Burton Gilliam – Born in 1938, Blazing Saddles

We all get one chance at life, but people like Burton Gilliam have a peculiar talent for stretching out their existence to include multiple timelines. And we’re not talking about some mind-defying power like that in the sci-fi television show “Weird Science,” which he starred in in 1995.

No, we mean the many jobs he held before finally settling on acting. Gilliam was a successful member of the Coast Guard’s boxing team and even worked as a referee for some time. He also spent some time in Dallas working as a fireman before finally making his debut in “Paper Moon” before earning more recognition for “Blazing Saddles.”