Burt Reynolds, the onetime jock from Florida who became an American screen icon, has died.
He starred in 'Deliverance,' 'Boogie Nights,' 'The Longest Yard,' 'Starting Over,' and '70s-'80s fun flicks like 'Smokey and the Bandit,' and 'The Cannonball Run.' Below, some of our favorite clips and trailers from his many films
He was 82, and died at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida.
From the Hollywood Reporter obit:
Reynolds, who received an Oscar nomination when he portrayed porn director Jack Horner in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997) and was the No. 1 box-office attraction for a five-year stretch starting in the late 1970s, died Thursday morning at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida, his manager, Erik Kritzer, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Always with a wink, Reynolds shined in many action films (often doing his own stunts) and in such romantic comedies as Starting Over (1979) opposite Jill Clayburgh and Candice Bergen; The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) with Dolly Parton; Best Friends (1982) with Goldie Hawn; and, quite aptly, The Man Who Loved Women (1983) with Julie Andrews.
Though beloved by audiences for his brand of frivolous, good-ol'-boy fare, the playful Reynolds rarely was embraced by the critics. The first time he saw himself in Boogie Nights, he was so unhappy he fired his agent. (He went on to win a Golden Globe but lost out in the Oscar supporting actor race to Robin Williams for Good Will Hunting, a bitter disappointment for him.)
"I didn't open myself to new writers or risky parts because I wasn't interested in challenging myself as an actor. I was interested in having a good time," Reynolds recalled in his 2015 memoir, But Enough About Me. "As a result, I missed a lot of opportunities to show I could play serious roles. By the time I finally woke up and tried to get it right, nobody would give me a chance."
TRAILERS
Smokey and the Bandit
Deliverance
The Cannonball Run
Starting Over
Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Boogie Nights
Underrated aspect of #BurtReynolds' filmography: His movies always had great posters. pic.twitter.com/4aAipVFrUS
— Matt Singer (@mattsinger) September 6, 2018