NASA engineers have fixed a computer error that caused the interstellar Voyager 1 probe to glitch and stop transmitting data back to Earth for five months.

UPDATED: 4/23/2024 Many call Blazing Saddles the funniest movie ever made. Sure enough‚ even though it was released nearly 50 years ago‚ it remains a trailblazing cult classic still enjoyed by movie buffs and comedy lovers all over the world. Fans can thank Mel Brooks — already responsible for a string of legendary comedies‚ but this hilarious‚ shocking‚ wall-breaking‚ oh-my-did-that-just-happen Western just might be his magnum opus. Fans also have a strong Blazing Saddles cast to thank for the success of the film‚ and their stories are worth visiting.  So‚ today we’re checking out the cast of Blazing Saddles. Today‚ the film itself is immortalized on the 100 Years…100 Laughs list‚ presented by the American Film Institute. But hat about the cast of this wild 1974 adventure&;#63; Time to find out. Alright‚ let’s giddyup&;#33; Cleavon Little (Sheriff Bart): Blazing Saddles Cast Cleavon Little during and after starting Blazing Saddles / Everett Collection Sheriff Bart is one of the characters that is truly sharp as a tack. He’s a master manipulator‚ using all kinds of different schemes to outsmart his adversaries. The partnership between him and Wilder is also legendary‚ reminiscent of longtime comedy duos like Lewis and Martin‚ or Crosby and Hope. FLETCH LIVES‚ from left: Cleavon Little‚ Chevy Chase‚ 1989‚ © Universal/courtesy Everett Collection RELATED: ‘Top Gun’ Cast Then And Now 2022 Cleavon Little was a Cali resident who went to New York to study at Julliard‚ before winning a Tony Award in 1970 for Purlie on Broadway. Small film roles in the late ’60s took him to Hollywood and he began getting attention for his first leading TV role of the irreverent Dr. Jerry Noland on the new Temperatures Rising show from ’72 to ’74. During that time‚ he began working on Blazing Saddles‚ but was relatively new to film acting. Gene Wilder would give Cleavon LIttle pointers for acting in front of the cameras‚ and the two became good friends. Some people ask how a white man‚ Mel Brooks‚ could write such shocking‚ alarming dialogue in a film. Well‚ Cleavon won the role of Sheriff Bart over stand-up legend Richard Pryor‚ originally slated for the part. Studio executives were nervous over Pryor’s reputation as an unstable racy comedian‚ so Mel couldn’t convince any execs‚ but Pryor still co-wrote the script‚ of course‚ and most of the racy sheriff happenings. Cleavon never quite matched the success of Blazing Saddles‚ but did continue acting‚ especially on the stage and other TV work like his Sal on 1990’s Bagdad Cafe. He also won a Primetime Emmy for his appearance on the sitcom Dear John in 1989. Cleavon was a hard-working and driven man‚ but unfortunately dealt with stomach disorders for much of his life. The charming sheriff died at just 53 years old from colon cancer in 1992. But his legacy certainly continued on. The Cleavon Little Scholarship was founded‚ which provides assistance to minority students. It’s safe to assume that his Sheriff Bart will be watched for generations still to come. The New Sheriff is near — always. Alex Karras (Mongo) Actor and football Hall of Famer Alex Karras / Everett Collection If you shoot Mongo‚ you’ll just make him mad&;#33; And that’s just how NFL quarterbacks used to feel about Alex Karras‚ because he had his start as an NFL lineman — and not just any lineman; he was an amazing five-time all-pro player and a first-round draft pick&;#33; Unfortunately‚ in 1963 he was made an example out of and suspended for betting on games. But while being suspended‚ he went into pro wrestling. Alex Karras / (c)Paramount Television/courtesy Everett Collection This is when he started to really think about show business. Although he returned to football‚ he kept an eye on Hollywood‚ and in 1968 he made his silver screen debut in Paper Lion alongside Alan Alda. In the ’80s he starred as George Papadopolis‚ alongside his wife Susan Clark‚ as the father of Webster in the ABC comedy Webster. Did you know he also hosted Saturday Night Live in the ’80s as well&;#63; Sadly in 2012‚ he passed away due to kidney failure at 77 years old. What a life though. In 2020 he was finally inducted into the pro football Hall of Fame. Gene Wilder (Jim/The Waco Kid): Blazing Saddles Cast The iconic Gene Wilder on Blazing Saddles and after / Everett Collection / ImageCollect The Waco Kid was kind of a mess when we meet him‚ obliterated to smithereens (from alcohol) since people wanted to kill him because he was the fastest draw‚ all culminating in a raucous tale about a 6-year-old who told Jim to stick ’em up. Naturally‚ he threw down his guns‚ and….the rest is history. Sort of. Luckily Bart gives him the motivation to crawl out of that whiskey bottle he’d been living in. Gene Wilder / Adam Nemser-PHOTOlink.net / ImageCollect Wilder began working in the entertainment industry in 1961 and owes a lot to his friendship with Mel Brooks. In 1963‚ Gene co-starred in a stage production opposite Anne Bancroft‚ who introduced him to her husband‚ Brooks. This led to his breakout performance in Mel’s The Producers‚ for which Gene was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Wilder talked about how they’d go at it for hours trying to figure out the best lines for Gene’s character‚ it was a collaborative effort through and through. 