FLORIDA – Burt Reynolds, the top grossing actor from 1978 through 1982, has died at age 82 of a reported cardiac arrest.
Multiple reports say Reynolds was rushed from his home to a hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest and that he was surrounded by his family when he died.
Born Feb. 11, 1936, in Lansing Michigan, Reynolds climbed the acting ranks, starting in television westerns in the 1960s and rising to movie icon of the 1970s and 1980s.
While he never won on Oscar, Reynolds was nominated for his role in Boogie Nights. He did win other awards in his career. In 1991, he won an Emmy for Evening Shade. He won two Golden Globe Awards, in 1992 for Evening Shade, and 1998 for Boogie Nights. In 1980 he was named America’s Favorite Male Star at the American Movie Awards. In 2002 he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Crystal Reel Awards.
He also won six People’s Choice Awards.
He got his start on the iconic television western Gunsmoke in 1955. Prior to that he was a star running back for two years at Florida State University. His playing career was ended by a knee injury.
In 1980, the multi-talented Reynolds recorded the song Let’s Do Something Cheap and Superficial for the Smokey and The Bandit soundtrack. The song reached 88th on the Billboard Top 100.
Reynolds last completed film is 2018’s Defining Moments. He starred as Hunt Lawton in 2002’s Johnson County Wars, as Joey “Bats” Pistella in The Crew, and 1997’s Boogie Nights as Jack Horner.
He also starred in Striptease, Cop & 1/2, All Dogs Go To Heaven, Rent-a-Cop, Malone, Heat, City Heat, three Smokey and the Bandit films, The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, Sharky’s Machine, Hooper, The End, Semi-Tough, Gator, Silent Movie, the original The Longest Yard, White Lightning, and Deliverance