Burt Reynolds

Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 - September 6, 2018) was an actor, director, and producer. He first rose to prominence starring in television series such as “Gunsmoke”, “Hawk”, and “Dan August”. He is also known for his breakout film role as Lewis Medlock in the film ”Deliverance”. Reynolds played the leading role in a number of subsequent box office hits, such as the 1974 film “The Longest Yard”, “Smokey and the Bandit”, “Semi-Tough”, “Hooper”, “Smokey and the Bandit II”, “The Cannonball Run”, and “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”. He was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “Boogie Nights”.

Death
On September 6, 2018, Burt Reynolds died at a Jupiter, Florida hospital, having had heart problems for a number of years. He was 82 years old. His ex-wife Loni Anderson issued a statement saying that she and their son Quinton would miss him and "his great laugh".

On the day of Reynolds' death, Antenna TV, which airs The Tonight Show nightly, aired an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson from February 11, 1982, featuring an interview and a This Is Your Life-style skit with Reynolds. The local media in Atlanta and elsewhere in the state noted on their television news programs that evening that he was the first to make major films in Georgia, all of which were successful, which helped make the state one of the top filming locations in the country.