1971 brought his magical and delicious Willy Wonka and three years later he became Young Frankenstein — or is it Frankensteen&;#63; Wilder also directed and wrote a number of his own movies. Has anyone seen 1984’s The Woman In Red&;#63; In ‘89‚ he starred alongside the legendary Richard Pryor in See No Evil‚ Hear No Evil. His final role was a few episodes of Will &; Grace in 2002. Beyond acting‚ Wilder was married to infamous SNL goddess Gilda Radner‚ but‚ terribly‚ she died of cancer in 1989 at just 42 years old‚ which severely affected him. He details this struggle in his book Gilda’s Disease. He has also released his highly personal memoir‚ Kiss Me Like a Stranger‚ in 2005. Wilder passed away in August 2016 at the age of 83. His family reported that Gene died while listening to one of his favorite songs‚ “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Ella Fitzgerald. We’re certain that Gene Wilder is somewhere over the rainbow right now. Slim Pickens (Taggart) Actor Slim Pickens / Everett Collection Taggart is your typical dumb henchman—but dumb as he himself may be‚ he’s still pretty good at treating people beneath him like the scum of the earth. THE SACKETTS‚ Slim Pickens‚ Jack Elam‚ Gene Evans‚ 1979. © Media Productions / Courtesy: Everett Collection Slim Pickens‚ born Louis Burton Lindley Jr.‚ began acting in 1946.  However‚ he started out in the rodeo business‚ eventually trying his hand at acting in hopes of landing some cowboy roles—and that’s exactly what happened. His first notable role was the classic 1964 Kubrick film Dr. Strangelove‚ and If you haven’t seen this one‚ do yourself a favor and check it out; it’s a dark comedy about nuclear war that is unfortunately always relevant. Slim had a very busy film career‚ with some great projects that include 1961’s One-Eyed Jacks with Marlon Brando; 1972’s The Cowboys with John Wayne‚ and The Getaway that same year alongside Steve McQueen. He also kept busy on television‚ appearing in a number of popular shows like Bonanza and even BJ and the Bear. He remained a television regular until his death in 1983 at the age of 64. Rest in peace‚ cowboy. Harvey Korman (Hedley Lamarr): Blazing Saddles Cast Harvey Korman in the cast of Blazing Saddles and after / Everett Collection / ImageCollect Mel Brooks wastes no time establishing Hedley Lamarr as the villain of Blazing Saddles‚ who swears he’s a genius but the jury is out. Korman in 2005 / ImageCollect Harvey Korman began gracing our screens with his comedy in 1959. Some prominent early roles were a featured performer on The Danny Kaye Show in the mid-’60s and voicing The Great Gazoo on The Flintstones‚ But he became a household name and favorite when he became a regular player on  The Carol Burnett Show‚ where he shone brightly in 240 episodes over a decade beginning in 1967. Audiences laughed themselves silly watching Harvey himself try not to laugh with Carol and Tim Conway. That dentist sketch remains peak comedy. Korman had an operation in late 2008 on a non-cancerous brain tumor but less than a day after coming home‚ he was re-admitted with a ruptured aneurysm‚ only given a few hours to live. He survived another four months before dying at the age of 81. Thanks for the laughs‚ Harvey. Madeline Kahn (Lili Von Sht&;uuml;pp) Madeline Kahn as part of the cast of Blazing Saddles and after / YouTube screenshot / Everett Collection Lili Von Sht&;uuml;pp is proof that a pretty face and nothing else will eventually go out of style. We learn in her big song that after all the hearts she’s conquered‚ she’s just over it now. Actress Madeline Kahn / Mario Casilli/TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection Madeline Kahn began acting in 1968‚ and her breakout role was in the Peter Bogdanovich acclaimed film Paper Moon. The following year she teamed up with this crew for Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. What a time. She also did a lot of stage work and earned numerous Tony nominations. But she was always a Mel Brooks darling‚ once again shining in 1977’s High Anxiety. In 1983‚ she starred as Madeline Wayne on the short-lived sitcom Oh Madeline&;#33;. Madeline’s final gig was a big arc as Pauline Fox on the show Cosby‚ appearing in over 80 episodes. Sadly‚ Madeline’s life ended early in December 1999 at the age of 57. