Goodbye Bandit

 

Movie star Burt Reynolds passed at 82. A shock since he was one of those iconic box office mega stars from the 1970s and 1980s having turned down many super roles that others would gain fame from Star Wars to Terms of Endearment to Die Hard and many more. But before you feel badly, he was top box office longer than most stars in Hollywood history for several consecutive years starting with the classic Deliverance through Smokey and the Bandit to the Longest yard to directing efforts like the underrated Sharky's Machine and serious roles in Starting Over and later a career revival and Oscar nomination in Boogie Nights.

His TV career spanned many decades from Gunsmoke to his Dan August detective to the comedy ensemble Evening Shade. He was just as appealing on numerous talk shows especially the great Johnny Carson. Although his health (he also suffered through doing many physical stunts) and finances suffered in recent years, he was actively filming projects including Tarentino's latest right up to the end. Who could forget his smile and laugh? Goodbye Bandit.