Reason John Wayne turned down legendary western comedy despite loving the script
John Wayne was once offered a role in a groundbreaking Western comedy, but despite his admiration for the script, he decided not to take part.
John Wayne, one of Hollywood’s most legendary cowboys, once passed up the opportunity to star in a Western comedy that would go on to become a cult classic.
Despite his love for the script, he ultimately chose not to take part in the 1974 film Blazing Saddles. Directed by Mel Brooks, Blazing Saddles is a satirical take on the American West.
The movie starred Cleavon Little as Bart, a Black man who becomes the sheriff of a racist frontier town, and Gene Wilder as his unlikely sidekick, Jim. The film also featured a memorable cast, including Slim Pickens, Harvey Korman and Madeline Kahn.
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Mel Brooks, 98, recalled Wayne’s decision, revealing that he had hoped to cast the iconic actor as the Waco Kid, a role that would have perfectly fit Wayne’s established cowboy image.
Brooks recalled, “I wanted him to play the Waco Kid, because the Duke was such a good actor. His reality is that he is the cowboy Western."
According to the filmmaker, after giving Wayne the script, he promised to read it overnight. The next morning, Wayne shared his thoughts, saying he loved every aspect of the script, but found it “too dirty” for his audience.
“He said that it’s too blue, that it would disappoint his fans. He said, though, that he would be the first one in line to see it,” he told Metro Philadelphia.
Another actor who hadn't appeared in the movies was Richard Pryor, who was actually Mel’s original choice to play Sheriff Bart. However, he hadn’t been offered the role due to his past drug arrests.
As a result, it ultimately went to Cleavon Little, who played Sheriff Bart.
Brooks and Pryor shared a close friendship that began during their time in New York City. They often spent time together. Mel shared, "We were both stand-up comics in the Village. He’d do his act, I’d do mine and we’d meet for Chinese food. Later, when I did Blazing Saddles I told him there was real money in writing this, that and that I’ll pay for lunch — which for him was Remy Martin. He was very fond of lunch — a very funny, sweet man."
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Wayne, known for his legendary performances in Westerns and war films during Hollywood's Golden Age, was ultimately hesitant to depart from his long-established image.
Over a career spanning more than five decades and more than 170 films, Wayne became synonymous with the rugged, stoic cowboy figure. Some of his most iconic films include She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), The Searchers (1956) and True Grit (1969), for which he won his only Academy Award for Best Actor.
He died in June 1979, at the age of 72, after a long battle with cancer. He had been diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1964, but continued to work despite his health struggles. His condition worsened over the years, and he ultimately succumbed to the disease.
