line of villains during the tryouts. He's dressed as a biker.

[@gimmeabreak6844]

@@garret_thorne and also one of the townsmen standing on the platform at the finale, waving Sheriff Bart farewell.

[@Serai3]

Both Randolph Scott and Richard Dix were famous actors of the early decades of Hollywood, known for their work in Westerns. Richard Dix usually played a heavy (thus the town had to fight him off in the past), and Randolph Scott played good guys (thus the choir singing his name and everyone removing their hats). This film is FULL of references to older films and Hollywood lore in general. For instance, Hedley Lamarr is named for Hedy Lamarr, a famous actress of the 30's (thus everyone mistakenly calling him Hedy), and she actually did sue the production. Mel settled because "she's Hedy Lamarr, for God's sake!")

[@sesfilmsllc]

They even talk about Cecil B Demille.

[@josephhickman1306]

Madeleine Kahn earned an oscar for the "I am so tired " performance

[@erakfishfishfish]

Her Marlene Dietrich performance is perfect. It’s more homage than parody. The first time I saw Blazing Saddles, I didn’t know who Dietrich was, so the I’m So Tired scene didn’t do much for me. After I saw The Blue Angel, I now look forward to this scene.

[@jacobjones5269]

Possibly the funniest woman who ever lived.. Cloris Leachman is right there, too..

[@garret_thorne]

Ovaltine!

[@slc2466]

Kahn was also nominated the previous year for her wonderful work as Trixie Delight in "Paper Moon." She was on a role at the time, after a debut in "What's Up, Doc?" and terrific work in "Young Frankenstein." She is missed.

[@melenatorr]

Randolph Scott was a famous Western actor. Here's an article about him: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randolph_Scott. As noted, you were right: the same actor plays the governor and the Chief, and that actor is none other than Mel Brooks. Hedley Lamarr is a play on the name Hedy Lamarr. Hedy Lamar was an Austrian actress who made movies in the US during the 1940s and 1950s. She was known as one of the most beautiful women of her time. She hated the image: she was extremely intelligent and invented a radio transmission system for torpedos. And she did, indeed, threaten to sue Mel Brooks about the use of the name. Here is an article about her: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamarr

[@DAMIENDMILLS]

Sorry to say but Wikipedia seems like it's not an "article"

[@RicksRants67]

yeah she sketched it out on the back of a cocktail napkin, she said it was easy for a smart person to act stupid and impossible for a stupid to act smart.

[@Lowlightt]

@@DAMIENDMILLS It is true however. She was the wife of an arms dealer in europe and had med both hitler and musilini at cocktail parties. She got fedup with the life and left her husband and moved to the US where she became a world famous actress (known to be the most beautiful woman of the time) She was also a genius and inventor. During WW2 she along with a friend who was an alternative arts musician designed a radio transmission system for torpedos based on "player pianos" that allowed torpedos and boats to switch radio frequencies but also stay in sync while doing so making the manual driven torpedos unjammable by the nazi's. A technology that would end the war in ocean. The US said nah fam. And told her she would be better off kissing soldiers and selling war bonds. Years later that technology was repurposed for the invention of WiFi.

[@mldiluna969]

Harvey Korman is absolutely hilarious in the Dentist sketch on the Carol Burnett Show.

[@thunderdrummerdude]

I have seen this comedy classic literally thousands of times. I laugh my damn head off every time. “What in the wide wide world of sports is uh goin’ on here? I hired you people to try and get a little track laid, not to jump around like a bunch a Kansas City *******!.”🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jamesdemarco7161]

Good stuff, Sir! Just for reference, Randolph Scott was a huge western movie star in the 50's - 60's. When they said his name, everyone stood up and took their hats off in respect. It was just a little shootout to the genre.

[@Geth-Who]

'shootout' Nice.

[@jamesdemarco7161]

@@Geth-Who wow! I didn't notice it, but that typo turned out pretty good!!

[@outrez]

Randolph Scott was the first entertainer to be admitted to the Los Angeles Country Club. The membership prior to his admittance was strictly old money and historically locally connected well off people. Scott quipped, " I am not an actor and have over 50 films to prove it". His good humor won him admission to the last L.A. area members only club closed to entertainers, thus the tribute, and the joke.

[@blkluv100]

"Airplane" 1980. Rapid fire jokes.

[@jasonkreider8954]

Also the naked gun trilogy

[@jm329]

And Top Secret.

