Celebrity Nooz: Burton Gilliam

Burton Gilliam (Actor) - Blazing Saddles

Updated: 8/14/18

Name: Burton Gilliam

Birth Name: Burton Gilliam

Born: August 9, 1938 in Dallas, Texas, USA

Nickname: Bubba

Claim To Fame: Burton Gilliam is an American actor most famous for his appearances in Blazing Saddles, Paper Moon, Honeymoon in Vegas, Fletch and much more.

Family Life: Burton now resides with wife, Susan, in Allen, Texas. They have 2 children, 5 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

Info: Was a Golden Gloves boxer '59-'67; competed in 217 fights.

Before pursing acting, Gilliam was a fireman for 14 years.

Was assigned to Engine Co. 39 at the time of his resignation in 1972 from the Dallas Fire Department.

He was a Golden Gloves referee in Dallas, Texas, before he was an actor.

Professional boxing referee and judge in the State of California.

Lived in Hollywood from 1973-1996.

Trivia: Met Madeline Kahn for the first time while making the film Paper Moon. She predicted that the two of them would work together again. Within three months, both of them had been cast in Blazing Saddles.

After seeing a rough cut of Paper Moon, director Mel Brooks called Gilliam personally to offer him the role of Lyle in Blazing Saddles.

Burton Gilliam has the distinction of being the first person in cinematic history to break wind in a feature film. See Blazing Saddles' campfire/beans scene if you haven't already.

In 1986 comedy Fletch, Chevy Chase invited Gilliam to lunch to go over the their scene together, the scene when the character of Fletch inspects an airplane. Gilliam said that the entire scene was improvised, except for the very first and last line, which were said as scripted. (One of the best scenes in the movie.)

During his time on the sitcom Evening Shade, Gilliam became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences thanks to his friends and co-stars Burt Reynolds and Charles Durning.

Granddaughter HOLLIE VISE won the gold medal at the World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, 2004 (Uneven Bars). She's in the Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

Dated future 'Wonder Woman' Lynda Carter for 6-months.

Where Are They Now: Gilliam currently resides Allen, Texas. He spends the majority of his time on the golf course and making 50 television commercials, for auto dealers and the like, a year.

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