Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. was a famous American actor, known for being very attractive and a big part of American culture in the 1970s. He first became well-known through his roles in TV shows like "Gunsmoke" (from 1962 to 1965), "Hawk" (in 1966), and "Dan August" (from 1970 to 1971). While Reynolds played the main character in movies like "Navajo Joe" (1966) and "100 Rifles" (1969), his most important role came with the movie "Deliverance" (1972) where he played Lewis Medlock. This comprehensive guide explores Burt Reynolds movies.
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. was born on February 11, 1936, in Lansing, Michigan, to Harriet Fernette "Fern" (Miller) and Burton Milo Reynolds. His family had Dutch, English, Scots-Irish, and Scottish roots, and Reynolds also said he had Cherokee and Italian heritage.
Although Reynolds often said he was born in Waycross, Georgia, he revealed in 2015 that he was actually born in Lansing, Michigan. This was where his family was living when his dad joined the United States Army.
Reynolds, his mom, and his sister moved to join his dad at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for two years. Then, when his dad went to Europe, they moved to Lake City, Michigan, where his mom grew up. In 1946, they moved again to Riviera Beach, Florida.
There, Reynolds made a lifelong friend in sixth grade named Dick Howser. His dad eventually became the Chief of Police in Riviera Beach.
In Riviera Beach, Reynolds was nicknamed "Buddy." This was interesting because Marlon Brando, a famous actor Reynolds was said to look like and with whom he had disagreements, was also called "Bud" and "Buddy."
In 10th grade at Palm Beach High School, Reynolds was a star football player, earning top honors and many scholarship offers.
For college, Reynolds went to Florida State University on a football scholarship, playing as a halfback from 1954. He was roommates with Lee Corso, who would become famous in football as well. He also joined the Phi Delta Thetafraternity. Reynolds had a great first year in football but injured his knee in the second year's first game. Later, he was in a severe car accident that injured his other knee and led to the removal of his spleen.
He had to leave university for nearly two years, during which he studied at Palm Beach Junior College (PBJC)starting in early 1956. When he went back to Florida State in 1957, he tried to play football again but wasn't as fast because of his car accident injury. After a game loss where he felt blamed, he quit football. While at PBJC, Reynolds got into acting thanks to his English teacher, Watson B. Duncan III, who encouraged him to audition for a play, leading to Reynolds winning an award for his performance.
Reynolds considered Duncan the most significant influence in his life, as he mentioned in his autobiography.
A film credit list for Burt Reynolds movies. - 1961 -Debuted in "Angel Baby" as Hoke Adams and appeared in "Armored Command" as Skee.
- 1965 -Featured in "Operation C.I.A." portraying Mark Andrews.
- 1966 -Played the lead role of Joe 'Navajo Joe' in "Navajo Joe."
- 1969 -A busy year with roles in "100 Rifles" as Joe 'Yaqui Joe' Herrera, "Sam Whiskey" as the titular character, "Impasse" as Pat Morrison, and "Shark!" as Caine.
- 1970 -Starred in "Skullduggery" as Douglas Temple.
- 1972 -Notable for three films: "Fuzz" as Detective Steve Carella, "Deliverance" as Lewis Medlock, and a comedic turn in "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)" as the Sperm Switchboard Chief.
- 1973 -Led in "Shamus" as Shamus McCoy, "The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing" as Jay Grobart, and "White Lightning" as Bobby 'Gator' McKlusky.
- 1974-1975 -Featured in "The Longest Yard" as Paul 'Wrecking' Crewe, participated in "At Long Last Love," "W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings," "Lucky Lady," and "Hustle" as Lieutenant Phil Gaines, also serving as an executive producer.
- 1976 -Appeared in "Silent Movie" (cameo), directed and starred in "Gator," and acted in "Nickelodeon."
- 1977-1978 -Known for "Smokey and the Bandit" as Bo 'Bandit' Darville, "Semi-Tough," and both directing and starring in "The End" and "Hooper."
- 1979-1980s -Roles in "Starting Over," "Rough Cut," the sequel "Smokey and the Bandit II," and "The Cannonball Run" as J.J. McClure, among others.
- 1980s-1990s -Directed and starred in several films including "Sharky's Machine," "Stick," and took roles in "Heat," "Malone," "Rent-a-Cop," and voice acting in "All Dogs Go to Heaven."
