Burton Leon ‘Burt’ Reynolds was born in Lansing, Michigan, on February 11, 1936. An actor, director, producer, voice artist, ex-restaurant owner, and ex-sports team owner from the United States. Michigan is where he was born and raised. He attended Palm Beach High School and Florida State University, where he played college professional football. He went to Palm Beach Junior, assuming he would follow in his father’s footsteps. He was given a scholarship to work in a theater in New York. After that, he worked hard and appeared in several plays, television shows, and movies. His most well-known flicks include “Deliverance,” “Smokey and the Bandit,” and “Boogie Nights.” For his supporting part in “Boogie Nights,” Reynolds received an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award nomination. In addition, he was given a star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame.’ He was romantically associated with many actresses throughout his acting career and married twice.
Fast Facts
Full Name:
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr.
Nickname:
Burt
Birth date:
February 11, 1936
Death date:
September 6, 2018 (age 82)
Zodiac Sign:
Aquarius
Height:
5' 11"
Net Worth:
$5 million
Background
Burton Milo Reynolds, Sr., and Harriet F. Reynolds raised Burt Reynolds in Lansing, Michigan. His father was the police chief of Riviera Beach and had previously served in the United States Army. Before receiving a college football scholarship, Reynolds attended Palm Beach High School then Florida State University. He aspired to be a professional football player. Still, he was injured in his first season and then wounded in a vehicle accident. This ended his football dreams, and he began to consider a career as a police officer. He attended Palm Beach Junior High School in Lake Worth when one of his professors urged him to participate in a production called “Outward Bound.” For it, he received a Florida State Drama Award.
In 1953, he was cast in the Neighborhood Playhouse production called “Tea and Sympathy.” He landed a role in the play “Mister Roberts” in 1957. His performance landed him a role in the film “Sayonara.” He starred in N.B.C’s “Riverboat” from 1959 until 1961. Reynolds appeared on two cop television shows named “Hawk” and “Dan August” during this period while he was playing in low-budget foreign films. He explored his singing talent in 1973, releasing the album “Ask Me What I Am” and performing a duet with Dolly Parton in ‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.’ Reynolds appeared in the 1977 film “Smokey and the Bandit” alongside Jerry Reed, Sally Field, and Jackie Gleason. In 1990, he starred in a C.B.C. television series called “Evening Shade.” Reynolds returned to acting in 1996 with the successful “Striptease” and the following year with the commercial success “Boogie Nights,” for which he received a Golden Globe. In 2005, he co-starred in “The Longest Yard,” alongside Adam Sandler. The latter played the role of Reynolds in the remake of the film. His performance was panned, and he was given a Razzie Award as a result. In the American version of “Burn Notice,” he played a minor role. In 2012, he appeared as a guest star on F.X. TV’s cartoon series “Archer” and in the film “Saints Row: The Third.” He also starred in “Apple of My Eye” (2016) and “The Last Movie Star” (2017). Reynolds had posthumous appearances in the 2019 film “An Innocent Kiss” and the 2020 film “Defining Moments,” in which he reprised his final role.
Many female musicians, including Tammy Wynette, Lucie Arnaz, Susan Clark, Dinah Shore, and others, were related to Reynolds. Reynolds married actress Judy Carne in 1963, but the marriage barely lasted two years, and they divorced in 1965. His connection with Dinah Shore, who was 20 years his senior, generated headlines. In the early 1970s, he had a five-year romance with Dinah. From 1988 through 1994, he married American actress Loni Anderson for almost five years. Quinton, the couple’s son, was adopted. His extramarital romance with waitress Pam Seals caused this marriage to crumble. His affair with Seals came to an end in lawsuits, which the two eventually settled out of court. Reynolds declared bankruptcy in 1996 after his divorce from actress Loni Anderson. In Florida, Burt Reynolds, who was 82 years old when he died passed on from heart arrest on September 6, 2018.
Career timeline
Reynolds’ mentor casts him as the main actor for “Outward Bound.”
Reynolds’ first drama “Deliverance” establishes him as a star performer.
He wins Emmy and Golden Globe for Best Actor for “Evening Shade.”
Reynolds receives a Golden Globe award for “Boogie Nights.”
He features in various films including “The Longest Yard” with Adam Sandler.
Reynolds features in “The Last Movie Star,” playing a personal character.
Why We Love Burt Reynolds
His personality was charming
Burt’s personality was based on his desire for freedom. Burt Reynolds adored travel, adventure, and variety, and he aspired to see everything there is to see in life.
He was friendly
Burt Reynolds made friends easily and drew individuals from all walks of life thanks to his cheery and often inspiring demeanor. Reynolds was a clever and bright sly dog off-camera, and his self-deprecating humor had an elegance to it.
His motivational words
“When you crash and burn, you have to pick yourself up and go on and hope to make up for it.” We want to live by these words!
5 Surprising Facts
He posed nude
Reynolds posed naked for “Cosmopolitan” in 1972.
His on-set stunt caused him lifetime pain
An accident led to temporomandibular joint dysfunction and he lost 40 pounds from his inability to eat.
He almost become James Bond
He modestly declined, believing that Bond should not be an American.
He had a nightclub called Burt's Place
In the late 1970s, the place was in Atlanta’s Omni International Hotel.
He was a dockworker
Before the producers of a live T.V. show offered him $150 for a stunt gig, he was a dockworker.
Burt Reynolds FAQs
Who was his wife?
He married twice throughout his life. Judy Carne (1963—1965) and Loni Anderson (1988—1994).
What was his cause of death?
Burt Reynolds died of a heart attack on September 6, 2018, at the age of 82, while filming “Once Upon a Time” in Hollywood.
Did he perform his stunts?
Burt Reynolds was a huge proponent of performers doing their stunts, which added a level of excitement to his movies.
Burt Reynolds’s birthday dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2025 | February 11 | Tuesday |
2026 | February 11 | Wednesday |
2027 | February 11 | Thursday |
2028 | February 11 | Friday |
2029 | February 11 | Sunday |