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Thread: R.I.P. Burt Reynolds

  1. #1
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    R.I.P. Burt Reynolds

    The star of films such as Smokey & The Bandit, Cannonball Run and Deliverance is dead at 82.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

  2. #2
    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    Cue that banjo riff.

    Burt made movies fun back in the day. True, he did have some serious roles like Deliverance and Boogie Nights, but on the whole he was all about being entertaining. And don't forget the Longest Yard, which was poorly reviewed upon release but the audiences love it. In retrospect I think it holds up rather well.
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  3. #3
    ALL ACCESS Gruno's Avatar
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    RIP

    Some faves:
    The Longest Yard
    Smokey and the Bandit
    Hooper
    Sharkey's Machine
    Boogie Nights

  4. #4
    "This is the film I want them to remember me by"
    Jack Horner--Boogie Nights

    Actually, I first think of him in Deliverance, and on the Johnny Carson show.

    I'm surprised that Burt never did a James Bond like spoof movie where he could use his humor and looks to best effect, but maybe nothing like that came his way.
    Last edited by DocProgger; 09-06-2018 at 04:07 PM.

  5. #5
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Wasn't he actually considered for the James Bond role, at some point?
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

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    Parrots Ripped My Flesh Dave (in MA)'s Avatar
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  7. #7
    A fine actor, who largely squandered his talent on caricature roles in second- & third-rate entertainments.

    And he didn't seem to give a damn! - & why should he, having earned his millions playing caricature roles in second- & third-rate entertainments?!

  8. #8
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    RIP.

  9. #9
    Member Vic2012's Avatar
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    RIP

    I remember him in a TV series called Dan August. Must've been around 1968-70.

    I've never seen any of his redneck, comedy films.

  10. #10
    Member Jack in Wilmington's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vic2012 View Post
    RIP

    I remember him in a TV series called Dan August. Must've been around 1968-70.

    I've never seen any of his redneck, comedy films.
    You should watch "Smokey and the Bandit", "Stoker Ace", and "Cannonball Run". Good entertainment.

    I liked him in another tv series called "Evening Shade" great supporting cast.

  11. #11
    Member Garyhead's Avatar
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    Oh.....and who can forget Striptease? The Creepster Senator coated in Vaseline smelling Demi Moore's Dryer Lint! You know? The first time I saw that flick I was about 1/2 way through before I realized it was Bert.....It wasn't the voice...it was a classic Burt Reynolds mannerism that tipped me off.

    Striptease
    Boogie Nights
    Deliverance
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  12. #12
    All Things Must Pass spellbound's Avatar
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    Grew up having lots of fun watching his movies. Rest in peace, Burt.

    We're trying to build a monument to show that we were here
    It won't be visible through the air
    And there won't be any shade to cool the monument to prove that we were here. - Gene Parsons, 1973

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Bails View Post
    Wasn't he actually considered for the James Bond role, at some point?
    For the original role or one of them post-Connery? I don't know either way. He certainly could have been better than Lazenby or Timmy Dalton.
    Last edited by DocProgger; 09-06-2018 at 07:19 PM.

  14. #14
    cunning linguist 3LockBox's Avatar
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    R.I.P to the man who got a lot of A.S.S
    Compact Disk brought high fidelity to the masses and audiophiles will never forgive it for that

  15. #15
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    I posted this on Facebook already, but thought I would post it here too:

    For a kid growing up in the 70’s there was no bigger movie star than Burt Reynolds. Every guy wanted to own a Trans Am like the one in the “Smokey And The Bandit” films (several of my friends had one) and we all wanted to be a charismatic ladies man like he portrayed in his films. Reynold’s film “Deliverance” remains one of the great movies of the 70’s. His more comedic films like the “Smokey” movies and “Cannonball Run” were just plain fun. In the mid 80’s and early 90’s Burt’s popularity slid to the point where he was making low budget films and it looked like his career was over. Then in 1997 he came back with a terrific performance in the film “Boogie Nights” which introduced him to a whole new generation. Burt was nominated for an academy award, and won a Golden Globe for best supporting actor for the film. Burt is a Michigan homeboy and was born just down the road from me in Lansing Michigan. He also was a star running back for Florida State in his college days. For anyone interested in his life I would recommend his autobiography from a few years ago entitled “But Enough About Me”. It is a very interesting read. RIP Burt Reynolds.

  16. #16
    Looks like from the stats Burt only had 19 carries over 3 years, but he had a crazy good 7.7 yards per carry and 2 TDs, so he must have broken off a few long ones. He had several major injuries which forced the end of his playing days. Didn't know he was from Lansing, I wonder if Mich St recruited him.

  17. #17
    Member nosebone's Avatar
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    Breaking In is an underrated Burt gem from 1989.

    He plays a career criminal/burglar "breaking in" a young apprentice.

    R.I.P Burt...., Deliverance is one of my favorite films.
    no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone

  18. #18
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jack in Wilmington View Post
    I liked him in another tv series called "Evening Shade" great supporting cast.
    Forgot about that. I loved that show.

    Quote Originally Posted by DocProgger View Post
    For the original role or one of them post-Connery? I don't know either way. He certainly could have been better than Lazenby or Timmy Dalton.
    I believe it was post-Connery, pre-Moore.

    He reportedly turned down many prominent roles - Han Solo, Richard Gere's role in Pretty Woman, John McClain in Die Hard, among others.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Bails View Post
    John McClain in Die Hard, among others.
    I had to read that twice, thinking it was John McCain and an opportunity for Burth to go rug-less.

    I was never a huge fan, but definitely liked some of his movies. I agree that The Longest Yard was pretty good with a great cast. I have no desire to see the Adam Sandler version (or anything he's done, for that matter).

