Before he was the Big Lebowski, David Huddleston was a reliable character actor who would steal the show whenever he popped up on screen. Then/Now: The Cast of 'Gunsmoke' - Fox News Pat McCormick passed away at the age of 78 in 2005 after years away from show business. It takes a lot of chutzpah to call yourself "The Great One," but in the case of Jackie Gleason, it was warranted. Burt Reynolds, a native of Lansing, Michigan, was first a big TV star on shows like "Riverboat, and "Gunsmoke," before he hit his stride on the big screen in the '70s. Field was only 18 years old when the series debuted in the fall of 1965. Reed also penned and performed the song for the opening credits, entitled "The Legend", which tells of some of the Bandit's escapades before the events of the film, and the ballad "The Bandit", which is in several versions in the movie and on the soundtrack. Strasberg became a powerful mentor, encouraging Field to move away from her goody-two-shoes television image. Paired with the diminutive Paul Williams as Little Enos, the two actors had a major contrast in height considering McCormick was 6 feet, 7 inches, and Williams is 5 feet, 2 inches. It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. Big Enos and his son, Little Enos (Paul Williams), appeared in all three "Smokey and the Bandit" films. Author: whiteriverhealth.org; Published: 01/05/2022; Review: 1.71 (92 vote) Summary: Music is by Bill Justis and Jerry Reed and cinematography by Bobby Byrne. Embodying the laid-back and aloof attitude of the Bandit to perfection, Reynolds wasn't far out of his comfort zone as the charming lead. Smokey and the Bandit was one of the biggest surprise hits of the 1970s, and its cast was packed with superstars and future icons of the screen. Many know Paul Williams as the composer of hits like "We've Only Just Begun," "The Rainbow Connection," and "Evergreen," but the singer/songwriter has also enjoyed a considerable career in movies and television, playing a variety of dramatic and comedic roles. (It was almost going to be titled"Smokey Is the Bandit."). [24] With an original budget of $5.3 million (cut to $4.3 million two days before initial production),[4] the film eventually grossed $126,737,428 in North America,[25] making it the second-highest-grossing movie of 1977 (only Star Wars earned more, with $221.3 million). Williams, now president of ASCAP, says he still gets a kick out of . Mike Henry (1936-2021) Actor IMDbPro Starmeter Top 5,000 502 Play trailer 2:42 Smokey and the Bandit (1977) 2 Videos 11 Photos Michael Dennis Henry was born August 15th, 1936. One of his most acclaimed performances was in the controversial hit "Deliverance," and he also proved he had a gift for comedy with "The Longest Yard" in 1974. In a recently published interview with Variety, Field talked about her relationship with Reynolds, who she met on the set of their 1977 film "Smokey and the Bandit" and dated off and on for . Mike Henry, a USC and NFL linebacker and later an actor in Tarzan movies of the 1960s and the Smokey and the Bandit films, has died. The Cars Could Hardly Run By The End. DeLuise found a new generation of fans thanks to his voiceover work for animation, most notably with director Don Bluth. movies. After Field's parents divorced, her mother married actor and stuntman Jock Mahoney. Burt Reynolds, the mustachioed megastar who first strutted on screen more than half a century ago, died Thursday, according to his agent, Todd Eisner. Still, for parents, it's a dumb-fun movie from their childhoods, and for older kids, it helps set some context for Burt Reynolds' successful '70s and '80s movie career beyond Norm MacDonald's legendary . 'Smokey and the Bandit' Turns 40: Paul Williams Looks Back on His Role In "Smokey and the Bandit II," he played John Conn, a slimy politician running against Big Enos (Pat McCormick) to become Governor of Texas. Smokey And The Bandit Actors You May Not Know Passed Away The third film which had no involvement from either Hal Needham or Sally Field and contained only a short cameo appearance by Burt Reynolds revolved entirely around Jackie Gleason's character, was panned by critics, and was a box office bomb, earning only $7 million against a $9 million budget.[41][42][43]. director of photography Film Editing by Walter Hannemann Angelo Ross Casting By Jennifer Shull Art Direction by Mark W. Mansbridge . The scene featuring the racetrack was filmed at Lakewood Speedway at the old Lakewood Fairgrounds on Atlanta's south side. Many of the film's original sounds were replaced. Smokey and the Bandit II - Wikipedia Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. In the U.K., the heavily dubbed version was shown for several years, particularly by the BBC. However, the cars weren't in the best of shape by the time they were wrapping up. He passed away in 2008, and has since been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.Jackie Gleason played Sheriff Buford Justice, or Smokey. Smokey And The Bandit Actors You May Not Know Passed Away. A post shared by Gino Cafarelli (@ginocafarelli). He currently lives in Los Angeles and pursues writing full time. Field received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2014. She then had a supporting role in the 2003 big-screen comedy Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, starring Reese Witherspoon. Actress, director and writer Sally Margaret Field was born on November 6, 1946, in Pasadena, California. Burt Reynolds as Bo "The Bandit" Darville Sally Field as Carrie "Frg" Jerry Reed as Cledus "The Snowman" Snow Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford T. People Also Read: Who Are The Cast Members Of Breaker Morant? The film follows the antics of Bandit as he takes a bet from "Big Enos" and "Little Enos" Burdette ( Pat McCormick and Paul Williams) to transport a truckload of. It was used in the film as the bandit's truck in the movie. Burt Reynolds - Movies, Wife & Son - Biography Long behind her were the sitcom days of "Gidget" and "The Flying Nun," and she had just starred in "Sybil," an acclaimed TV movie based on a true story about a woman with multiple personality disorder. Most of the dialogue was improvised on set. Also Read |'WandaVision' Episode 4 Cast: Know All About The Actors & Their Characters In MCU Series, Also Read |'Finding Ohana' Cast List And Everything You Need To Know About Them, Chhattisgarh naxal attack: Republic accesses photo of mastermind behind blast in Dantewada, 'They should prepare for Asian games': Yogeshwar Dutt's appeal to protesting wrestlers, 'Smokey and the Bandit' cast: List of actors and their characters in this cult 1977 film, Sherlock Gnomes Cast: This 2018 3D Animated Film Takes The Cake For A Starry Cast, What Time Does 'The Dig' Release On Netflix? Big Enos (Pat McCormick) tries to win his endorsement in his own bid for governor by delivering an elephant to the Republican National Convention in Dallas, with the help of the Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and the Snowman (Jerry Reed).