30 Burt Reynolds Roles That Made Him Not Just an Icon, but a Legend

This 1969 Western stars Reynolds in the titular role. He plays cowboy Sam Whiskey, who reluctantly takes a job from a wealthy widow to salvage gold that her late husband stole, and return it to the mint without anyone noticing.

Reynolds shared the screen with Ryan and Tatum O'Neal in Nickelodeon, a comedy about the early days of the movie-making business.

Smokey and the Bandit is easily Reynolds' most popular role, and went on to inspire two sequels. The actor starred alongside Sally Field as Bo "Bandit" Darville, a legendary driver who is hired to transport a truck of beer across state lines while also trying to evade capture by a pesky sheriff.

In Hooper, Reynolds brought us the life of Sonny Hooper, an aging stuntman who wants to prove his worth to Hollywood.

Although divorced man Phil Potter (Reynolds) is in love, there's something that's still holding him back — his ex-wife. Try as he might, he can't get over her in this 1979 rom-com, which is based on Dan Wakefield's novel.

Reynolds and Field reprise their roles in Smokey and the Bandit II, only this time they need to get an elephant from Florida to Texas.

In Paternity, Reynolds plays a man who desperately wants a baby. Unfortunately there's just one problem: he doesn't have a wife or girlfriend, and therefore needs to find someone to have his child with no strings attached. Easier said than done, right?

Reynolds and Goldie Hawn star as either half of a professional couple who decide to get hitched after years of living and working together. Despite being best friends, they soon discover — to comedic effect — just how difficult marriage can be.

Reynolds continued his rom-com streak with The Man Who Loved Women in 1983, which follows a successful sculptor's romantic misadventures in LA.

The foul attitude of Stroker Ace (Reynolds), a popular NASCAR driver, ends up losing him his prime sponsorship, so he ends up signing on with a fried chicken mogul instead. While he clashes with his new "boss," he makes a connection with the chicken company's director of marketing and public relations, Pembrook Feeny (Loni Anderson).

Reynolds returned the silver screen world of crime to play slick private eye Mike Murphy, who reluctantly teams up with a tough police lieutenant (Clint Eastwood) to investigate a murder.

This 1985 action drama sees Reynolds as ex-con Ernest "Stick" Stickley, who is released from prison only to get wrapped up in a drug-running deal that goes sour.

Reynolds stars in Heat as Mex, a kindhearted bodyguard living in Las Vegas.

Reynolds pops up in Alexander Payne's Citizen Ruth, which tells the story of an irresponsible drug addict (a young Laura Dern) whose unexpected pregnancy drags her into an abortion debate.

Who would trust the bumbling Mr. Bean to travel to America and be responsible for a highly valuable painting? Reynolds's General Newton, apparently.

Reynolds's role in Boogie Nights was so good that he earned an Oscar nomination. The star plays Jack Horner, a porn filmmaker living in the 1970s who crosses paths with Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) as he makes his way in the business.

When their hockey team gets chosen to host a nationally televised event, the residents of a small town — including Judge Walter Burns (Reynolds) — go a little crazy with excitement. Russell Crowe and Hank Azaria co-star.

In Deal, Reynolds plays a once-legendary gambler who begins mentoring a hot-shot college hopeful about how to play cards. That all backfires, of course, when he ends up in the world series of poker facing off against none other than his former protégé.

The Last Movie Star was one of the actor's last roles, and the character was about as meta as it gets. He plays former big shot Vic Edwards, who struggles to admit that his glory days are officially behind him.