News: Burt Reynolds Passes Away at 82




For those of us that grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s he was a hero, to generations after, he was a legend. Far from being a perfect man, he was still an icon. He was truly a man’s man in the fashion of Steve McQueen, funny, always ready with a joke, but never willing to back down. He’s the kind of guy a lot of us wanted to be, none of us achieved it.

Reynolds achieved acclaim and attention when he starred in Deliverance, a film that showcased all of his abilities and a range he rarely tapped into, but the film has been relegated to legend. From Dueling Banjos, squeal like a pig, the movie is packed with scenes that have become cinema standards and quoted too often for comfort.

After his star turn it was ‘70s action movies, but that all changed when he put on a cowboy hat, a red button up and hoped in the drivers seat of a black Trans-am with a CB Radio. The Bandit changed everything, took a new genre to a new level and made Burt a star. He followed up with a sequel and another franchise aimed more directly at laughs with Cannonball Run, bringing together many of the comedy and film legends of the past and present while introducing American audiences to Jackie Chan. The 80’s continued with him constantly delivering fun movies, even if they weren’t all hits.

The ‘90s weren’t good to him as his star power dimmed. The 2000’s gave him roles playing off just his name, with notable appearances in Mystery Alaska and the great portrayal of Doc Hudson in Pixar’s Cars.

We’ll miss you Burt, you were a star that’s now passed on to legend.