Burton Gilliam
 | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (August 2017) |
Burton Gilliam | |
|---|---|
 Gilliam at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2019 | |
| Born | August 9, 1938 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |  United States Coast Guard |
Burton Gilliam (born August 9, 1938) is an American actor. He is best known for memorable roles in several popular 1970's movies, such as Blazing Saddles[1] and Paper Moon.
Biography[]
Career[]
Before acting, Gilliam was a member of the Coast Guard's boxing team where he won 201 out of 217 fights.[2] He remained in the boxing world for decades, working as a referee in California.
While working as a fireman for the city of Dallas,[2] Gilliam appeared in the role of "Floyd", the desk clerk in the film Paper Moon. He then went on to appear in such popular movies as Blazing Saddles and Back to the Future Part III. Performing in Blazing Saddles was difficult for him since he played a despicable racist who repeatedly racially insults the African-American characters as "niggers," especially the hero, played by Cleavon Little. Gilliam was so uncomfortable that he apologized to Little who had to remind him that the slur was simply in the script and was treated unambiguously negatively since he was playing a villain.[3]
Gilliam has had roles in movies such as Honeymoon in Vegas, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Farewell, My Lovely, Fletch, Gator, Telefon, and The Terror Within II. His television appearances include Alice, Charlie's Angels, The A-Team, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Fall Guy, and he appeared as a regular on Evening Shade.
Personal life[]
Gilliam was born in Dallas, Texas. He lives with his wife Susan in Allen, Texas, just north of Dallas. He has two children and four grandchildren. His granddaughter Hollie Vise is a world champion gymnast.
Gilliam graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1956 and was inducted into the school's hall of fame in 2004. In 2018, he was the grand marshal of the Dallas St. Patrick's Day parade.
Filmography[]
Films[]
- Paper Moon (1973) - Floyd (Desk Clerk)
- Blazing Saddles (1974) - Lyle
- Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) - Welder
- At Long Last Love (1975) - Man at Racetrack
- Farewell, My Lovely (1975) - Cowboy
- Hearts of the West (1975) - Lester
- The Night That Panicked America (1975) - Tex
- Gator (1976) - Smiley
- Another Man, Another Chance (1977) - Sheriff Murphy
- Telefon (1977) - Gas Station Attendant
- The Beasts Are on the Streets (1978) - Al Loring
- The Jericho Mile (1979) - Jimmy-Jack
- Foxfire Light (1982) - Deke
- Fletch (1985) - Bud
- Uphill All the Way (1986) - Corporal
- The Girl (1987)
- The Underachievers (1987) - Red
- Back to the Future Part III (1990) - Elmer H. Johnson, Colt Gun Salesman
- The Terror Within II (1991) - Dewitt
- Quake (1992) - Willie
- Honeymoon in Vegas (1992) - Roy Bacon, Elvis Impersonator
- The Getaway (1994) - Gollie
- Wild Bill (1995) - Lynch
- Born to Be Wild (1995) - Dwayne
- (1999) - The Mail Man
- The Journeyman (2001) - Silas Bishop
- Mi Amigo (2002) - Older Pal Grisham
- An Eye for Detail (2002) - Professor William Seymore
- Sweet Hideaway (2003) - Det. Dick Johnson
- 88 Hits (2003) - Victor Bordeaux
- Shtickmen (2003) - Ray Sellers
- Drop Dead Sexy (2005) - Big Tex
- Killing Down (2006) - Turner
- Cake: A Wedding Story (2007) - Judge
- Fire from Below (2009) - Bubba
- Breaking the Press (2010)
- Shattered Dreams V (2012) Daddy
- Return to Vengeance (2012) - Leonard
- The Wisdom to Know the Difference (2014) - Jesse
- (2017) - Pawn Broker's Dad
Television[]
- The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything (1980) - Hoover Hess
- The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite (1981) - Hoover Hess III
- North and South Book II (1986) - Cpl. Strock
- Dream West (1986) - Martineau
- Evening Shade (1990-1994) - Virgil
- The Love Bug (1997) - Mecanic Race Announcer
TV guest appearances[]
- The Waltons (1975) - J.D. Paulsen
- Charlie's Angels (1977) - Ulmer
- Alice (1976-1978) - Buford Baker / Jimmie Joe Castleberry
- Soap (1979) - Buck
- Young Maverick (1979) - Barbary Kid
- B. J. and the Bear (1979) - Lacy
- Flo (1980) - J.J. Castleberry
- The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1982) - Heep / Tom Colt
- Knight Rider (1983) - Trucker Gene
- Gun Shy (1983) - Jeremiah Jones
- The A-Team (1983) - Sheriff Jeff Lewis
- The Fall Guy (1983) - Sheriff
- Hail to the Chief (1985) - Clovis Montgomery
- Mama's Family (1987) - Bud
- Weird Science (1995) - Snake
- Sliders (1999) - Stage Driver
- Walker, Texas Ranger (1999) - Frank
Video games[]
- Redneck Rampage (1996) - Leonard (voice)
- Redneck Rampage Rides Again (1998) - Leonard (voice)
References[]
- ^ Lindsey, Craig (26 August 2019). "How 'Blazing Saddles' turned a Texan into a star". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b The man who will be remembered as a part of the first fart joke in movie history comes to New Hope. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ "'Blazing Saddles': What the Producers Didn't Want You to Know". HIstory by Day. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
External links[]
- Burton Gilliam at IMDb
- Burton Gilliam at mobygames.com
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| General | |
| National libraries | |
- 1938 births
- Living people
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- Male actors from Dallas
- People from Allen, Texas