74. Madeline Kahn as Lili von Shtupp
      Blazing Saddles (1974)

In Mel Brooks’s western comedy, full of hilarious references to cowboy culture, Kahn’s turn as the slatternly, enunciation-impaired Germanic bar performer, billed as “The Teutonic Titwillow,” steals the show. “Almost every picture I made, I tried to get her into, by hook or by crook,” Brooks says. “She asked, ‘What am I going to be in Blazing Saddles?’ and I said ‘Marlene Dietrich. You’re going to sing wacky songs on a saloon stage.’ ” Brooks says Kahn wasn’t sold on the role until he started writing the words to “I’m Tired,” which let her show off her opera training in the lispy belting of lyrics like: “They always hound me/with one request/who can satisfy their lustful habits / I’m not a rabbit! / I need some rest!” Others on set fed off of Kahn’s manic energy, forcing them to respond to her improvisations—like her flirtations with Harvey Korman’s character, or her teetering on the edge of the proscenium while performing at the saloon. “There were two truly gifted comediennes in my life, Madeline Kahn and Gilda Radner,” Brooks says. “It was such a joy to work with her. I loved her. Yes, I loved her.”

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