Cleavon Jake Little (June 1, 1939 – October 22, 1992) was an American film and theatre actor, best known for his lead role as Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles and as the irreverent Dr. Jerry Noland in the early 1970s situation-comedy television series program Temperatures Rising. He also starred in the 1984 action film Toy Soldiers and acted out the role of Super Soul in the film Vanishing Point in 1971.

Little was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma. He grew up in California and attended college at San Diego State University. After receiving a full scholarship to Juilliard he moved to New York and trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Art.

Little became known for his work in comedic roles. He made his off-Broadway debut in the 1968 political satire MacBird! and in 1970 he won a Tony award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his work in the Broadway musical Purlie. A year later Little was hired as an ensemble player on the syndicated TV variety weekly The David Frost Revue.

For his star performance in Brooks's classic comedy Blazing Saddles, Little was nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Newcomer.

He died in Sherman Oaks, California of colon cancer at the age of 53.

Versatile, charismatic African-American actor Cleavon Little was born on June 1, 1939, in Oklahoma but grew up in California and attended San Diego College. He earned a scholarship to Juilliard and moved to New York, then trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Art and was soon appearing off-Broadway. Classically trained ("Hamlet" "A Midsummer Night's Dream"), he won the Tony award for a less weighty musical, "Purlie", which took him west. A few film roles came his way with What's So Bad About Feeling Good? (1968), John and Mary (1969), Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970), and the cult film Vanishing Point (1971) but it was the 1972 sitcom "Temperatures Rising" (1972) that finally got him some leverage in Hollywood. The by-now popular actor caught the eye of film producers. With his sly charm and appeal, he was a natural for comedy and hit the apex of his career after winning a co-starring role opposite Gene Wilder in the Mel Brooks (I) western spoof Blazing Saddles (1974). He never matched that success but did continue with important stage roles ("I'm Not Rappaport") and other TV series work ("Bagdad Cafe" (1990)). A hard-working, heavily driven man, Little was plagued by ulcers and stomach disorders for much of his life. He died at age 53 of colon cancer in 1992.