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer the year before and had undergone treatment while she continued to work on Cosby. But she sure made her mark on the history of the comedy genre. Mel Brooks (Governor Le Petomane): Blazing Saddles Cast Mel Brooks was an integral part of both the cast and crew of Blazing Saddles / Everett Collection / ImageCollect The Governor is your basic satire of a corrupt‚ incompetent politician. He could care less about the priorities of his land and cares more about beautiful women. Mel brooks today / SMXRF/starmaxinc.com STAR MAX 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED / ImageCollect The Blazing Saddles cast is rounded off with Mel Brooks‚ who got his start as a comic and writer for Sid Caesar’s variety show Your Show of Shows from 1950 to 1954. Then‚ alongside Carl Reiner‚ he created the comic character the 2000 Year Old Man for a comedy sketch. He also created the hit series Get Smart with Buck Henry. Some of his many hit films include Spaceballs and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. By 2001‚ he had joined the very small list of EGOT winners‚ deservedly winning an Emmy‚ Grammy‚ Oscar‚ and Tony. He’s so successful that three of his films ranked in AFI’s list of the top 100 comedies of the past 100 years (1900–2000)‚ with Blazing Saddles sitting number six‚ The Producers at 11‚ and Young Frankenstein at 13. Honestly‚ they could all just tie for #1. Mel Brooks is 97 years old today and what’s even more exciting is that he’s not done making audiences laugh. In development‚ he has a film called Blazing Samuari‚ which is‚ you guessed it‚ inspired this first “blazing” comedy; and‚ more recently‚  then there was the 2023 Hulu streaming mini-series‚ History of the World Part II.  There’s a lot of love for Mel Brooks‚ so may he never leave us. From Mongo to a bean-fueled fart fest around the fire‚ Blazing Saddles broke all sorts of barriers‚ including the fourth wall‚ constantly‚ especially in the film stage-crashing finale that occurs. It really is a fantastic film with an even more fantastic cast. Did you know jazz legend Count Basie appears in the film&;#63; And In 2017 Brooks indicated that he would love to adapt the film for a stage production one day. That would probably get a lot of support. So tell us‚ what was your favorite line or scene from Blazing Saddles&;#63; Is it your favorite Mel Brook film&;#63; Who was your favorite Blazing Saddles cast member&;#63; Get in the comments and let’s discuss&;#33; BLAZING SADDLES‚ l-r: Mel Brooks‚ Cleavon Little on poster art‚ 1974 / Everett Collection Click for next Article The post The ‘Blazing Saddles’ Cast‚ Then And Now 2024 appeared first on DoYouRemember&;#63; - The Home of Nostalgia. Author‚ Dana Daly

The world had never and will never again see the likes of Shirley Temple. There have been regrettably many stories like hers‚ of doll-faced youths dragged into the limelight by parents who prioritize fame over their safety. But the trajectory of Temple’s life remains one of the most unique even on what is her 96th heavenly birthday‚ for once confronted with an indifferent Hollywood that had no more affection for a grown-up Temple‚ she immersed herself fully in diplomacy and even in her darkest hour used her platform to change the way people spoke about cancer. Temple’s birthday is celebrated on April 23; she was born in 1928‚ and from the start‚ her mother pushed her to develop singing‚ dancing‚ and acting skills. At the same time‚ her mother‚ Gertrude‚ started styling her hair in what became their signature ringlets‚ a painstaking process that resulted in exactly 56 curls. Even before Temple’s birth‚ her mother tried to immerse her in the arts; herself a dancer her literally outgrew her dreams‚ Gertrude always played music while pregnant with Temple. Gertrude got her wish‚ at times at great cost to Temple‚ who would harness her hard-won fame for good when the limelight stopped shining for her. Shirley Temple faced harsh treatment during her time in Hollywood and as it drew to a close The child star was trained for Hollywood sinc before she was born / © 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection Temple was in the running to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz‚ kept from the iconic role due to her strict contract with 20th Century Fox‚ a partnership the studio wasn’t about to neglect thanks to Temple proving to be lightning in a bottle. In fact‚ what started as a two-week $150 contract was quicky extended to seven years after her first performance. That recruitment choice ended up netting the studio millions of dollars‚ and Slash Films credits the spot of sunshine and youthful innocence as America’s savior during the Great Depression and as the force that kept Fox from ever worrying about bankruptcy during that time. RELATED: Late Shirley Temple’s Three