Pop Culture | Celebrities | 80s | 70s

10 Things You Never Knew About Burt Reynolds

By Zachary |

<div><p>The words "living legend" are thrown around a lot these days, but we say Burt Reynolds definitely qualifies for that description. </p><p>Reynolds' career has spanned 6 decades and he's still working to this day. By the time he starred in his most famous role, one of the city slickers from <em>Deliverance</em>, he had already been a working actor for 10 years. </p><p>After that he still had roles in films like <em>Smokey and the Bandit</em>, <em>The Longest Yard</em> and <em>Boogie Nights</em> to look forward to. If you've loved any of those films, you'll be interested in these 10 interesting facts about this classic leading man.</p><p></p><h3>1. He owned his own nightclub</h3><div><figure><amp-img src="http://test.shared.com/content/images/2017/02/Burts.PNG" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p></p><div align="center" data-freestar-ad="__336x280 __789x280" id="throwbacks_articles_incontent _1"> </div><p></p><p></p><p>Burt's Place was only open for a year, but it made a big impact. How could it not, with Burt's image drawn into the dance floor.</p><p></p><h3>2. He's still suffering from a failed stunt</h3><div><figure><amp-img src="http://test.shared.com/content/images/2017/02/12.jpg" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>While filming <em>City Heat</em>, Reynolds was hit in the face with a steel chair. Because of his injured jaw, he lost almost 40 pounds from not being able to eat solid food, and briefly got hooked on pain killers. He's clean now, but still living with pain from the botched stunt.</p><p></p><h3>3. He made a movie just to spite Clint Eastwood</h3><div><figure><amp-img src="http://test.shared.com/content/images/2017/02/11.jpg" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>When Eastwood starred in <em>Any Which Way but Loose</em>, Reynolds thought it was too close to <em>Smokey and the Bandit</em>. He threatened to make "<em>Dirty Harry</em> in Atlanta" to get back at Eastwood, and he kept his promise when he starred in <em>Sharky's Machine</em>. </p><p></p><h3>4. He turned down some big roles</h3><div><figure><amp-img src="http://test.shared.com/content/images/2017/02/2272aeab21dadc221594324d7104ee6b.jpg" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>In the 70s Reynolds was offered a string of <strong>huge</strong> roles that he turned down. He passed on playing Han Solo, the lead in <em>One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest</em>, and early versions of <em>Pretty Woman </em>and <em>Die Hard</em>. He was even offered the chance to play James Bond when Sean Connery left the role.</p><p></p><p></p><div align="center" data-freestar-ad="__336x280 __789x280" id="throwbacks_articles_video"> </div><p></p><p></p><h3>5. He's embarrassed by his most famous photo shoot </h3><div><figure><amp-img src="http://test.shared.com/content/images/2017/02/Cosmo.PNG" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>Reynolds thought his iconic pictorial in <em>Cosmo</em> would be a lot of fun, and fans clearly agreed because all 1.6 million copies sold out. But when his cast members in <em>Deliverance</em> didn't win the Oscars they were nominated for, Reynolds blamed it on the publicity surrounding his photo.</p><p></p><h3>6. He lost a role because he looked too much like Marlon Brando</h3><div><figure><amp-img src="http://test.shared.com/content/images/2017/02/Screen-Shot-2015-08-17-at-5-27-29-PM.png" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>When he auditioned for a role in the Hollywood drama <em>Sayonara</em>, Reynolds was told he looked too much like the film's lead, Marlon Brando, so he lost the part. </p><p></p><h3>7. He got in a pie fight on live TV</h3><div><div><div><amp-youtube height="9" width="16" layout="responsive" data-videoid="8X-L8z52v4M"></amp-youtube></div></div></div><p>Skip to 4:30 in the video above to see the climactic pie fight, but you'll miss all the awkward interactions between Burt and game show host Marc Summers. Summers joked about Reynolds divorce with Loni Anderson and things got bad fast. </p><p></p><p></p><div align="center" data-freestar-ad="__336x280 __789x280" id="throwbacks_articles_incontent_2"> </div><p></p><p></p><h3>8. Win Lose or Draw's set was based on his home</h3><div><figure><amp-img src="http://test.shared.com/content/images/2017/02/13.jpg" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>Ever wondered what Burt Reynold's living room looks like? Well now you know. The star produced this game show, and his home was the model for the set's design. </p><p></p><h3>9. He made a country album</h3><div><div><div><amp-youtube height="9" width="16" layout="responsive" data-videoid="upPM78c2lwQ"></amp-youtube></div></div></div><p>He may have played tough guys on-screen, but Reynolds had a sensitive side as well. He channeled it on <em>Ask Me What I Am</em>, his country album from 1973. </p><p></p><h3>10. He worked with a very famous businessman </h3><div><figure><amp-img src="http://test.shared.com/content/images/2017/02/13-1.jpg" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>Reynolds and President Trump were once co-owners of the Tampa Bay Bandits, a minor-league football team. Not only was the team named after Reynold's most famous role, the mascot was also named Smokey!</p><p></p><h3>Share this post if you love Burt Reynolds!</h3></div>

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