Cleavon Little Age, Net Worth, Family, Career ,height and weight

Once we take a glance at our past life of Cleavon Little, we do not see only an actor. We observe a person who had used competence, humour and grit to create a career that is still relevant to the audiences even today. Since his early days in Oklahoma and California, to his achievements on Broadway, in film and on television, his story is one which can provide lessons on craft, ambition and legacy. We could have a closer look at the way in which Cleavon Little left his mark.

Table of Contents

Who is Cleavon Little?

Early Life and Education Roots and upbringing Cleavon Jake Little was born June 1, 1939 in Chickasha, Oklahoma. He and his family later relocated to San Diego, California where he studied in the Kearny High School and graduated in 1957.

His classical background in Shakespeare and theatre provided him with a few tools that most comedic actors did not have. He integrated that base with work in films and television making him a rounded performer. This discipline of the stage and screen versatility contributed to the shaping of his success.

Cleavon Little biography

Category	Details
Full Name	Cleavon Jake Little
Date of Birth	June 1, 1939
Place of Birth	Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA
Died	October 22, 1992 (aged 53)
Place of Death	Sherman Oaks, California, USA
Nationality	American
Education	San Diego State University; Juilliard School (Scholarship); American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Occupation	Actor (Stage, Film, Television)
Years Active	1967–1992
Notable Works	Purlie (1970), Blazing Saddles (1974), Dear John (1989), True Colors (1991)
Awards	Tony Award (1970), Drama Desk Award (1970), Primetime Emmy Award (1989), BAFTA Nomination (1974)
Famous Role	Sheriff Bart in Blazing Saddles
Family	Sister: DeEtta Little (Singer of “Gonna Fly Now” from Rocky)
Cause of Death	Colon Cancer
Legacy	Broke racial barriers in stage and screen acting; Scholarship at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts named in his honor; Posthumous Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame (1994)

Educational preparation

Studying acting did not end in San Diego after which he received a full scholarship to study at the Juilliard School, he also studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York where he learned Shakespeare and classical theatre.

Early influences and drive

Little had worked in stages at an early age where he perfected his art. According to one profile: When he depicted Foxtrot at night, he depicted Hamlet at the schools and parks during the days in New York Shakespeare Festival. This shows the level of commitment he gave to everything about his art even at the young age.

Breakthrough On Stage

Wideway showing and training become reality. In December, 1968, Cleavon Little made his Broadway debut in the musical Jimmy Shine starring Dustin Hoffman. It was a couple of years later, however, when his big moment came.

Tony Award for “Purlie”

In 1970 he featured in the Purlie show in Broadway as the title character. It earned him a Tony Award in Best Actor in a Musical and a Drama Desk Award as a result of this show. This was the role that catapulted him to the limelight and gave him his stage credibility.

Importance of his work on stage.

The fact that he had made it on stage had opened doors in film and television. It also revealed his versatility as he was not merely a humorous actor but a person who was also trained on classical drama and musical theater. His Shakespeare and classics training (Hamlet, A Midsummer Nights Dream) was the source of his power as an actor.

Film and Television Career

Screen appearances and film roles Early.
His initial movie exposure was small. For example:
1968: Whats So bad about Feeling Good – uncredited.
1969: John and Mary — small role.
1970: Cotton Comes to Harlem – a more noticeable movie in Black cinema.
Such initial screen exposure enabled him to acquire exposure and located his way into bigger assignments.

Television series and regular characters.

His initial significant TV appearance was as Dr Jerry Noland in the ABC sitcom Temperatures Rising which ran between 1972-1974 in its various incarnations.It is this regular TV role that enabled him to become well known to a wider audience.

Stereotypical role

Sheriff Bart in Blazing Saddles. Little played Sheriff Bart in the western comedy film Blazing Saddles, which was directed by Mel Brooks, in 1974. The role has become his iconic role. The movie parodied the Western traditions and formidable societal remarks about race, Little being its subject. Little was nominated at BAFTA in Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles.

Later film and TV work

Little went on to work regularly after Blazing Saddles. Some highlights:
He also featured in Greased Lightning (1977) racing movie with Richard Pryor.
In 1989, he received an Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award because of his appearance on the sitcom Dear John.
He starred in the Fox sitcom True Colors, an interracial family sitcom that opened in 1991, and played Ronald Freeman.
These parts demonstrate that he is a versatile actor on stage and screen, in musicals and sitcoms, serious and comedy.

Year Award Project Outcome

1970 Tony Award, Best Actor in a Musical Purlie Won.
1970 Drama Desk Award Best Actor Purlie Won.
1974 BAFTA nomination -Most Promising Newcomer Blazing Saddles Nominated.
1989 Primetime Emmy Award, Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Dear John Won.
1994 Hollywood Walk of Fame star Motion Pictures Posthumous award.

Table:

1974 Blazing Saddles Sheriff Bart Film.
1972-74 Temperatures Rising Dr Jerry Noland Television.
1977 Greased Lightning Peewee” Film.
1989 Dear John Tony Larkin (Guest) Television.
1991 True Colors Television F Gonceril Freeman Ron.

Themes, Impact and Legacy

Breaking barriers The reason why the career of Cleavon Little is important is that he represented a generation of African-American actors who had been shifting to leading and various roles at a time when it was not easy. Indicatively, his role as Sheriff Bart in Blazing Saddles ran against the grain and racial stereotyping.

Craft and training

Role model and influence

Actors and filmmakers are still being influenced by the work of Little. He proved that Black actors could perform comic parts, as well as serious theatre parts without contradictions. He made it a standard of breadth and depth in career decisions by being on Broadway, a TV and film.

