Burt Reynolds

Actor, Producer, Director

February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018

American actor Burt Reynolds has passed away at the age of 82 according to multiple reports. The news was first confirmed by Reynolds’ agent stating the cause of death was cardiac arrest. Reynolds passed away in a Florida hospital after suffering from heart issues for many years.

One of Hollywoods’s most popular actors of the ’70s and early ’80s, Reynolds had an accomplished career that spanned seven decades. He was best known for starring in the films “Deliverance”, “Smokey and the Bandit”, “The Longest Yard”, and “Semi-Tough” among many others.

Reynolds first got his start in acting appearing on television programs in the late ’50s. After several years of appearing on television and in spaghetti westerns, Reynolds got his first big break when he was cast in Deliverance. Following the success of the film, Reynolds would go on to star in several other films. Reynolds was a talented actor known for his wry self-awareness which he used to good effect in comedies as well as action films.

By the mid-’70s, Reynolds had become one the top box office draws in Hollywood. His career was not all success though. Following several films that received negative reviews and flopped, he returned to television where he got his start in Hollywood. He would go on to produce his own sitcom “Evening Shade” for which he would win an Emmy and Golden Globe in 1992.

In 1997, Reynolds co-starred alongside Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights. The film was a commercial success and helped to revamp Reynolds’ film career. His performance in the film was enough to earn him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 1998 Academy Awards.

Reynolds continued his career well into the 2000’s starring in several films such as “Without a Paddle”, “The Dukes of Hazzard” and a remake of “The Longest Yard”. As of May 2018, Reynolds was set to join the cast of Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”.

Reynolds was married twice in his lifetime. First to Judy Carne from 1963-1965. In 1988 he married Loni Anderson. The couple adopted a son (Quinton) before divorcing in 1993.

Following the news of his passing, numerous celebrities have expressed their condolences on Twitter. We invite you to share condolences for Burt Reynolds in the comments section below.

Burt Reynolds was a friend of mine, sad to hear of his passing.

— Billy Dee Williams (@realbdw) 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

Rest in peace to a legend and a friend. #BurtReynolds pic.twitter.com/HnmCCTv1d1

— Mark Wahlberg (@markwahlberg) September 6, 2018

God bless, sir. ?? RIP https://t.co/oW5aTZBC39

— Dean Cain (@RealDeanCain) September 6, 2018