American actor Burt Reynolds was born on 11 February 1936, in Lansing, Michigan, and was known for his appearances in films such as “Deliverance”, “The Longest Yard” and “Smokey and the Bandit”, but his best performance was in “Boogie Nights”, which brought him an Oscar nomination. He passed away in 2018.
So just how rich was Burt Reynolds, at the time of his passing? Authoritative sources have estimated that Burt’s net worth was over $20 million, earned consistently from his acting career which began in the late 1950s, despite intermittent financial problems.
Burt Reynolds Net Worth $20 Million
Young Burton Leon Reynolds lived with his mother and sister, while his father was drafted into the US Army after which he became a police chief in Florida, so Burt studied at Palm Beach High School, and after matriculation attended Florida State University. In school years the future actor was dreaming of becoming a famous football player, but his wish was destroyed after a serious injury in his first game. Later this wound only worsened because of a serious car accident, and Burt Reynolds had to start thinking about other career options.
His first steps towards acting were in 1956, when he took part in a play called “Outward Bound” and won the Florida State Drama award. However, Burt’s first serious success only came in the ‘70’s and later, when he featured in movies which became famous. He played Paul Crewe in “The Longest Yard”, and also had notable roles in “Deliverance” and “Smokey and the Bandit”. Today people remember Burt Reynolds as a very popular actor, director and even voice artist, but actually Reynolds showed himself successful as a good screenwriter and television producer too. He was involved with over 100 titles on the big screen, and 60 TV productions, proof of his enduring popularity with directors and audiences alike, during a career spanning almost 60 years..
Burt Reynolds received plenty of nominations and awards during his career. In 1980 he was chosen the favorite Motion Picture Actor in People’s Choice Awards, USA. Later he received Emmy, Golden Globe, American Movie and Crystal Reel Awards, and became one of the more popular actors. He even had an opportunity to play the role of himself in a comedic action-adventure video game called “Saints Row: The Third”.
In his personal life, Burt Reynolds was married twice, but both marriages were unsuccessful and ended really quickly. He married his first wife Judy Carne in 1963, but the couple lived together for only 2 years before divorcing; she died in 2015. He didn’t marry his second wife Loni Anderson until 23 years later, in 1988., which lasted a bit longer – they had a son together but in 1993 the actor divorced for the second time. In between his marriages he dated actress Sally Field, but there are no confirmed romantic associations after his second divorce.
It is known that Burt owned a property in Hobe Sound Florida, including a special pop-corn machine and a piano for silent film soundtracks, which usually attracts other people, however, financial problems suggest that it was resumed by the bank..
Despite huge success after receiving an Emmy award, Reynold’s finances weren’t as good as they could have been. There were a few reasons for that – failed investments in some Florida restaurant chains that later went bankrupt; messy divorce from his second wife Loni Anderson; and also an actor’s love for an extravagant lifestyle without counting his money. He became solvent again, and was relatively comfortable in his later years.
He passed away from a heart attack on 6 September 2018, in Jupiter, Florida, having suffered from related heart problems for a number of years, ameliorated by quintuple coronary artery bypass surgery in February 2010. He is survived by Loni Anderson and their son Quinton.
Monkey and the Bandit? It’s Smokey and the Bandit you baboon!