Challenges and later years

Little also experienced health problems though successes. Biographical profiles indicate that he had ulcers and digestive problems most of his adult life. He passed on 22 nd October 1992, in Sherman Oaks, California, at the age of 53, due to colon cancer. Style and Approach: What Cleavon Little was Unique.

Comic with dramatic chops.

He had a natural ease in delivering, a readiness to play against type and a timing that rendered humour to appear natural. Meanwhile his dramatic education gave him richness. In profiles and interviews he stressed on talent and preparation rather than on surface casting.

Choice of roles

Little chose to work across many different types of roles musicals, comedies, sitcoms, guest TV appearances, etc. instead of being type cast. He was also committed to the craft as he took up stage work despite screen success.

Cultural relevance

His roles tended to explore concepts of race and identity, either directly (True Colors) or indirectly (Blazing Saddles) by satire. He did not only play stereotypical characters, but also smart and charismatic ones. Home and In Off-Stage Life.

Family and background

He had many siblings; his sister DeEtta Little was a singer who performed vocally on the theme of the movie Rocky, Gonna Fly Now. Cleavon was raised by parents, Malachi Little and DeEtta Jones (Little) and worked all through school and continues to develop his talent.

Interests and values

Little talked of the need to be cast not only based on skin colour but also based on talent. According to sources he said in an interview:

“It’s not the general public. The general population, it does not have that issue. It is an issue that concerns the manufacturers and their phobias themselves…

Health and legacy

His medical conditions such as ulcers and colon cancer soon cut his life and career short. His demise in 1992 was accompanied by the appreciation of his role. Scholarship was subsequently named in his honor at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts to provide scholarship to non-whites. Why Cleavon Little Matters Today.

Representation and visibility.

The rise of Little contributed to an increase in the scope of activities black actors could perform on the stage and the screen. His achievement in musical, comedies and dramatic roles paved way to others.

Craft meets visibility

He was a blend of strict theatre education and entertainment by mass. That combination remains to be an example of actors who seek both credibility and visibility.

Timeless performances

Movies such as Blazing Saddles are still in the cultural memory and archives (such as the National Film Registry) and his television production continues to appeal to the viewer looking back. His film work, stage performing and television work makes his legacy so widespread. Vocations on Professional Problems and Successes.

Triumphs

Receiving a Tony award when he was still young in the entertainment industry in the role of Purlie.
Going pop-culture immortal with Sheriff Bart in Blazing Saddles.
Perennial experience in the field of theatre, film and television.
Later in his career receiving an Emmy Award as the guest in Dear John.

Challenges

Medical problems which slowed down his old age.
Operating in a sector where black actors have more barriers of entry in large part of his career.
The challenge of replicating the breakout success of Blazing Saddles with similar roles later on, which is the norm with most actors.

Lessons we can take

Training and craft: he was successful thanks to classical training.

Flexibility is an asset: playing on stage, screen and musicals and comedy expanded his chances.

Honesty and ambitions: he talked of how he desired positions on merit other than on race.

Filmography Strengths and Inspirations.

The following are some of his choices that we have not previously enumerated, and which indicate the breadth of his work:
1971: Vanishing Point Little appeared as a blind radio DJ in the cult-film car chase narrative, as Super Soul.
The early 1980s and the guest spots on The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, The Fall Guy and others.
1991: Separate but Equal, a television documentary drama with Little co-starring with Sidney Poitier, in the role of civil-rights attorney Robert L. Carter.
These appearances demonstrate a performer at home in all forms and genres.

Summary

The life and career of Cleavon Little has provided a good account of talent, persistence and achievement. He started with very good background in training and theatre, scored a breakthrough success in Broadway, left a permanent mark in film with Blazing Saddles, and eventually maintained a television career, earning an Emmy award. On his journey he had to overcome racial discriminatory laws, illnesses and the changing face of entertainment.

Conclusion

His legacy lives on due to the fact that he revealed that black actors can shine in wide mediums and types of shows such as musicals, comedy, television, theatre and that a serious training with humorous timing can yield memorable work. His career is topical to actors, theatre and film students and popular culture fans.

When you take a glance at his life curves, education, breakout, major role, his further work, health issues, and you have a story of a great person who used his gifts to the fullest and left a body of work and opened the doors to others. The message: design matters, perseverance matters and being consistent with ones intentions can create a lasting work.

FAQs

1.What was the most famous thing about Cleavon Little?

Cleavon Little is most remembered due to his performance in the 1974 movie, Blazing Saddles, as Sheriff Bart. He also gained significant popularization on Broadway where he performed in Purlie and won a Tony Award in that performance.

2.What was the beginning of the acting career of Cleavon Little?

He started with theatrical training, and studied at San Diego State University, and was later given a scholarship with Juilliard and trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. It was in 1967 that he made his professional acting debut in off-Broadway.

3.What are the awards that Cleavon Little has won in his career?

He won a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award in Purlie, was nominated in a BAFTA Award in 1979 in Blazing Saddles and in 1989 he won a Primetime Emmy Award in a guest appearance in TV series Dear John.

4.How did Cleavon Little influence the image of African-American actors?

He showed how the African-American performers could perform successfully on stage, at the film and televisions in the leading roles, musicals, and comedy. His appearances in large productions contributed to the broadening of the possibilities and the shaking of the typecasting.

5.When and what was the legacy of Cleavon Little?

On October 22, 1992, Cleavon Little passed away in the Sherman Oaks, California, dying of colon cancer. His endearing plays are part of his legacy, his support of talent over stereotyping casting, and his stepping in as an example of what an actor must be. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, given him posthumously.