Remembering Hollywood Legend Burt Reynolds

Remembering Hollywood Legend Burt Reynolds

Meghan Conley, The Carroll News

Iconic Hollywood actor Burt Reynolds passed away on Sept. 6 at age 82 after experiencing cardiac arrest.

Reynolds is remembered for his notable work in both television and film. He was involved in multiple television shows like “Gunsmoke,” “Hawk” and “Evening Shade.” While Reynolds undoubtedly found success in television, his career skyrocketed after his performance in the movie “Deliverance.” Reynolds continued to star in other major motion pictures throughout his career, such as “The Longest Yard,” “Smokey and the Bandit,” “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and “Boogie Nights.”

According to Rolling Stone magazine, Reynolds had a reputation in Hollywood as extremely good-looking, carefree and impulsive. He is remembered as someone who did exactly what they wanted for the sole purpose of finding the fun in life. For example, he often performed his own stunts in movies and even posed nude in a centerfold of Cosmopolitan in 1972. It was his fiery yet friendly personality that defined his career as an actor throughout his prime stardom in the 1970s and ‘80s.

His death causes grief among many people in the industry such as his former love interest and co-star, Sally Fields. In a statement made to The Associated Press, Fields reminisced on their time spent together by stating that, “My years with Burt never leave my mind. He will be in my history and my heart for as long as I live. Rest, Buddy.”

Actress Julianne Moore recalled in an interview at the Toronto Film Festival what it was like to work with Reynolds on “Boogie Nights” and how he was one of the most welcoming figures in Hollywood. She stated that he was always “so gracious and so lovely” as well as “a true movie star.”

The football community at Florida State University is also grieving the loss of Reynolds. In addition to his skills as an actor, Reynolds played collegiate level football as a running back for Florida State University from 1954 to 1957. In honor of his passing, ESPN reported on Sept. 8 that the Florida State Seminoles are commemorating his legacy by creating a “BAN ONE” helmet decal for players to wear in reference to one of his most popular movies, “Smokey and the Bandit.”

In a series of statements made to US Weekly on Sept. 6, Reynolds’ family reflected upon his overall strength in life when faced with challenging career obstacles. His niece, Nancy Lee Hess, expressed extreme gratitude for all the fans who supported Reynolds during the “hills and valleys of his career.” In his memoir, “But Enough About Me,” Burt Reynolds describes his life journey best by claiming that “there’s one thing they can never take away: Nobody had more fun than I did.”