[@mngentry]

@@jm329 hell anything from the Zukerberg Bros....except ghost.

[@ThatDangerousWolf]

My favorite comedy of all time ✈️ 💕

[@RobwLPOC]

The jokes per minute ratio in that movie is off the chart

[@SirPaladin]

14:35- originally that scene was supposed to end with the line "Ma'am, you're sucking on my elbow." The censors wouldn't let it fly.

[@StewartUSAF]

It's the only joke that got cut.

[@Flamquill]

What censors? This was released in theaters. Unless you're suggesting that line would've made the movie NC17 (X at the time the movie was made), I'm sure that wasn't the reason it got cut.

[@spindletopcenter]

The censors had had enough by that point. Unfortunately, it's the line that takes the racism out of the scene.

[@r.awilliams9815]

Fun fact-the guy standing by the light post at 20:55 isn't an extra, he's just some guy that wandered on to the set. He had no idea what was going on.

[@jasonboche]

Funny! I never noticed him and of course did not know that fact.

[@DAMIENDMILLS]

Wow i just realized one of the citizens in the town was in The Big Lebowski. In fact, he played "The Big Lebowski"

[@cypher515]

David Huddleston. The Big Lebowski, Olsen Johnson, and freaking Santa Claus.

[@gahrie]

One of the things I notice is that when people react to this movie, this miss one of the big jokes because they've never seen or heard of The Treasure of Sierra Madre.

[@popeye5989]

I'm intrigued now?

[@gahrie]

@@popeye5989 The line "Badges? We doan need no stinkin' badges!" appears in both movies

[@popeye5989]

@@gahrie ah ok! It was obviously a reference to something but I've not seen the other film so couldn't make the connection.

[@schweinfurterrory8030]

@@popeye5989 Have you seen Silent Movie

[@popeye5989]

@@schweinfurterrory8030 no don't think so

[@g3o5d]

"Where are the White women at?" I fucking LOVE this movie. . . . CLASSIC

[@kennethohnemus3192]

Best line in ANY MOVIE EVER

[@JohnNiemsMusic]

The governor and the Indian are both played by MEL BROOKS who produced the movie Wilson!

[@EverettB74]

You gotta think of this movie as a live action cartoon! It's so over the top.Mell Brooks played the indian and the gov.

[@totomomo18]

Great movie one of the best comedies of all time. Other great Mel Brooks spoof comedies is Spaceballs ( Only if you seen the original Star Wars trilogy) or High Anxiety ( Only if you seen the Hitchcock classic movies like The Birds and Psycho) or Robin Hood men in tights . Another great spoof move from the same directors of Airplane are Top Secret 1984 and Thew Naked Gun trilogy . The governor and the indian chief in the movie are played my Mel Brooks. The indian chief is speaking yiddish as a joke :) (Mel Brooks is jewish).

[@rockinresurrection6542]

High Anxiety is my favorite

[@agenttheater5]

Also Silent Movie, an unrecognised Brooks classic. And of course both versions of 'The Producers'

[@shercahn]

@@agenttheater5 - I enjoyed Silent Movie

[@MrRezRising]

@@rockinresurrection6542 RIP Nurse Diesel. Leachman just passed away in Jan.

[@jyesucevitz]

just before 12:45 you skipped the part where Gene was comforting the sherif after the old lady called him what everyone else was. when Cleavon laughs after Gene called 'em simple morons and he laughed, that was a legit character break after Gene adlibbed those lines. I'm glad Mel used that take. it's always fun when a real funny person can make another break character and crack up too.

[@Scyllax]

“Mongo Santamaria” was a Latin percussionist.

[@connieleighton4375]

Randolph Scott was a war hero that became a huge cowboy star.... Jessie Owens was an Olympic runner and the Indian chief was also the governor and that is Mr Mel Brooks the guy behind the movie and one of the funniest guys ever in the movie biz...♡

[@ForgottenHonor0]

There is no goddamn way this movie could possibly be made today in this day and age!

[@zeframmann1641]

Mel Brookes knew how to handle touchy subjects without punching down at marginalized people. The joke is almost always at the expense of the racists and oppressors, not the oppressed.

[@hyikoufang3726]

"It couldn't be made then, and yet we still did it." -Mel Brooks when asked if a movie like that could be made today. so yeah, it could still be made today. people are just too damn sensitive to see past the surface of it and too worried about offending the sjw twitter crowd. the average person doesn't give a crap and sees the humor

[@MGower4465]

"They said you was hung!" "And they was right!" This one got past me first couple of times watching this movie. Dang.