Kids—Here’s What They’re Up To Today To this day‚ Temple is the youngest recipient of an Oscar. She was just six when she won the first Juvenile Academy Award. Other recognitions would follow‚ including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild‚ a Kennedy Center Honor‚ and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Temple endured harsh punishments if she was ever unruly on set / ©20th Century-Fox Film Corp. All Rights Reserved/courtesy Everett Collection But she also right in the crosshairs of the dangerous underbelly of Hollywood glamor. One of her earliest projects was Baby Burlesks‚ parodies made with toddlers Temple appeared in when she was just three; she would call this series “a cynical exploitation of our childish innocence that occasionally were racist or sexist.” Work like this also made a target out of her and any other child actor who dared act childishly; anyone who misbehaved was put into the black box‚ a soundproof enclosure originally used by sound technicians that could grow humid very fast‚ and the only way to cool them was with large blocks of ice. A child would be placed inside this box of sensory deprivation and the only place for them to sit would be the frozen slab. Temple posited that “So far as I can tell‚ the black box did no lasting damage‚” but‚ “It’s lesson of life‚ however‚ was profound. Time is money. Wasted time means wasted money means trouble.” On her 96th heavenly birthday‚ Temple is remembered as an actor‚ a diplomat‚ and a champion of women’s health After utilizing her as a savior from the Great Depression‚ Hollywood had less and less use for an aging Temple / ©20th Century-Fox Film Corporation‚ TM &; Copyright/courtesy Everett Collection Hollywood reveled in Temple’s childhood but childhood itself was not meant for her. Marilyn Granas‚ Temple’s stand-in‚ told Closer‚ “Her mother was very‚ very protective. When other kids would be in the films with us‚ her mother wouldn’t let Shirley play with them.” That was because Gertrude feared Temple catching a cold and mingling with kids who were not “socially acceptable.” This year‚ April 23 marks her 96th heavenly birthday‚ and each year the studio threw parties that were more “publicity things” than they were “social occasions‚” according to Granas‚ who added‚ “Everybody would bring presents‚ but it was my understanding that Shirley never opened any of them. They all went to charity.” THAT HAGEN GIRL‚ Rory Calhoun‚ Shirley Temple‚ 1947 / Everett Collection When things did become social‚ they quickly became predatory—by fans and executives alike. One woman aimed a gun right at Temple‚ convinced the child actor had stolen her own kid’s soul. On another occasion‚ when Temple was just 12‚ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer producer‚ Arthur Freed exposed himself to her. All the while‚ the clock was ticking on the star who at one point earned $10‚000 a week. The entertainment world liked Temple as a child and did not know what to do with her as an adult; however‚ her bank account had only $40‚000 when she quit Hollywood at the age of 22. But Temple never broke stride and instead pivoted away from the dangerous waters of acting completely and focused on diplomacy. President Richard M. Nixon appointed her a U.S. delegate to the United Nations in 1969. Half a decade later‚ she was named U.S. Ambassador to Ghana. Under President Ford‚ she was also the first woman to hold the title of U.S. Chief of Protocol. On top of that‚ from 1989 to 1992 she served as U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia under President George H. W. Bush. Fans remember Shirley Temple on her 96th heavenly birthday / RE Westcom/starmaxinc.com Temple’s skills allowed her promote dialogue on an international level and she used her platform to be the one shining the spotlight—this time on women’s health. The world was stunned when‚ in 1972‚ Temple came forward and revealed she had undergone a mastectomy. She held a news conference right from her hospital room during a time when such topics as cancers and related treatments were discussed in hushed tones‚ behind closed doors‚ always stigmatized and never helpfully explored. Her actions threw the doors wide open for a more transparent dialogue and was part of a new movement that encouraged women to pursue their own health needs without shame. Temple was 85 when she died; this February marks 10 years since her passing. But as we celebrate her 96th heavenly birthday‚ we remember Shirley Temple as the girl who survived Hollywood at its worst and gave a voice to those who had felt unseen. Click for next Article The post On Her 96th Heavenly Birthday Shirley Temple Is Remembered For Flourishing After Trauma appeared first on DoYouRemember&;#63; - The Home of Nostalgia. Author‚ Dana Daly

