Burt Reynolds' 9 Most Iconic Movie Roles

Burt Reynolds may have passed away, but the legendary actor left a legacy behind that is full of [...]

By Stephen Andrew

Burt Reynolds may have passed away, but the legendary actor left a legacy behind that is full of iconic movie roles.

Having first stated acting in the 1950s, Reynolds went on to enjoy an illustrious career full of decades of film and TV projects.

He began by appearing in stage productions, which led to television role opportunities, and then finally broke into movies in the 1960s.

Below, we have put together a list of some of the most recognizable films that Reynolds ever starred in.

Scroll down to read the list and let us know in the comments what your favorite Burt Reynolds movie is!

Smokey and the Bandit

Released: May 19, 1977

Also starring: Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason, Mike Henry, and Pat McCormick.

Easily the most iconic of all of Reynolds' film roles was when he played Bo "Bandit" Darville in Smokey and the Bandit.

Not only did it cement the actor's place in Hollywood as a star for the ages, but the film has gone on to become an integral part of pop-culture cinema.

Deliverance

Released: July 30, 1972

Also starring: Jon Voight, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox.

Deliverance is one of the most notorious films in all of mainstream cinema, mostly for its grim nature, which was a shocking element to moviegoers in the early '70s.

Starring as one of the tormented outdoorsmen, this film was a breakthrough role for Reynolds, who would go on to exceed A-list stardom.

Boogie Nights

Released: October 10, 1997

Also starring: Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Heather Graham.

Boogie Nights is one of few films' whose fame is only rivaled by its own near-equal infamy.

Reynolds role as adult-film director Jack Horner was so wel -done that to this day many consider it a "comeback" film for the star, though the actor famously doesn't like the film.

White Lightning

Released: August 8, 1973

Also starring: Jennifer Billingsley, Ned Beatty, Bo Hopkins, Matt Clark, and Louise Latham.

Released the year after Deliverance — and re-teaming Reynolds with his co-star from that film, Ned Beatty — White Lightning was a movie that proved to audiences Reynolds was a full-fledged action star.

Interestingly, this film also featured actress Laura Dern in an uncredited role. She was only about six years old at the time.

The Longest Yard

Released: August 30, 1974

Also starring: Eddie Albert, Ed Lauter, Michael Conrad, James Hampton, and Bernadette Peters.

The Longest Yard was a sports film that gave Reynolds a chance to relive his glory days as a halfback for FSU.

It was such a well-loved film that it spawned a remake starring Adam Sandler that Reynolds also appeared in.

The Cannonball Run

Released: June 19, 1981

Also Starring: Roger Moore, Dom DeLuise, Farrah Fawcett, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Jackie Chan.

Cannonball Run was not one of Reynolds' more "critically acclaimed" films by any means.

It did, however, give the actor an opportunity to be the lead in an outlandish comedy film designed solely to make the audience chuckle.

The Dukes of Hazzard

Released: August 5, 2005

Also starring: Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, Willie Nelson, David Koechner, and M. C. Gainey.

While there are likely few people who would call the Dukes of Hazzard film remake "iconic," Reynolds' role in the film undeniably was.

Taking on the role of Boss Hogg (Jefferson Davis 'J.D.' Hogg) — made famous by Sorrell Booke in the classic series — no one could have looked better in that iconic white suit and cowboy hat than Reynolds did.

All Dogs Go to Heaven

Released: November 17, 1989

Also starring: Dom DeLuise, Judith Barsi, Vic Tayback, Charles Nelson Reilly, and Loni Anderson.

He may not "appeared" in All Dogs Go to Heaven, but Reynolds' swagger and energy were felt by families all around the world through his voicing of Charlie B. Barkin.

Notably, the film co-stared his then-wife, actress Loni Anderson.

Cop and a Half

Released: April 2, 1993

Also Starring: Norman D. Golden II, Ruby Dee, Holland Taylor, and Ray Sharkey.

While All Dogs Go To Heaven was certainly Reynolds' greatest contribution to the family-film genre, there is much to be said for Cop and a Half.

Playing a grizzled cop who is stuck working with a school kid who witnessed a murder, Reynolds and his young co-star — Norman D. Golden II — serve up lots of laughs and some incredibly quotable lines.

While the film was mostly panned by critics, iconic film critic Roger Ebert gave it 3 stars out of 4.

"There isn't much that's original in Cop and a Half," Ebert said in his critique, "but there's a lot that's entertaining, and there's a winning performance by a young man with a big name, Norman D. Golden II, who plays little Devon Butler, a kid who dreams of someday wearing the shield."

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