[@christhornycroft3686]

As a guy who grew up in Canada a fan of the Fresh Prince in the 90s, that joke landed for me. I got all the stereotype jokes. Amazing.

[@loquayrocks]

so few young people get the Hedley (Hedy) Lamarr joke. Hedy Lamarr was an astoundingly beautiful actress in the 1940s / 1950s. Not only was she a great actress but she was an inventor whose inventions led directly to Mobile Phones and the Internet (she invented a frequency hopping device, initially for torpedos in the war but by adapting it, it makes cellular communication possible)

[@lorrainehinde1280]

I’m glad most people who watch it see it for the anti racist film it is👍🏼and I love all the clever little jokes and lines like when Hedley tells his gang to raise their right hand and has to yell at the Germans “right”😂❤️

[@datamike00]

It always surprises me when someone discovers this movie. It was always there. It's like discovering Casablanca. Am i really that old?

[@georgetirebiter6987]

Iam I saw this movie when it first came out. But we had to drive tofar north Dallas too see it. They did not play it in my hometown Ft Worth. I laughed so hard and often that I felt sore from all of Mel Brooks magic.

[@cathyfiske6237]

Thank you for watching the whole movie before you made any judgements. I love to watch reaction videos for music but I never realized they had reaction videos for movies as well.. Until this movie reaction video popped up. Out of the 3 reactions I watched only 2 of you understood what this movie meant. That the racial and other mockings in this movie are not celebrating racisms but making fun of how absurd racism is and more importantly how it makes someone look really really stupid. If more people could see that instead of getting offended at a bunch of nonsense words, that can be easily ignored, and we could learned to laugh at those absurdities again The World would be a better place for sure. But too many are profiting off racism and most have no clue that they are, and too many want TO find a reason to be offended.. Like the 3rd guy I watched. Im so glad that you loved this movie too and understood it.! My true wish would have had Richard Pryor in this like he was supposed to be, but I gotta say I loved Clevon Little just as much. He and Gene Wilder made a great duo. RIP to all 3..

[@Serai3]

Okay, here's a suggestion for a comedy no one's reacted to yet - "The Sting". It came out in 1973 and it was a MASSIVE hit. The highest grossing comedy up to that time. I saw it every week the whole summer it came out, and it's AMAZING. I guarantee you'll love it. It'll run rings around your brain! :)

[@datamike00]

don't know if I'd classify it as a comedy, but it's a great movie

[@robertc.1958]

@Serai3: Agreed. 'The Sting' is a brilliant movie. Classified as Drama/Crime, though, NOT a comedy - although it does have some ( minor ) comedic elements. I saw it at the theater originally and was blown away by the twist ending. Definitely worth someone doing a reaction video to it.

[@SierraSierraFoxtrot]

Fantastic comedy heist movie.

[@Mike-kv5pl]

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is a great movie to check out. Directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder (who co-wrote it with Mel Brooks).

[@fearlessfosdick160]

The only problem with Young Frankenstein is that Brooks' parody movies were made for a specific generation. In order to fully appreciate the film, one needs to have to have seen the first five Universal Frankenstein movies because it is a lampoon of those old horror movies.

[@Mike-kv5pl]

@@fearlessfosdick160 It would help you appreciate the movie a little more if you were familiar with the original Frankenstein movie of the 1930's. However, it is such a well made movie and has plenty of funny moments that I believe it will still be enjoyable for those who didn't see those old original movies

[@jgrant4736]

So funny!

[@shevawn1973]

So is "High Anxiety" and "History of the World" among others.

[@outrez]

"12 Chairs" is actually one of Brooks' personal favorites from interviews he has given.

[@Stickywicket1keet]

‘Scuse me while I whip this out has been a long standing joke 😆

[@shaitanlavey]

Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason - The Toy Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder - Stir Crazy and See No Evil, Hear No Evil

[@jillk368]

The Toy is such a great movie. I had the pleasure of meeting Scotty Schwartz a few years ago. He and Richard Pryor remained close friends after that film. He told me that Richard Pryor was just a wonderful man and friend.