There is always that one moment in a person’s life that launches a formative domino effect on the future. For Roy Orbison—who was 52 when he died in 1988 and whose 88th heavenly birthday falls on April 23—that was hearing an Elvis Presley cover song‚ even as both he and the King slammed Presley’s record label. Vernon‚ Texas native Roy Orbison was born on April 23‚ 1936‚ the son of a painter and an oil field driller who struggled to find work after the Great Depression. He rose to fame in the late ’50s and early ’60s as a rock and roll and pop singer-songwriter‚ known just as much for his emotional delivery as he was for his signature sunglasses. His fame skyrocketed with the chart-topper “Oh‚ Pretty Woman‚” but all of it almost never came to be‚ had Orbison not heard one Elvis cover song. Roy Orbison almost did not pursue music before he heard one particular Elvis Presley song The influential singer almost gave up on a music career early on / (c) PBS/ Courtesy: Everett Collection In a 1988 interview with Rolling Stone‚ Orbison revealed that although he had a band in high school‚ there was a point after its formation he seriously thought about ditching music completely. “I went to college for a year‚” he shared. “I guess it was an attempt at being legitimate‚ or not being a free spirit. It was a good year‚ but it was a lonely year. I think the reason it was really lonely was that I wasn’t where I needed to be.” RELATED: One ‘Full House’ Catchphrase Was Inspired By Roy Orbison’s Song “Pretty Woman” But where was he to be‚ then&;#63; Orbison got his answer straight from the source. “But I met a couple of guys at school who had written ‘Ooby Dooby‚'” he went on‚ “and what convinced me that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time was I heard a record by a young fellow on the jukebox called ‘That’s All Right.'” He added‚ “So I moved to Odessa to junior college‚ got my band together with different guys and started in doing what I wanted to do.” Showbiz Cheat Sheet notes that although Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup originally performed the song‚ context indicates Orbison was referring specifically to Elvis Presley’s cover of the tune in his story. Roy Orbison is remembered on his 88th birthday for a career he could be critical of Orbison was won over by an Elvis Presley cover / (c) United Artists/courtesy Everett Collection Devoted to the path of music after all‚ Orbison joined the Sun Records family‚ whose members would include Elvis himself as well as Jerry Lee Lewis‚ Johnny Cash‚ and Carl Perkins. Orbison is remembered on his 88th birthday‚ Tuesday‚ April 23‚ 2024‚ for being an inspiration behind countless artists from his contemporaries into today. But few were faster to criticize the early days on Sun Records than he himself was. The honeymoon days seemed promising. “Well‚ Johnny Cash was on Sun Records — he was making unusual records‚” recalled Orbison. “And Presley was there‚ and Carl Perkins. I was really impressed with that little chicken on the Sun label‚ because it represented something unique‚” he added‚ referring to the label’s mascot. As for what he put out while with Sun Records‚ Orbison was less than fond. “It was good to work with Sam‚” he reasoned‚ before adding‚ “He wouldn’t accept anything less than all you had‚ you know&;#63; But it wasn’t a good studio‚ and Sam didn’t know how to express exactly what he wanted.” The iconic music artist was critical of his early work / PICRYL It was a mixed reception that Elvis also reportedly shared regarding his own early work. “Elvis and I both were a little bit … We didn’t think it was really good work‚ the early stuff‚” revealed Orbison. “so we didn’t play our Sun records onstage for a long time. Until about 1970‚ I think‚ when it became instant history‚ you know. All the information coalesced to the point where everybody thought that was a beginning. And so then I took it more seriously myself‚ because I had a few years to reflect. And Presley started singing [his Sun single] ‘That’s All Right‚’ and I started singing [the Sun single] ‘Ooby Dooby’ onstage.” Over the years‚ the bespectacled artist who nearly wasn’t‚ Roy Orbison‚ was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame‚ the Songwriters Hall of Fame‚ and the Musicians Hall of Fame. With six Grammys‚ including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award‚ to his name‚ Orbison is ranked at number 37 in Rolling Stone‘s list of the Greatest Artists of All Time. Roy Orbison is remembered on his 88th heavenly birthday for a career whose beginnings he was critical of / YouTube screenshot RELATED: There Goes My Heart‚ Into the Void of Sadness That Is Roy Orbison’s “Only The Lonely” Click for next Article The post Roy Orbison Is Remembered On 88th Heavenly Birthday After Elvis Song Changed His Life appeared first on DoYouRemember&;#63; - The Home of Nostalgia. Author‚ Dana Daly

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