“The Bandit” is gone. Legendary actor Burt Reynolds died on Thursday at the age of 82.
The longtime actor passed away Thursday morning at Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, Fla., according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Reynolds played some of the most iconic film roles in the 1970s and 80s, ranging from his role in the creepy, Oscar-nominated 1972 film “Deliverance” to his portrayal of “J.J. McClure” in the film series “Smokey and the Bandit.”
Reynolds acted a ton of memorable films, including the following:
- “Deliverance” (1972)
- “The Longest Yard” (1974)
- “Smokey and the Bandit” (1977)
- “Starting Over” (1979)
- “Smokey and the Bandit II” (1980)
- “The Cannonball Run” (1981)
- “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” (1982)
- “Smokey and the Bandit 3” (1983)
- Cannonball Run II” (1984)
- “All Dogs Go to Heaven” (Voice, 1989)
- “Striptease” (1996)
- “Bean” (1997)
- “Boogie Nights” (1997)
- “Mystery, Alaska” (1999)
- “The Longest Yard” (2005)
That’s quite the impressive list for someone who said he couldn’t find serious work after turning down so many dramatic roles over the years.
“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," Reynolds recalled in his 2015 memoir, “But Enough About Me,” according to the Hollywood Reporter. "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.”
Reynolds didn’t exclusively star on the silver screen, as he made many appearances on the small screen as well, including “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” (1960), “Evening Shade” (1990-1994), “The X-Files” (2002) and many more.
Reynolds will always be remembered for his party-guy, snarky attitude that drew people to his films.
According to his Internet Movie Database (IMDb) page, Reynolds is scheduled to star in a late-2018 film that completed filming called, “Defining Moments.” Reynolds was also scheduled to make to play a smaller role in an upcoming Quentin Tarantino-directed movie that’s still currently filming, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” The film has a huge ensemble cast including actress Margot Robbie (“Suicide Squad”) and actors Brad Pitt (“Fight Club”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“Gangs of New York”) and Al Pacino (“Heat”).