[@thomasruwart1722]

Dude and a half! Glad you enjoyed Blazing Saddles - one of my all time favorites! Here's some trivia for you: remember the scene in the Governor's office when the Governor says "This is 1865, you can sue her!" That was a reference to the actress named Hedy Lamarr who, when she found out they were using her name in the movie (they kept mispronouncing Hedley LaMarr as Hedy LaMarr), sued Mel Brooks for $6000 for defamation. Now, trivia part 2: Hedy LaMarr was a gorgeous actress but was also a brilliant mathematician. She developed the concepts and mathematics for something called Spread Spectrum radio transmission that is one of the fundamental underlying techniques used in all cell phone and wireless communications devices. Hedy LaMarr is one of those unsung heroes of technology.

[@dappylu]

7:29 The late great Count Basie.

[@mtevilone]

I was friends with the fastest man who ever lived, at drawing and shooting a revolver. Bob Munden is all over KZbin. He told me that two of the fastest celebrities were Sammi Davis Jr and Jerry Lewis. Every time I see an episode of an old western that Mr Davis was in, I look to see if he got to show off his speed. The guy that played Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke was pretty slow.

[@fearlessfosdick160]

James Arness. He was Peter Graves' brother.

[@blondbowler8776]

I knew Bob, too. He used to hold a cabin fever Snowshoe Steel Match at his range in the dead of Montana winter, just so we could get out of the house for a day. Early-mid 90s. He gave away a LOT of those little single shot .22 derringers at those matches. Have a pre-safety Rossi M92 .44 he slicked up for fast chootin'. He'd come to our range at Deer Creek now and again to choot, too.

[@greeneyesn]

Mongo was played by Alex Karras. He was the adoptive father on Webster and had several bits on many TV shows. Prior to that he played football for the Detroit Lions, LA Rams, & Miami Dolphins from 1958 to 1971. He played in 4 Pro Bowls, and in 2020 was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Alex was 1 of the "Fearsome Foursome" while at Detroit. He was definitely a bad ass! Copy his name and do a search here on YT. YIKES!!

[@moodyblues108]

Can we go no further before mentioning the great Madeliene Kahn. Gone too soon. Comedic legend. She's in manyMel Brookes movies. I've watched Young Frankenstien 1000 times.

[@arisucheddar3097]

And in Clue of course.

[@mhlevy]

And her part as "Empress Nympho" in MB's "History of the World, Part 1" was a complete scream. "[to her litter bearers] Could you please step on the same foot at the same time! My tits are falling off!"

[@maxwellstubbs2510]

Seconding Airplane. Every scene has been a meme since 1980.

[@captainsplifford]

Please watch "Clue." It's hilarious and eminently quotable.

[@mngentry]

And be wary of RED herrings.

[@jamesalexander5623]

But Clue is not nearly as funny as Murder by Death!

[@CoopyKat]

The actor that played the Governor is MEL BROOKS - who made this film - he also plays the Native American later, so you were right - same actor!

[@kdrapertrucker]

The actor that played the governor and the chief is Mel Brooks, who wrote and directed the movie. He appears in all his movies in some form or another.

[@jgrant4736]

My favorite scenes from this movie were the locals' expressions when the black sheriff rode into town and the cowboys farting. Gut busting humor against racism.

[@lonwilcox2082]

Galaxy Quest is a great one if you want a spoof of Star Trek..

[@tempsitch5632]

Galaxy Quest is so good it doesn't need to be sold as a spoof. It stands on it's own unrelated to Star Trek.

[@ladyshar42]

Galaxy Quest is a wonderful movie

[@stevemasters8503]

The guy in the blue sweater on the street corner at the end of the movie was just some guy who wandered on the set during the shoot and they decided to keep him in the movie because Mel loved his reaction

[@Vaillle]

Spaceballs is another good one by Mel Brooks.

[@ladybird1782]

Space balls and robin hood men in tights. 2 of the best

[@sweetcinnamonpnchkin]

Don’t forget Young Frankenstein

[@twylanaythias]

Randolph Scott was the John Wayne of early cinema - over 100 film credits to his name from 1928 to 1962. Though films prior to 1932 rarely included screen credits, audiences knew him by name and his inclusion in a film guaranteed ticket sales. He was one of the earliest cinema 'superstars', overwhelmingly starring in westerns as the heroic lead; the archetype for the "good guy in the white hat".

[@Kevonutube303]

Great sense of humor!! Pleasure to watch this with you. So much gets by so many people. "Young Frankenstein" is next. Same director. Mel Brooks and yes he played " The Gov and the Indian Chief.

[@rebeccabrancaleone531]

Another Mel Brooks to watch it Robin Hood Men in Tights. Also unrelated but great films are the Cornetto Trilogy: Saun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and the Worlds End.