- Late 1990s-2000s -Acted in "The Maddening," "Striptease," "Boogie Nights," and directed "The Last Producer." Featured in "Without a Paddle," voiced in "The Legend of Frosty the Snowman," and acted in "Cloud 9," and "Broken Bridges."
- 2007-2021 -Continued acting with roles in "In the Name of the King," "Deal," voiced in "Delgo," and appeared in "A Bunch of Amateurs." His final works include voice roles in "A Magic Christmas," acting in "The Last Movie Star," and a posthumous release in "Defining Moments" as Chester.
- 1958 -Appeared in "Flight" as Captains Sam Allen and Jack Hilyard across two episodes.
- 1959 -Featured in multiple shows including "M Squad" as Peter Marashi, "The Lawless Years" as Tony Sappio, and "Pony Express" as Adam, among others.
- 1959-1960 -Starred in "Riverboat" as Ben Frazer over 20 episodes and had roles in "Playhouse 90."
- Early 1960s -Guest appearances in "Johnny Ringo," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," and "Lock-Up," along with roles in "The Blue Angels" and "The Aquanauts."
- 1961 -Acted in "Ripcord," "Michael Shayne," and other series including a part in "Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre."
- 1962-1965 -Became a regular on "Gunsmoke" as Quint Asper, appearing in 50 episodes.
- Mid-1960s: Featured in "The Twilight Zone," "Branded," and "Flipper," among others.
- 1970 -Appeared in "Love, American Style," and starred in TV films like "Hunters Are for Killing."
- 1970-1971 -Led "Dan August" series, appearing in 26 episodes.
- 1980 -Hosted "Saturday Night Live."
- 1986-1991 -Voiced Troy Garland in "Out of This World" over 95 episodes.
- 1989-1990 -Starred as B.L. Stryker in the series of the same name, also taking roles behind the camera.
- 1990-1994 -Played Wood Newton in "Evening Shade," contributing as co-executive producer and director.
- 1993 -Made guest appearances in "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "The Larry Sanders Show."
- Mid-1990s -Acted in "Hope and Gloria," "Cybill," and featured in the TV film "The Cherokee Kid."
- Late 1990s -Voiced characters in "King of the Hill" and "Duckman," and starred in the "Hard Time" series of TV films.
- Early 2000s -Guest-starred in "Emeril" and "The X-Files," and appeared in TV films like "Johnson County War."
- 2003-2004 -Had a recurring role in "Ed."
- 2005 -Featured in "The King of Queens" and lent his voice to episodes of "Robot Chicken" and "Duck Dodgers."
- 2006-2009 -Recurred as 'Chubby' in "My Name Is Earl."
- 2010- Appeared in "Burn Notice" as Paul Anderson.
- 2011 -Voiced a character in "American Dad!" and starred in the TV film "Reel Love."
- 2012 -Voiced himself in an episode of "Archer."
- 2014-2016 -Featured in "Category 5" and had a significant role in "Hitting the Breaks."
Sally Field and Burt Reynolds Sally Fieldand Burt Reynolds had a well-publicized, on-again, off-again romance for five years in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They met filming Smokey and the Bandit, the first of four movies they made together. Their relationship was reportedly tumultuous. Field has spoken out in recent years about how Reynolds' jealousy of her career success negatively impacted their dynamic. They did not speak in the last 30 years of his life.
Burt Reynolds was notably tall, measuring 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) in height. His remarkable stature, combined with his rugged allure, naturally dominated the screen throughout his career in acting.
Burt Reynolds passed away due to a heart attack, according to information provided to CNN by his long-term agent, Todd Eisner.
Indeed, Burt Reynolds was a father. He and his former wife, Loni Anderson, adopted a son, Quinton Anderson Reynolds, who was also a child actor. Born in 1988, Quinton was adopted by Reynolds and Anderson shortly after his birth.
The legacy of Burt Reynolds is indelibly marked by his diverse and memorable contributions to cinema. Through his movies, Reynolds not only showcased his versatile acting skills but also left an enduring impact on the film industry. His performances in iconic films have cemented his place as one of Hollywood's most charismatic and beloved actors. As audiences continue to revisit Burt Reynolds movies, his work remains a testament to his talent, charm, and the lasting appeal of his cinematic endeavors.