BIOGRAPHY
Burton Leon ‘Burt’ Reynolds, Jr. was an American actor, director, producer, voice artist, ex-restaurant owner, and an ex-sports team owner. He was born and brought up in Michigan. He went to the Palm Beach High School and Florida State University where he played college professional football and dreamt of pursuing it further but could not see it through as he suffered from serious injuries twice during his youth. He instead went to the Palm Beach Junior, thinking that he will follow his father’s profession. He got a scholarship to work at a theatre in New York. From there on he worked hard and featured in a series of plays, television shows, and movies. He was best known for his movies ‘Deliverance,’ ‘Smokey and the Bandit,’ and ‘Boggie Nights.’ Reynolds won an Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and was nominated for the Academy Award for his supporting role in ‘Boggie Nights.’ He was also honored with a star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame.’ He was romantically linked with many actresses throughout his acting career and was married twice.
After getting his initial award in acting, Reynolds got a scholarship to work in Hyde Park Playhouse, a summer stock theatre, New York. He met with Joanne Woodward there who helped him finding an agent.
In 1953, he was cast in a play called ‘Tea and Sympathy’ at Neighborhood Playhouse, New York. He was critically appreciated for his performance and went on a tour to perform the play in various parts of the country.
In 1957, he got a part in the play ‘Mister Roberts’. His performance fetched him an audition for a movie called ‘Sayonara’. He was rejected for the role and was told to go and try in the Hollywood.
From 1959 to 1961, he starred in a television series ‘Riverboat’, an NBC series. He worked with Darren McGavin in it. This was offered to him right after he made his Broadway debut with ‘Look, We’ve Come Through’.
In 1959, Reynolds did an episode, ‘The Payoff’, in the television series called ‘The Lawless Years’ which was a crime drama. His character was called ‘Tony Sapio’ and he starred opposite Ruta Lee.
Until 1961, he appeared in episodes of various TV shows like: ‘Pony Express’, ‘The Brothers Brannagan’, ‘The Everglades’, ‘Gunsmoke’, ‘Perry Mason’, ‘The Twilight Zone’, ’12 O-Clock High’, etc.
In 1961, Reynolds acted in his first movie called ‘Angel Baby’. After this movie, he was advised by his good friend and actor Clint Eastwood to act in low-budget movies that are made overseas and he did ‘Navajo Joe’.
Around this time, while he was acting in the low-budget foreign movies, Reynolds worked on two cop television shows called ‘Hawk’ and ‘Dan August’. But he was not happy with the limited creative scope of these shows.
In 1972, his breakthrough movie ‘Deliverance’ was released. It was an American Thriller movie directed by John Boorman, based on a novel written by American writer James Dickey, who also did a small role in the movie.
In 1973, he pursued his singing talent and came out with an album called ‘Ask Me What I Am’ and also sang a duet with Dolly Parton in ‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’.
In 1977, Reynolds starred in ‘Smokey and the Bandit’, along with Jerry Reed, Sally Field and Jackie Gleason. In the same year he turned down an offer to act in ‘Star Wars’.
In 1989, he starred in a successful venture called ‘Physical Evidence’, which was a much relief for him from the stereotypical and unsuccessful movies that he was offered after the success of ‘Smokey and the Bandit’.
He produced a television show ‘Win, Lose or Draw’ and appeared in one of its celebrity episodes. In 1989, he starred in a detective drama called ‘B.L. Stryker’ for the ABC Mystery Movie.
In 1990, he starred in a television series produced by CBC called ‘Evening Shade’. His impeccable performance earned him an Emmy Award for it in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
In 1996, after a long break from acting, Reynolds appeared in the successful ‘Striptease’ and in the following year, he gave another commercial hit ‘Boggie Nights’ for which he won a Golden Globe.
In 2002, he lent his voice to the character ‘Avery Carrington’ in a video game called ‘Grand Theft: Vice City’. It was a controversial video game, which he did right after the creation and touring for ‘Burt Reynolds’ One-Man Show’.
In 2005, he starred in the remake of ‘The Longest Yard’ along with Adam Sandler, who played the part that Reynolds played in the original version of the movie. His performance was criticized and he received a Razzie Award for it.