[@jgrant4736]

Dave Chappelle also started in Men in Tights

[@cassiemichael4697]

Randolph Scott was a great cowboy actor. That's why the people respected him so much. He's a legend.

[@bobmartin1060]

My Favorite Year Mel Brooks was a writer on the 1950s TV show Sid Caeser's Your Show of Shows. This movie is based on that. You'll enjoy it.

[@captainnerd6452]

Randolph Scott was a famous Western actor who always played the hero.

[@jeanharris2408]

I agree with Julie...Watch "Young Frankenstein." It even has some of the same people as were in Blazing Saddles. By the way "Blazing Saddles" became the title when Brooks saw the part where the guys are farting, having beans for dinner.

[@zelgkopitar8799]

I watched this movie every day after high school and literally knew the whole movie line by line and over the 30 or so years I've been watching this movie, I never heard about that. Thats amazing and makes the whole thing that much better.

[@sklthedful]

First time I’ve heard that. That’s great! 😄

[@bocephus124]

Mongo was actually a very good football defensive lineman and was on Monday night football a few years, think he played with lions

[@fearlessfosdick160]

Alex Karras.

[@TheCognient]

History of the world by Mel brooks. A must watch

[@joanieminton5609]

The guy playing the governor, is Mel Brooks, the person who produced, wrote and directed the movie....

[@Caseytify]

Running gag: Hedley Lamar's name ("that's _Hedley_ !") was a play on Hedy Lamar, who was a famous actress in the 30s and 40s. She threatened to sue the producers, hence the joke that "It's 1874, you can sue her!" Harvey Korman made a joke about "and almost certain nomination for Best Supporting Actor," but Madeline Kahn actually did win Best Supporting Actress for this movie.

[@catherinehubbard1167]

The guy who plays the governor is the same who plays the Indian chief, Mel Brooks, the director of this film. He speaks Yiddish to Bart’s family.

[@kevinmcconnell9426]

Brooks keeps making reference to Hedy Lamar, of whom Charlie Chaplin said she was the most beautiful woman on earth. She was also an engineering genius, Hedy Lamar is responsible for designing the signal jumping radio technology that makes it possible for cellphones to work. The design was intended for use guiding torpedos during WWll, of which the men that ran the war didn’t think a woman could make something good for war.

[@TheHawk--oe8iq]

You're right. Mel Brooks played both roles: the governor & the Indian chief. Alex Karras, a former Detroit Lion, played the role of Mongo.

[@oldschool72]

Mel Brooks who wrote this movie and produced it plays the GOV and The Indian Chief.

[@macartancaughey9993]

Hi Wilson the gut that played the Governor and the Indian Chief was Mel Brooks the guy that made that movie Blazing Saddles

[@thehilltopescape7126]

Great comedic classic. Listen to the interviews of cast members, including Cleavon Little. Cleavon was a very educated man who said he loved making this film and that almost didn’t happen. He added that none of the cast were racist and he became friends with them all, white and black alike. He wanted people to laugh.

[@bigdaddyozone8574]

Randolph Scott was a Hollywood actor who spent 30 years playing one role - he was famous for playing a "Sheriff" in Cowboy movies from 1940 - 1960's

[@outrez]

Randolph Scott reference is actually an inside joke. I culled this from the PGA Tour site: Los Angeles Country Club was in the vicinity, too, but the members shied away from admitting entertainers in its early days. It was more of an old money/oil money crowd, according to David Pavoni, co-author of the book, “Golf in Hollywood” with Robert Chew. Hollywood stature meant nothing to them. “There’s a funny story about actor Randolph Scott,” Pavoni says in reference to LACC. “He wanted to be a member there and they said we don’t accept actors and he said, ‘I’m not an actor and I have 50 films to prove it.’” ... So they admitted him.

[@fr33525]

This movie is packed full of my favorite actors.

[@mkozlinski]

Fun Fact: there was a TV series "Black Bart" starring Louis Gosset Jr. It was never broadcasted. Mel Brooks' contract gave no right to making a sequel unless (a loophole) the studio make a tv series within six months. So they shot whole series they had no intention to broadcast (a loophole in the loophole), just to keep the rights to the title (and sequel). And all in vain because when they did, no one was interested in making that sequel.

[@erinesque1889]

My dad told me that the guy who said Mongo! Santa Maria was making reference to a wrestler named Mongo Santa Maria. That’s all I know about that 😂

[@unrulyjulie4382]

Mongo was played by Alex Karras who was a Pro Bowl defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions.

