10 More Best Actor Replacements In Movies
5. Gene Wilder - Blazing Saddles
Mel Brooks’ legendary spoof Western Blazing Saddles is still regarded by many as one of the funniest films ever made.
Its story revolves around the partnership between a sheriff named Bart (Cleavon Little) and alcoholic gun-for-hire Jim “The Waco Kid”, played by frequent Brooks collaborator Gene Wilder. Though the pair had already worked together on The Producers, Wilder was not who Brooks originally wanted for the role.
After first offering the part to John Wayne (who, in true Duke fashion, did not get the joke), Brooks eventually settled on Gig Young, a three-time Oscar nominee with a real-life drinking problem. Sadly, Young’s demons wasted little time in derailing the shoot, as he collapsed on set during his first scene.
The star was diagnosed with severe alcohol withdrawal and deemed unfit to fulfil his duties. Brooks got on the phone to Wilder, who flew in to save the day.
Wilder absolutely crushed it here. He played a huge part in making Blazing Saddles what it is and The Waco Kid would also define his career moving forward.
It might not have been under the most pleasant of circumstances, but thank God this switch happened.