    No doubt, Burt was the mega star of the 70s and it was well-deserved.

    RIP
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by DocProgger View Post
    Looks like from the stats Burt only had 19 carries over 3 years, but he had a crazy good 7.7 yards per carry and 2 TDs, so he must have broken off a few long ones. He had several major injuries which forced the end of his playing days. Didn't know he was from Lansing, I wonder if Mich St recruited him.
    I guess saying he was a "star" running back was a bit over the top, but he did start out looking like he was going to be until injuries cut his football career short.

  21. #21
    Irritated Lawn Guy Klonk's Avatar
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    Was a huge fan in 70's and 80's. loved the Cannonball Run movies, Hooper, Smokey and the Bandit and Sharkey's Machine was awesome (at the time!), but Deliverance...man that one was just so badass.

    Rest in peace
    "Who would have thought a whale would be so heavy?" - Moe Sizlak

  22. #22
    ALL ACCESS Gruno's Avatar
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    from television and film producer, director, and screenwriter Kevin Burns:


    R.I.P. Burt Reynolds.

    I had the pleasure of working with Burt Reynolds over the course of several days back in 2000. I was producing a series called, "History vs. Hollywood" for the History Channel and Burt was the narrator. I would fly to Palm Beach, Florida and Burt would meet me at a recording studio. Each show was a two hour doc and would it would take one day to do about two episodes. He was always kind, courteous and professional. I would even say humble. I had lunch with him and he loved to share stories. At one point, he found out that I was a close friend of Jonathan Harris. "Not THE Jonathan Harris?" He asked. "Yes," I said. "He's the reason I became an actor!" Burt enthused. "Jonathan Harris of 'Lost in Space," I said. "Yes. HIM." Replied Burt.

    He then asked if I would get Jonathan on the phone for him. I complied.

    "Jonathan!"

    "Yes, Kevey."

    "I have someone here who wants to speak with you."

    "Oh?"

    I handed Burt the phone and he went into a charming story about a time that they had worked together. Jonathan had been in a play called, "The Spa" starring Gloria Vanderbuilt and Turhan Bey ("Turban Bey!" Jonathan used to say.). Burt remembered Jonathan fondly and asked how he was doing, etc.

    Burt then handed me back the phone.

    "Burt Reynolds?!" Jonathan sputtered. "I didn't know I knew Burt Reynolds!"

    Now, you must know that all of us who got to know Jonathan knew him to have an almost photographic memory. Names, dates, places -- even down to what people wore. He knew the actors and the crew. He knew the executives and the prop people. He regaled us with stories of the stars he'd crossed paths with: Paul Muni, Tallulah Bankhead, Chuck Norris, Bette Davis, Marlon Brando -- just to name a few.

    He had never once mentioned Burt Reynolds.

    "How well did you know Jonathan?" I asked Burt.

    "I was a kid in college. I had been a football player and injured my leg. My career as a football player was over. A teacher recommended I try acting -- but I wasn't too sure about it. So one summer, I worked the stage crew at a theater. This repertore company came in and did this really terrible play. It was a stinker. But the only good thing in it was this actor who was in it. He wore a monacle and hed a cane. He was having the best time on stage -- even though the other actors were really bad. It was Jonathan Harris. At the end of each performance, I would shout out to him, "How was it tonight, Mr. Harris?" He would point the cane at me and say, "LOVED ME. HATED THEM!" I thought that was the funniest thing I'd ever heard. I loved it. I decided then and there that I wanted to be him. Jonathan is the reason I became an actor.

    Wow.

    When I returned to LA, I told Jonathan Burt's version of the story. He was moved to tears. He never knew the young stage hand later became Burt Reynolds.

    A year or so later, I was asked to produce Jonathan's Biography for A&E ("Never Fear, Smith is Here). I asked Burt if he would come to LA and share his story about Jonathan. He didn't hesitate to say, "yes."

    "But only on one condition."

    Uh-oh.

    "I want to take Jonathan out to dinner after my interview.

    "Of course," I said.

    "I'd also like to invite three friends of mine."

    "Who?" I asked.

    "My manager, Alan Margolis, Charles Durning and Charles Nelson Reilly."

    "Only on one condition," I said. "That I get to come, too."

    "Of course!"

    What followed was one of the great evenings of my life. Jonathan held court. (Not easy to do with Charles Nelson Reilly at the same table.) Laughs, tears and bawdy language flowed liberally -- like the gin that cascaded into Jonathan's cocktail glass. Burt watched the back and forth between his friends like a kid who had opened his favorite Christmas presents. We closed the restaurant at the Penninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. By the end of the evening, the only people in the room -- other than ourselves -- were the waiters. They didn't want to miss a word.

    If only I had filmed it.

    Sadly, Jonathan passed away less then one year later.

    Incredibly, one week after that, I ran into Burt Reynolds at the bar of that very same Penninsula Hotel.

    He recognized me.

    "We lost our friend," he said wistfully.

    "Yes," I said. "But he loved the dinner you had for him. He told me it was one of the greatest honors of his life."

    "The honor was mine," Burt said. "We are lucky to know people like Jonathan. Larger than life. But we're losing them, now."

    We both had tears in our eyes.

    He gave me a big hug as we parted.

    I never saw Burt again.

    Now he's gone, too.

    Like Jonathan, Burt Reynolds was larger than life.

    And... just like Jonathan... gone too soon.

    God bless you, Burt. You were a real gentleman. Thank you for sharing one of the greatest moments of both our lives.

  23. #23
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Awesome story. Thanks, Gruno.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

  24. #24
    ^^ Yeah, that was terrific.
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    I guess saying he was a "star" running back was a bit over the top, but he did start out looking like he was going to be until injuries cut his football career short.
    His roommate at FSU was Lee Corso I read.

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