[@codyprice2616]

Some great Westerns to check out is Silverado, Tombstone, Unforgiven, 3:10 to Yuma (Christian Bale and Russell Crowe version), both versions of the Magnificent Seven, and Open Range

[@mrnobody6447]

Still best series of lines no one has repeated or commented on was when the sheriff asked him "So what do you like to do for fun?" "Play chess and( licks lips) screw" Same smile" let's play chess then".

[@SuperBigblue19]

Mongo was played by 4X All Pro & NFL HOFer Alex Karras who played DT for the Detroit Lions.

[@Lynxdom]

After decades I just got the Hedy Lamarr joke.

[@RWS1255]

I remember seeing this at the Drive-In. You could hear everyone laughing. Mel Brook is a comedic genius. Great cast. I don't remember Slim Pickens doing comedy. I remember him in a lot of Westerns.

[@MiBones]

Dr. Strangelove. Pickens rode the A bomb down.

[@antoinerideaux-porche8110]

The guy who played mongo was a former football player who played for the Detroit Lions and he was on a 80s comedy show called Webster

[@bryonensminger7462]

Randolph Scott was a mega star of western movies back in the day

[@kathrynkissane5144]

Wish u had more movies, as you do an amazing job!

[@jimstacy7009]

Randolph Scott was a big actor especially westerns in the 40s 50s and early 60s

[@bryonensminger7462]

Here comes my favorite seen and line in the whole movie " hey where the white women at " hilarious

[@TedBrogan]

Yep for Gen X'ers, this movie was being played in households throughout the 80's and early 90's. Some moms and dads made sure their kids avoided hearing the N-word, but really, network TV always bleeped it out anyway. But some had HBO, so those kids got it. But yea, these jokes were about things I didn't understand - but I saw my dad and his friends laughing at it. As time went by I learned why they were funny. Crazy how that cycle just keeps going. Movies are the backbone of so much of our lives.

[@matthawkins8880]

Mel Brooks was the producer and the primary force in the content. He was the Governor and the Indian Chief.

[@ymcpa73]

I also noticed he was in the lineup of the various bandits. He was dressed like a Hollywood producer, basically saying Hollywood producers are also the scum of the earth.

[@ssombies]

Great comedy film. One of my favorites. I enjoyed watching it with you. Great reactions.

[@04m11]

History of the World part 1 is a classic Mell Brooks movie

[@lindariley8178]

Good ole Mel Brooks he could always make us laugh ...the green mile

[@MrTommygunz420]

Little known fact that is one of the most beautiful stories of old Hollywood: the level of collaboration between Gene Wilder and comedian Richard Pryor (although seeing a few other of the movies they were both in its more obvious.) Every single line spoken by a white person (except for Mel Brooks' character,) was written by Richard while Gene wrote every line spoken by someone who is black (the conversation around the cart and quicksand feels so much like it should have been said in Silver Streak [another great movie.]) I heard that the wrap up party at the end of filming was pretty legendary too.

[@MrTommygunz420]

^still watching and waiting on your reaction to a few key scenes, (and sorry I'm too poor to be a Patron,) but any of the other movies that have both Gene and Richard Pryor together are 1) damn good films in their own right and 2) seeing this again after will give you more understanding of the writing style in this. The "Good morning Ma'am" happened as I typed; that was one of the scenes I was waiting on

[@MrTommygunz420]

Ok the "Where're the White Women at?" did not disappoint either😂

[@moodyblues108]

I know no one knows who Harvey Kormen is. Check him out. One of the funniest men of all time. A true true legend.

[@mhlevy]

That's true. Though he did a few movies with Mel Brooks, if you get a chance, see his work on the weekly "Carol Burnett Show." It was an amazing show that was on TV for more than a decade, and Harvey was a standout. After the first season, they bought in Tim Conway, and the two of them were absolutely hilarious together, like the Dentist sketch, or other times where Tim would do or say something that would get Harvey or other members of the case to crack up, and it would have the audience howling with laughter. Check out his scene in a "Mama" sketch, where Tim begin ad-libing about the Siamese Elephants (it was an outtake because of Vickie Lawrence's language, but still.)

[@charlenepancer239]

Just in case nobody told you in the comments. I remembered Fun fact...🙃 When this movie Premiered in Hollywood At The End the Sheriff actually Road His horse through the center of the lobby down to center stage of Theater .