Burt Reynolds Dead at 82: Look Back at the Star’s Life in Photos

Burt Reynolds has passed away at the age of 82.

The iconic actor died in his Florida home on Thursday morning, E! News has confirmed.

His long-spanning career began with small roles in TV shows like Hawk and Gunsmoke in the ’60s before he was catapulted to fame because of his role in the action film Deliverance. Over the years, he fell in and out of love with co-stars, from Loni Anderson to Sally Fields, although he never quite got over Fields. Reynolds has lamented the end of their relationship over the years and frequently called her “the love of my life.”

Following the announcement of his passing, celebrities have shown an outpouring of love and respect for the popular actor. His former The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas co-star, Dolly Parton, said, “Oh how sad I am today along with Burt’s millions of fans around the world as we mourn one of our favorite leading men. I know we will always remember his funny laugh, that mischievous sparkle in his eyes and his quirky sense of humor.”

She concluded, “You will always be my favorite sheriff, rest in peace my little buddy. I will always love you, Dolly.”

To see the Smokey and the Bandit star’s life in all it’s glory, check out the gallery below.

Burt Reynolds was born on February 11, 1936. Following a successful college acting career, a young Burt arrived in Hollywood with the hopes of securing a career in the film industry. One of his first roles was on Gunsmoke where he played the blacksmith Quint Asper.

Reynolds married English actor Judy Carne in 1963, however, they divorced two years later.

In an interview with The Daily Mail in 2016, the Hollywood socialite said he was “never happier than on the set of Deliverance in 1972.” He said, “I beat Jack Nicholson, Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman to the role of Lewis Medlock. Everything felt right during the filming of that movie.”

Reynolds relived his college football days at Florida State University when he played Paul “Wrecking” Crewe in the 1974 film The Longest Yard.

In one of his most memorable roles, Burt starred as Bo “Bandit” Darville and drove the classic Pontiac Trans-Am for the hit 1977 movie. The film did so well, it inspired two sequels.

During his time on Smokey and the Bandit, Reynolds fell in love with his co-star Sally Fields. The two dated from 1977-1982 and starred alongside each other in numerous films during that time. In a recent interview, the star said, “She was the love of my life and I screwed the relationship up.”

In this 1981 film, the lovable actor showed off his charming personality when he starred alongside Farrah Fawcett in the film about a group of racers speeding across the United States.

In 1988, he and his Stroker Ace co-star, Loni Anderson, got married and later adopted a son named Quinton. The two eventually divorced in 1993.

In 1997, the actor starred as porn director Jack Horner in the John Travolta film. His depiction of the character earned him an Oscar nomination, but he was apparently so unhappy with the end result, he fired his agent.

In 2005, the actor returned to the prison fields to play the role of coach for the inmates of the 2005 remake, with Adam Sandler playing the character Crewe.

Reynolds returned to the big screen once again when he starred as Boss Hog in the Dukes of Hazzard remake, with co-stars Jessica Simpson and Johnny Knoxville.

In 2016, a documentary named Bandit was made about the friendship and success of Reynolds and stuntman Hal Needham, as well as their hit film Smokey and the Bandit. The actor made an appearance at the SXSW showing of the film, where he said the stuntman, who died in 2013, “was my roommate, he was my brother and I loved him very much.”

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Reynolds family.