In 2010, he starred in a small role in American version of ‘Burn Notice’. He played an ex-CIA agent in the series. His performance was appreciated critically as it was a tough role to play for the complexity of the character.
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, director, and producer of film and television, considered a sex symbol and icon of American popular culture..
BEST MOVIES
15 .Semi-Tough
Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson
Released: 1977
Directed by: Michael Ritchie
Semi-Tough is a 1977 comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie and starring Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh, Lotte Lenya, Bert Convy, and Brian Dennehy, set in the world of..
14.The Crew
Burt Reynolds, Jennifer Tilly
Released: 2000
Directed by: Michael Dinner, Adrian Vitoria
The Crew is a 2000 black comedy crime film, directed by Michael Dinner and starring Burt Reynolds, Seymour Cassel, Richard Dreyfuss, Dan Hedaya and Jennifer Tilly. Barry Sonnenfeld was one of the.
13.The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Dolly Parton, Burt Reynolds
Released: 1982
Directed by: Colin Higgins
This film is a 1982 American musical comedy film co-written, produced and directed by Colin Higgins. It is an adaptation of the 1978 Broadway musical of the same name and stars Dolly Parton and Burt..
12.Rough Cut
Burt Reynolds, David Niven
Released: 1980
Directed by: Robert Ellis Miller, Don Siegel
Rough Cut is a 1980 American heist film directed by Don Siegel. The screenplay was written by Larry Gelbart, based upon the novel “Touch the Lion’s Paw” by Derek Lambert…
11.Navajo Joe
Burt Reynolds, Fernando Rey
Released: 1966
Directed by: Sergio Corbucci
Navajo Joe is a 1966 Spaghetti Western, directed by Sergio Corbucci and stars Burt Reynolds as a title character and Navajo Indian who opposes a group of bandits responsible for killing his tribe..
10.Gator
Burt Reynolds, Lauren Hutton
Released: 1976
Directed by: James Best, Burt Reynolds
Gator is a 1976 action film sequel to White Lightning and starring Burt Reynolds in his directorial..
9.Hooper
Terry Bradshaw, Sally Field
Released: 1978
Directed by: Hal Needham
Hooper is a 1978 action-comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, based loosely on the experiences of director Hal Needham, a one-time stuntman in his own right. It serves as a tribute to stuntmen an..
8.The Cannonball Run
Farrah Fawcett, Terry Bradshaw
Released: 1981
Directed by: Hal Needham
The Cannonball Run is a 1981 comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Dom DeLuise, Farrah Fawcett, and an all-star supporting cast. It was directed by Hal Needham, produced by Hong Kong’s…
7.
Sharky’s Machine
Burt Reynolds, Charles Durning
Released: 1981
Directed by: Burt Reynolds
Sharky’s Machine is a 1981 motion picture directed by Burt Reynolds, who stars in the title role. The movie is an adaptation of William Diehl’s first novel Sharky’s Machine, with a screenplay by…
6.Boogie Nights
Julianne Moore, Mark Wahlberg
Released: 1997
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Boogie Nights is a 1997 American historical drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Back when love was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, an idealisti..
5.White Lightning
Burt Reynolds, Laura Dern
Released: 1973
Directed by: Joseph Sargent
White Lightning is a 1973 American action film from United Artists starring Burt Reynolds as Gator McKlusky. The film, directed by Joseph Sargent and written by William W. Norton, also starred..
4.Mystery, Alaska
Russell Crowe, Mike Myers
Released: 1999
Directed by: Jay Roach
Mystery, Alaska is a 1999 comedy-drama film directed by Jay Roach about an amateur ice hockey team, from the fictional small-town of Mystery, that plays an exhibition game against the New York..
3.The Longest Yard
Burt Reynolds, Bernadette Peters
Released: 1974
Directed by: Robert Aldrich
The Longest Yard is a 1974 American sports comedy film directed by Robert Aldrich. Written by Tracy Keenan Wynn based on a story by producer Albert S. Ruddy, the film follows inmates at a prison who.
2.Smokey and the Bandit
Sally Field, Burt Reynolds
Released: 1977
Directed by: Hal Needham
Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 Technicolor American action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Patrick McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry. It inspired.
1.Deliverance
Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight
Released: 1972
Directed by: John Boorman
Deliverance is a 1972 American dramatic thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman, and starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox, with the latter two making their
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