Few actors are fortunate enough to score major roles in Hollywood productions, and even fewer can continue staying relevant for many years afterwards. Burt Reynolds managed to do both, but after 50 years leaving his unique imprint on the entertainment industry, it's been announced that the actor has passed away at the age of 82.
No cause of death was disclosed in THR's report, but according to Burt Reynolds' manager, Erik Kritzer, he died earlier this morning at the Jupiter Medical Center in Florida. He is survived by his son, Quinton, who Reynolds and his ex-wife Loni Anderson adopted when he was three days old, as well as his niece, Nancy Lee Hess.
After attending Florida State University to play football, which ended after he suffered a knee injury, Burt Reynolds enrolled at Palm Beach Junior College, where he kicked off his acting career in a stage production of Outward Bound. This led to Reynolds' obtaining a scholarship to the Hyde Park Playhouse in New York, and after appearing in various plays and TV shows, he made his film debut with Angel Baby. Fast-forward to 1972, Reynolds made his biggest film appearance yet with Deliverance, and from there, he starred in movies like The Longest Yard, Smokey and the Bandit, The Cannonball Run, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Best Friends. From 1978 to 1982, he was Hollywood's highest grossing actor. But there were also some notable films that Reynolds opted not to star in, such as Once Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Star Wars, Terms of Endearment and Die Hard.
Burt Reynolds' acting career wasn't quite as prosperous in his later years, but in 1997, he drew attention for playing Jack Horner in Boogie Nights. Reynolds was displeased with the movie after seeing a rough cut, which led to him firing his agent, but the actor later won a Golden Globe and earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance, which you can watch a sampling of below.
Within the last decade, Burt Reynolds' big screen credits included Pocket Listing, The Last Movie Star and Miami Love Affair, while on television, he lent his talents to My Name Is Earl, Burn Notice and Archer, among others. Reynolds was supposed to star in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as George Spahn, the elderly man who rented out his ranch to Charles Manson and his followers, but it's unclear if Reynolds had filmed his scenes before his death or if the role will need to be recast.
We here at CinemaBlend offer our condolences to Burt Reynolds' family and friends. If you have a favorite moment concerning the actor, be it on screen or a lucky encounter in real life, please share it in the comments below.
