The CW documentary titled I Am Burt Reynolds takes a look at the illustrious yet complicated life of American actor Burt Reynolds. Having premiered on December 31, 2023, the documentary is directed by Adrian Buitenhuis.
Born on February 11, 1936, the actor rose to fame in the 70s and gradually became a cultural icon. He started gaining recognition for starring in several TV series in the 60s. However, Reynolds’ portrayal of Lewis Medlock in Deliverance in 1972 proved to be a game changer. Besides that, he went on to star in several box office hits, including Navajo Joe, White Lightning, The Longest Yard, Hooper, and The Cannonball Run, among others. In most of his movies, he played a lovable rogue—a role that struck a chord with cinema lovers.
From the years 1978 to 1982, Burt Reynolds was voted the world’s number one box-office star. Even though he appeared in many box office failures in the early 90s, he made an epic comeback on television in by starring in the sitcom Evening Shade. For his portrayal of Woodrow “Wood” Newton in the show, he received a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. Moreover, in 1997, his role in Boogie Nights received critical attention.
Even though Burt Reynolds enjoyed success in showbiz, People reported that he faced problems like addiction to pain medication and bankruptcy throughout his life. The latest The CW documentary special will dive deep into the late actor’s achievements as well as rough times.
According to The CW’s official website, the synopsis of I Am Burt Reynolds reads, “Through rarely viewed archive material and interviews with his family, friends and colleagues, an intimate portrait of one of America’s most beloved stars is drawn.”
Burt Reynolds documentary: Who was Burt Reynolds married to?
Burt Reynolds was married twice. His first one was with English actress Judy Carne, which lasted from 1963 to 1965. In 1988, he married actress Loni Anderson. However, they separated six years later after he fell in love with a waitress named Pam Seals. Reynolds and Anderson had an adoptive son named Quinton.
Before stepping into acting, Burt Reynolds was known as a skilled high school footballer and enjoyed popularity in his hometown—West Palm Beach. He even went on to represent Florida State University. However, he could not pursue football professionally due to a serious knee injury. This made him get into West Palm Beach Junior College, where he discovered his love for drama and acting.
As for his personal life, Loni Anderson reportedly shared that Burt Reynolds always wanted to become a father. Thus, he was thrilled when they adopted Quinton. However, according to Quinton, Reynolds showed his love with gifts instead of physical affection. Anderson even said that she was unaware that her husband was planning on divorcing her. Prior to the commencement of the filming of Nurses, Reynolds allegedly confessed to loving her before he handed her the divorce papers. The couple then fought for Quinton’s custody in court.
According to People, Burt Reynolds was financially irresponsible and went bankrupt in 1996. In a 2015 interview with Vanity Fair, the actor said, “I’ve still done well in terms of owning property and things like that. But I haven’t been somebody who’s been smart about his money.”
On September 6, 2018, Burt Reynolds died due to a heart attack at the age of 82. He was reportedly going to star in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
