Making the famous Oklahoman’s list has no real definitive guidelines as to achievementbutdoesrequire that a selectee be either born or died in Oklahoma.
Cleavon Jake Little, perhaps better known as Sheriff Bart in the Mel Brooks comedy film “Blazing Saddles”, was born June 1,1939 in Chickasha, Okla. Not only was a celebrity born that year, but other things worth noting occurred. The Chickasha DailyExpressnewspaper circulation averaged 6,089, an adult could swim at the Chickasha municipal pool for 20 cents, a man could purchase a pair of slacks for .89 cents, a pair of no run panty hose cost .49 cents and a loaf of bread was .07 cents, to name a few.
Indian Territory, Chickasaw Nation is the correct description of the town when it was founded in 1892 and incorporated in 1902 before Oklahoma statehood. In the First American Chickasaw languagethewordChickasha means “Big River” and the namesake is quite appropriate as the town sits on the Washita River a significant watersourceinthepre-Oklahoma era. The town is now simply referred to as Chickasha, Okla. Chickasha has a rich history and a little over four decades after the town was named. The history got a little richer with the birth of Littleandevenmoreinteresting was the fact that Little was not the only person in his family to attain famous status. His sister, DeEtta Little West, best known for her vocals in the iconic movie “Rocky”wheresheperformed the main theme song by Bill Conti “Gonna Fly Now”.
Little did not seem to stay intheChickasawNationvery long and as many artistic performers seem to do, he also made the drastic move out west. The Little family moved to California in time for him to graduate from Kearny High School in 1957.
Little went to college at San Diego State College graduating with a degree in speechtherapyin1965.Little worked his way through college as a janitor and regularly presented Black Poetry to various clubs and groups eventuallywinningascholarship to American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. He was named best actor in the class of 1967.
Little had an interesting group of acting parts, one beingtheportrayalofHamlet attheNewYorkShakespeare Festival. He also played in “Cotton Comes to Harlem” in 1970 where he played alongside another icon, Redd Foxx better known as Fred Sanford, on the television show “Sanford and Son”, who also was early into his career.
No doubt Little rocked the acting world in a dramatic and comic sort of fashion, one might even say he silently seemed to change the perspective of a struggling nation. HewonaTonyaward for best actor in 1970 an original Broadway production of “Purlie Victorious” in which Little portrayed the leading character of Purlie Victorious Judson.
Another roll of Little was that in the well-known “The Waltons”. In the episode, “The Homecoming: A Christmas Story”, he played the part of a preacher helping John-Boy Walton search for his father. Little played a part in another well-known TV show, “All in the Family”, in a 1971 episode titled, “Edith Writes a Song” where he played a burglar as stated.
Some might say Little passed away at a young age, he was barely in his 50s by his last curtain call October 22, 1992, in Los Angeles. Little crossed many lines in his acting career at a time whensuchachievementmust have been challenging to say the least.