Cleavon Little as "Sebastian"

Cleavon Jake Little (June 1, 1939 - October 22, 1992) was an American actor. Little was raised in San Diego, California, and attended Kearny High School, graduating in 1957. He appeared in A Raisin in the Sun in 1962 at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego and graduated from San Diego State College in 1965 with a degree in speech therapy. He worked his way through college as a janitor and gave Black poetry presentations to clubs and groups. He won a scholarship from the American Broadcasting Company to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and was named the best actor in the class of 1967.

Little made his professional debut in February 1967, appearing off-Broadway at the Village Gate as the Muslim Witch in the original production of Barbara Garson's MacBird. This was followed by the role of Foxtrot in the original production of Bruce Jay Friedman's long-running play Scuba Duba, which premiered in October 1967. While portraying Foxtrot at night, he portrayed Hamlet during the days at schools and parks on behalf of the New York Shakespeare Festival. In 1970, he starred in the Broadway production of Purlie, for which he earned both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. His first leading television role was that of the irreverent Dr. Jerry Noland on the ABC sitcom Temperatures Rising (1972-1974). While starring in the sitcom, Little appeared in what has become his signature role, portraying Sheriff Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy film Blazing Saddles.

In the 1980s, Little continued to appear in stage productions, films, and in guest spots on television series. Little played a supporting role to Pryor in the racing movie Greased Lightning (1977), based on the true life story of Wendell Scott, the first black stock car racing winner in America. Other films included FM (1978), Scavenger Hunt (1979), The Salamander (1981), High Risk (1981), Jimmy the Kid (1982), Surf II (1984), Toy Soldiers (1984), and this film, Once Bitten (1985) as Sebastian. Then in 1989 he appeared as a closeted gay man in the sitcom Dear John in the episode "Stand by Your Man," for which Little won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. Little died of colon cancer at his home in the Sherman Oaks area of Los Angeles on October 22, 1992.

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