One of the biggest movie stars in history has died.
Burt Reynolds’ manager confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday that the “Smokey and the Bandit” star has passed away at Jupiter Medical in Florida of cardiac arrest at the age of 82.
The actor had suffered from various health issues over the past few years.
Born in Lansing, Michigan, to a police chief father, Reynolds became a football star at Florida State — his father was eventually police chief for Riviera Beach in the state.
Multiple injuries during his sophomore year meant football was not a realistic career for Reynolds, so he turned to acting at the insistence of an English teacher — and moved to New York.
Scoring early roles in the ’50s and ’60s on shows such as “Gunsmoke,” Reynolds would eventually shoot to stardom in the ’70s thanks to popular appearances on Johnny Carson’s late-night show, several high-profile films, and a famous 1972 magazine spread in which he left very little to the imagination.
He was the top-grossing star for five years in the 1970s and helped create classics including “Deliverance,” “Smokey and the Bandit,” and “The Longest Yard.”
Reynolds said in his 2015 memoir that having fun while making movies was always his ultimate goal.
“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,” he wrote. “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.”
Despite that, Reynolds still turned in highly praised performances.
He was nominated for an Oscar for his work on the 1997 film “Boogie Nights,” a movie he didn’t particularly like.
“It wasn’t my kind of film,” Reynolds told Conan O’Brien earlier this year. He turned down the role of a pornographic director seven times before eventually accepting it.
Reynolds was proudest of his work in 1972’s “Deliverance,” a film about a group of men on vacation in the South who are terrorized by locals.
“If I had to put only one of my movies in a time capsule, it would be ‘Deliverance,'” Reynolds wrote in his memoir. “I don’t know if it’s the best acting I’ve done, but it’s the best movie I’ve ever been in. It proved I could act, not only to the public but me.”
Reynolds never truly slowed down. Even later in life, he was starring in hit films like the 2005 remake of “The Longest Yard” with Adam Sandler and 2004’s “Without a Paddle.”
His most recent film, “The Last Movie Star,” which was released this year, won Reynolds praise for his role as an aging movie star.
The actor was set to play a role in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” but it is unclear how much of the role he finished shooting, if any at all.
Filmmakers and fans alike have been taking to social media to mourn Reynolds and to celebrate his influential career.
RIP Burt Reynolds. Seems his whole career was tongue in cheek. Always warm and funny.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) September 6, 2018
Oh man, Burt Reynolds. Amazing range, effortlessly great at both comedy and drama, of the "he makes it look easy" school. His generation's Cary Grant.
— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) September 6, 2018
It is with a great deal of sadness that I say, RIP Burt Reynolds and thank you, sir! pic.twitter.com/Twz2925qum
— Louis Herthum (@Louis_Herthum) September 6, 2018
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
My only encounter with Burt Reynolds (Mystery, Alaska) was brief but a lot of fun. Shot the breeze about movies, theater, life. Sorry to hear he’s gone. But he’s not.
— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) 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
"And there's one thing they can never take away: Nobody had more fun than I did." – Burt Reynolds
RIP #22 pic.twitter.com/xX9aclZlJw— Ralph Garman (@RalphGarman) September 6, 2018
Burt Reynolds, the man who made Trans-Ams cool, is dead at 82 https://t.co/a8KDCg7ysj pic.twitter.com/KTNxkgbNmi
— Jalopnik (@Jalopnik) September 6, 2018
To see how sharp and funny Reynolds was even toward the end of his life, check out the video below:
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