Burt Reynolds

A top sex symbol and box office draw in the 1970s and '80s, Burt Reynolds was born in Waycross, Ga., on Feb. 11, 1936. Moving to Florida as a teen, Reynolds excelled in football before an injury ended his potential to turn pro.

After heading to New York, he began working in television and theatre and soon landed roles on the national series "Riverboat" and "Gunsmoke." Reynolds's star-making turn was in Deliverance (1972), followed by performances in The Longest Yard, Gator and his comic breakthrough, Smokey and the Bandit (1977). His success continued with Semi-Tough, The Cannonball Run and Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

In 1990, he started work on the television series "Evening Shade," for which he won an Emmy. A renewed interest in Reynolds's career came in 1997 with his role as a porn director in Boogie Nights, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Filmography