Burt Reynolds, the star whose work on Deliverance and Smokey And The Bandit cemented his legacy as a Hollywood mainstay, has died. He was 82.
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A representative confirmed to Variety that Reynolds, who featured in nearly 200 projects in his career, suffered a cardiac arrest in his adopted home of Jupiter, Florida, on Thursday.
Outside of having the best moustache this side of Charles Bronson, Reynolds was perhaps best known for his take in the gripping 1972 thriller Deliverance.
Five years and one flood of critical praise later, the former athlete lead box-office smash Smokey And The Bandit as the badass driver of a jet black Trans-Am.
It was a role that solidified the former athlete as one of the industry’s most bankable leading men. Sequels to that hit movie and a slew of other projects followed.
So too did an Emmy award in 1992, when Reynolds notched Best Actor In A Comedy Series for his sitcom Evening Shade.
An Oscar nomination followed not long afterwards, as the Academy noted his work as a smut film auteur in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights.
In the later years of his career, Reynolds also notched voice acting credits on shows like American Dad and Archer.
He is survived by his son, Quinton.
Stars and fans – and often, both – have shared their memories of the star, whose uber-charismatic appearances on-screen were often countered by prickly relations with confidantes in real life.
Burt Reynolds was one of my heroes. He was a trailblazer. He showed the way to transition from being an athlete to being the highest paid actor, and he always inspired me. He also had a great sense of humor – check out his Tonight Show clips. My thoughts are with his family.
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) September 6, 2018
Burt Reynolds was the best, funniest super hero on this planet…He was a friend and I’ll miss him!! Nobody was better than him…dashing, charming and just so lovable!! pic.twitter.com/1TjNHF021D
— David Hasselhoff (@DavidHasselhoff) September 6, 2018
Burt Reynolds. True legend. Our hero. Funny as hell and a for-real badass. So many great movies. So many great stories. Such a great Dad. Will be missed by all. Deepest condolences to his family.
— Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) September 6, 2018
R.I.P. Burt Reynolds, underrated as a dramatic actor (Deliverance), underrated as a director (Sharkey’s Machine), but also a rare movie star that seemed to be just having an absolute ball onscreen. Nobody broke frame with a bigger gleam in his eye. “Just watch ol’ Bandit run.” pic.twitter.com/L4NlRyqahb
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) September 6, 2018
As THE movie star of my childhood, the Bandit stole our hearts for decades. I always loved how Burt Reynolds worked with his friends as often as he could and then showcased the fun of movie-making in the end credits of his flicks. He was true American icon. Hate to see him go… https://t.co/jaMZjJA4e8
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) September 6, 2018
RIP.