That's where his roots were.įox News: As a father/grandfather figure, what's the biggest piece of advice he ever gave you? The Southern traditions and the beach and the coastal area of West Palm Beach and Jupiter, that was his home. When he was a young man, he wanted to go off to college in Florida. It was his home state, and he loved Florida very much. His father was the police chief at Riviera Beach in Florida. Julien's AuctionsīURT REYNOLDS 'WOULD HAVE BEEN TOUCHED' TO RECONNECT WITH SALLY FIELDįox News: He could have easily lived in Hollywood, but he chose Florida as his home. Just to help him and see him have a good life was something we're proud of.īurt Reynolds' class photo. He loved doing his own stunts, but it took a toll on him in his older years. Burt did his own stunts, and he really hurt his back over time, to make these movies look authentic for us. So I do miss those things, participating in his life and trying to make his life a little easier and a little better.Įspecially as he got a little older, he was tougher to get around and be mobile. It was fun to come to LA, but by the same token, that's not really a work trip because I used to come here and try to make things ready for him so he had an easy transition into wherever we were going.
I usually would go out a few days in advance to get our rooms, our hotels ready, those type of things, and I miss those days. Kennedy: We traveled a lot together, especially coming here. His participation in my life has changed it forever for me.įox News: You must have many memories, but what's one that's been on your mind lately, especially while getting this auction together? I definitely wouldn't be in some of the positions I've been lately without Mr. My father passed away in '07, so we definitely hit it off in that regard. And I think it made him happy and us, as well. We did things together, sometimes with the children. I've got five grandchildren, and he was very active in their lives. Very smart man, gave me a lot of wisdom and advice. I mean, we were good friends, but over the times we had to travel together, I got to know him on a personal level. Kennedy: Burt was definitely a father figure, a grandfather figure to me. Julien's Auctionsįox News: You previously said Burt was a grandfather figure for you. But, apparently, his friends "got down on their knees with tears in their eyes and begged me not to do it.Burt Reynolds was proud of his "Smokey and the Bandit" legacy.
"I read it and I said, 'Hal, if you can get somebody to give you the money, I'll star in it and you can direct it,'" the movie star wrote. The idea of smuggling Coors beer across the country sparked Hal's imagination for Smokey and the Bandit, and Burt loved it.
īack then, Coors was not available east of the Mississippi River and could only be sold in 11 western states because it didn't have preservatives in it and had to be kept cold, The New York Times reports.
Over time, he realized that the driver was "bootlegging" the beer and the maid was stealing it. Hal wrote on Fortunethat he was inspired to pen the film after a driver captain on set of Burt's 1976 movie Gator brought some Coors beer with him from California and asked Hal to hold a few cases of it in his hotel room. The story goes that Hal approached him with the "script" for the flick, which was handwritten on yellow pads.