Question: who was supposed to be in blazing saddles

title: Blazing Saddles
text: Casting was problematic . Richard Pryor was Brooks ' original choice to play the Sheriff Bart , but the studio , claiming his history of drug arrests made him uninsurable , refused to approve financing with Pryor as the star . Cleavon Little was cast in the role , and Pryor remained as a writer . Brooks offered the other leading role , the Waco Kid , to John Wayne ; he declined , deeming the film `` too blue '' for his family - oriented image , but assured Brooks that `` he would be the first one in line to see it . '' Gig Young was cast , but he collapsed during his first scene from what was later determined to be alcohol withdrawal syndrome , and Gene Wilder was flown in to replace him . Johnny Carson and Wilder both turned down the Hedley Lamarr role before Harvey Korman was cast . Madeline Kahn objected when Brooks asked to see her legs during her audition . `` She said , ' So it 's THAT kind of an audition ? ' '' Brooks recalled . `` I explained that I was a happily married man and that I needed someone who could straddle a chair with her legs like Marlene Dietrich in Destry Rides Again . So she lifted her skirt and said , ' No touching . ' '' 

Answer: answer: Richard Pryor was Brooks' original choice to play the Sheriff Bart, but the studio refused.   Brooks offered the other leading role, the Waco Kid, to John Wayne; he declined, deeming the film `` too blue '' for his family - oriented image.   Gig Young was cast, but he collapsed during his first scene.  Johnny Carson and Wilder both turned down the Hedley Lamarr role.
answer: Richard Pryor was Brooks' original choice to play the Sheriff Bart, but the studio refused. Brooks offered the other leading role, the Waco Kid, to John Wayne; he declined. Gig Young was cast, but he collapsed during his first scene. Johnny Carson and Wilder both turned down the Hedley Lamarr role.