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| Birth Name(s) : Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. |
Date of Birth: February 11, 1936 |
| Status:
Dating
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Partner:
Pam Seals |
| Profession:
Actor |
Official Site
Go to the Burt Reynolds Official Homepage |
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Full Burt Reynolds Biography
| Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner Burt Reynolds continues to be one of the world's best recognized superstars, who also has received acclaim as director and producer. Posing nude for the center page of "Cosmopolitan" magazine first launched his career from TV doldrums to big screen danger. "Smokey and the Bandit" (1977) is probably the best example of his malicious and cynical personality. Just ask Loni... |
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Additional Burt Reynolds Biography
Burt is one of America's most recognizable film and television personalities. With more than 90 feature film and 300 television episode credits, he was the number-one box-office attraction for five straight years (1978-82) a record no one else has ever achieved, with vehicles like Smokey and the Bandit and The Cannonball Run.
Burton Leon Reynolds, Jr., was born the son of Fern and Burton Reynolds, a police officer. Reynolds' family lived in several Southern and Midwestern cities during his childhood, before settling in Riviera Beach, Florida. Reynolds thought he was in paradise; he had access to the Everglades to the west, the shore of the Lake Worth Lagoon to the east, and further east, across the Blue Heron Boulevard bridge to Singer Island, the Atlantic Ocean. He was fascinated by the Conch fishermen and their families who made up most of the population of Riviera Beach.
After two years Burt Senior's contractor job ended, and the Reynolds bought a lunch counter and sundry store next to the bridge to Singer Island. As the business was close to a large dock and some fish and shrimp packing houses, business was good. Soon after, Burt Senior was recruited as a police officer for Riviera Beach. When the police chief died a few years later, Burt Senior became the chief.
When Burt Junior was twelve he became friends with Jimmy Hooks. After learning that Jimmy was being physically abused in his home, Burt Junior took Jimmy home with him and told his parents he wanted Jimmy to be his brother. The Reynolds took Jimmy in. The Reynolds officially adopted Jimmy Hooks years later, when he was in his twenties.
After graduating from Palm Beach High School in West Palm Beach, Florida, Reynolds attended Florida State University on a college football scholarship, becoming an all-star halfback. While at Florida State, Reynolds joined the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, the football team's fraternity of choice. He was anticipating a very good season his second year, with expectations of being named to All American teams, and an eventual career in professional football. In the first game of the season Reynolds tore the cartilage in his knee. He made the injury worse by trying to play again later in the game, and then again in a couple of games late in the season. On Christmas break that year, Reynolds ran his father's car up under a flatbed trailer that was sitting across a dark street. The car was wedged under the trailer, and it took rescuers seven and a half hours to remove Reynolds from the wreckage. He had multiple injuries, including his knee, shoulder, some broken ribs, and a ruptured spleen, the last of which was removed in emergency surgery.
The Florida State Drama Award included a scholarship to the Hyde Park Playhouse, a summer stock theater, in Hyde Park, New York. Reynolds saw the opportunity as an agreeable alternative to more physically demanding summer jobs, but did not yet see acting as a career. While working at Hyde Park Reynolds met Joanne Woodward, who helped Reynolds find an agent, and be cast in Tea and Sympathy at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. Reynolds received favorable reviews for his performance in Tea and Sympathy. Reynolds then went on tour with Tea and Sympathy, driving the bus as well as appearing on stage.
Reynolds worked odd jobs while waiting for acting opportunities. He waited tables, washed dishes, drove a delivery truck and worked as a bouncer at the Roseland Ballroom. It was while working as a dockworker that Reynolds was offered $150 to jump through a glass window on a live television show.
In early 2000, he created and toured Burt Reynolds' One Man Show. In 2002, he lent his voice to the character Avery Carrington in the controversial video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Reynolds's next film, The Cannonball Run 1981, was shot almost entirely in Georgia, referred to as "Burt's good luck state" by the director, Hal Needham. That same year Reynolds directed and starred in Sharky's Machine. Filmed entirely in Atlanta, the movie features Reynolds as a narcotics officer investigating the murder of a prostitute in the city.
At various points in his life, Reynolds was romantically involved with Dinah Shore, Sally Field, and Chris Evert. His relationship with Shore garnered particular attention given the fact she was 20 years his senior. Reynolds was married to actress/comedienne Judy Carne from 1963 to 1965, and actress Loni Anderson from 1988 to 1993. E! Online reports that he dated Kate Edelman Johnson from 2003 to 2005.
Reynolds has received a number of honorary recognitions over the years, mostly keys to various cities, or deputy badges from being deputized.
- Keys to the cities of: Hollywood, Florida / Miami Beach, Florida / Ocala, Florida / Orlando, Florida / Palm Beach County, Florida / West Palm Beach, Florida/ Buena Park, California / Oxnard, California / Savannah, Georgia / Niagara Falls, New York / Clark County, Nevada / Piggott, Arkansas
- Deputy Sheriff Badges: Leon County, Florida / Tallahassee, Florida / Tampa, Florida / Mitchell County, Georgia / Ramsey County, Minnesota / Hawaii / South Carolina / Warrensville Township, Ohio / Arizona / Buffalo, New York City Police / Jackson County / Jefferson Parish, Louisiana / Los Angeles County, California |
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Burt Reynolds Quote(s)
| Having done 300 television shows and almost 60 movies, I'm tired of having guys who are younger than some sandwiches I've had, telling me to turn left at the couch. There's no appreciation of actors and no sense of history. |
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