A stunning part of this story is that Gene Wilder was not the original Waco Kid - he joined production *after* shooting had started as a favor to Brooks, whose original Waco Kid (Gig Young) quickly (in his first scene) proved to not be up to the task. Brooks quickly called Wilder, who hoped on a plane to join the production in progress and take over the role. It is hard to imagine the movie without Wilder’s sincere and empathetic Waco Kid.
It is literally impossible to imagine what a Blazing Saddles without Gene Wilder would have been like. He really sold the immediate friendship between Waco Kid and Bart.
A stunning part of this story is that Gene Wilder was not the original Waco Kid - he joined production *after* shooting had started as a favor to Brooks, whose original Waco Kid (Gig Young) quickly (in his first scene) proved to not be up to the task. Brooks quickly called Wilder, who hoped on a plane to join the production in progress and take over the role. It is hard to imagine the movie without Wilder’s sincere and empathetic Waco Kid.
It is literally impossible to imagine what a Blazing Saddles without Gene Wilder would have been like. He really sold the immediate friendship between Waco Kid and Bart.
Brooks first wanted John Wayne as the Waco Kid.