Of cardiac arrest at age 82, after one helluva ride in a business that spits out lesser lights, after delivering solid entertainment for over five decades, and whose sole Oscar nomination saw him beaten out that year by no less than Robin Williams.
Not a perfect human being, nor Laurence Olivier, but a solid entertainer who clearly never took life, acting, stardom, nor himself too seriously, but who always managed to entertain, and without alienating half his audience in real life.
Yes, indeed!
ReplyDeleteIf I could have picked one person out of anyone, ever, to go and have a couple or even 6 beers with, it would have been Burt. I loved the early stuff. White Lightning, Gator, Deliverance. Every time I see The Longest Yard show up on the guide, I pray it's his, not that maroon Sandler. Sadly, most often, it's not. RIP
ReplyDeleteI put our flag to half mast. I left it up for No Name
ReplyDeleteSteve in KY
For me, the hilarious mistakes mixed
ReplyDeletein with the closing credits of both
'Cannon Ball Run' films.
And of course, The Longest Yard.
Hooper
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't seen it, you must.
Thumbs up.
DeleteRobin Williams was a jackass. For every decent film he was in, he made five lame ones.
ReplyDeleteBurt at least knew how to turn a part down (most famously, the role of James Bond, which he insisted that no American could play).
Hey Aesop;
ReplyDeleteAnother movie that actually was pretty good and underated was "Malone", came out in the late 80's. Actually pretty good.
Class guy. And for sticking up for Sally Fields' talent during casting & the candid (and often hilarious) assessments of his own foibles.
ReplyDelete@John Smith: +1. There is only one "The Longest Yard."
He was a man. Makes Hollywood nervous these days. Re-run 'em all.
Watch the NFL this weekend? NFW, I think I'll get out my Burt Reynolds DVD collection and binge watch Gator, Deliverance and Smokey with a cool refreshing beverage or two.
ReplyDeleteNFwho ?
ReplyDelete