Origins & Early Life

Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor. His early work included the television series Gunsmoke (1962–1965), Hawk (1966) and Dan August (1970–1971). He had leading roles in the films Navajo Joe (1966), and 100 Rifles (1969), and his breakthrough role was as Lewis Medlock in Deliverance (1972).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Reynolds played leading roles in films such as White Lightning (1973), The Longest Yard (1974), Smokey and the Bandit (1977) (which started a seven-year box-office reign), Semi-Tough (1977), The End (1978), Hooper (1978), Starting Over (1979), Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), The Cannonball Run (1981), Sharky's Machine (1981), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), Smokey and the Bandit III (1983), and Cannonball Run II (1984), several of which he directed. He was nominated twice for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Reynolds was voted the world's number-one most bankable movie star from 1978 to 1982 in the annual Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll, a five-year record he shared with Bing Crosby, Clint Eastwood, and Tom Hanks, until Tom Cruise surpassed them all in 2001. After a number of box-office failures...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alan Alda — Contemporary (Born in 1936) (1936): Esteemed American actor celebrated for M*A*S*H and decades of versatile performances.
• Albert Finney — Contemporary (Born in 1936) (1936): Esteemed English actor celebrated for his versatile stage and screen performances.
• Andrew Grove — Contemporary (Born in 1936) (1936): Visionary engineer and CEO who drove Intel to global semiconductor dominance.
• Aretha Franklin — Contemporary (Died in 2018) (2018): The "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin defined American music with unparalleled vocal power.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee — Contemporary (Died in 2018) (2018): Indian statesman and poet, served as Prime Minister of India multiple times.
• Balabhaskar — Contemporary (Died in 2018) (2018): Pioneering Indian violinist and composer known for promoting fusion music.
• Brandy Norwood — Shared historical date (02-11 · Born) (1979): Iconic R&B vocalist, songwriter, and actress known for her vocal prowess.
• Charles Algernon Parsons — Shared historical date (02-11 · Died) (1931): Pioneering inventor of the modern steam turbine, revolutionizing marine and electrical power.
• Akira Kurosawa — Shared historical date (09-06 · Died) (1998): Master of Japanese cinema, known for dynamic style and epic storytelling.
• Anika Noni Rose — Shared historical date (09-06 · Born) (1972): Acclaimed American actress celebrated for Broadway triumphs and Disney voice roles.
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