Burt Reynolds

QUENTIN TARANTINO’S INSPIRATION: BURT REYNOLDS!

Here’s something we didn’t know about Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: the friendship between Leonardo DiCaprio’s actor character and Brad Pitt’s stuntman character was based on the lifelong friendship of Burt Reynolds and his stuntman Hal Needham. Burt and Hal had matching egos and machismo (not to mention gold chains and chest hair) and they were inseparable friends. Hal even lived in Burt’s guesthouse free for twelve years until he got married again. Hal died in 2013, and Quentin wanted Burt to appear in his movie, but Burt died last year.

SALLY FIELD: DID SHE OR DIDN’T SHE ATTEND BURT REYNOLDS’ FUNERAL?

Burt Reynolds happened to die at the right time for his ex-girlfriend Sally Field. She just released a memoir, In Pieces, which included some not–so-nice recollections of their romance (we think she was holding back,) and she’s been getting a lot of publicity. Good for her- Burt did NOT treat his women well. Sally admits she hasn’t spoken to Burt in 30 years. So why did Us Weekly report that she was at his funeral in West Palm Beach (home of The Enquirer) – she was the only celebrity in attendance, if she WAS there. Burt wanted to be buried in the driver’s seat of his 1977 Trans Am, but he didn’t leave enough money to pay for such a funeral, so he was sensibly cremated. We strongly DOUBT that Sally would have shown up, and are waiting for US to retract their mistake…

NOT EVERYBODY IS MOURNING BURT REYNOLDS

Interesting to note that there are no exes or females weeping at the death of Burt Reynolds, despite the fact that he considered himself one of the hottest commodities ever to bless Hollywood. For years we covered the macho actor’s antics for Star Magazine and every year he became more unlikable. Literally every woman he either dated or married left the relationship despising him. Burt was the epitome of the egocentric and egotistical 1970’s man – women were good for one thing. Now reporters are cornering his exes for comments about his death and they have nothing nice to say – the best they can come up with is “We’ll miss his sense of humor…”
(It’s also odd that there are no photos of Burt with his adult son Quinton)

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

LONI ANDERSON: LOOKING GOOD IS THE BEST REVENGE

Recently Burt Reynolds announced that Sally Field was “the love of his life” with no mention of his ex-wife Loni Anderson. Burt and Loni’s divorce in 1993 was sensational and embarrassing. He accused her of being a bad mother and cheating and she accused him of physical abuse. It also took many years before it was settled. Loni, 71, went on to marry Bob Flick, singer from The Brothers Four folk group. They were photographed leaving Craig’s restaurant and she looks fetching, while her ex Burt is now hunched over a cane.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

BURT REYNOLDS AT 82: EGO STILL INTACT

Our earliest memory of Burt Reynolds was the uproar made over his Cosmo centerfold. Back in the 70’s, a hairy naked man smoking a cigar with a smirk on his face while reclining on a fur rug, was apparently appealing. That and five years spent as Top Boxoffice Draw fueled Reynolds’ ego. He even imagined that he resembled a young Marlon Brando. Burt claims that careless, tabloid documented marriages and bad investments led to bankruptcy and a less glamorous life. But Reynolds still has that vanity – he uses a cane, but still wears Tom Cruise style elevator shoes, a carefully styled toupee, and his face is tight and relatively wrinkle free.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

LONI ANDERSON: LIVING WELL IS THE BEST REVENGE

Every time we see 80’s sex symbol Loni Anderson,71, we think of the book, “But Enough About Me” her ex-husband Burt Reynolds, 80, wrote a couple of years ago. Burt ungallantly wrote that marrying Loni was a “really dumb move” because one should “never marry an actress.” He criticized Loni’s free spending habits – he claimed “She bought everything in triplicate – from dresses to jewelry to china.” Burt recalled giving Loni an AX card with a $45,000 limit and says she maxed it out in a half hour. After six tumultuous years together Loni went on to marry a wealthier man, so no more money problems. Burt blew through most of his money so now he has to write books. One final insult to Loni: Burt insists the REAL love of his life was Sally Field.

Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News

LONI ANDERSON TURNS BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

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Loni Anderson, 69, must be drinking from the same fountain of youth that Anne Jeffreys drinks from. She’s changed very little since her days as the sex symbol on “WKRP in Cincinnati.” Loni was married to Burt Reynolds for six years so she is very involved in the sale of his possessions and memorabilia at Julien’s Auctions held in Las Vegas. Burt is cleaning house and unloading a TON of stuff that must have taken up considerable space. Lots of cowboy and Indian memorabilia, knick- knacks, and many large paintings of Burt that he says were given to him. Click HERE to see the catalog.

Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News

BURT REYNOLDS AND RYAN O'NEAL: HOLLYWOOD HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

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Photo Credit: Gary Lewis/Bauer-Griffin

This picture of Burt Reynolds and Ryan O’Neal looks like it was taken in the late 70’s at some sort of ball game – maybe Lakers basketball. They were the leather jacketed cool single guys of that era – sort of like players Wilmer Valderrama and maybe Justin Timberlake today. Hard to imagine, huh? After the game they probably went to Pip’s to pick up girls.

Monkey Makes Him Mad

An amusing confrontation in 2003: Burt Reynolds lost his temper at a wisecracking monkey puppet at the Atlanta film Festival and lunged at and choked the offending Phineas J Monkey. Reynolds was being honored at the event and the monkey (operated by Lucky Yates) was co-master of ceremonies. Burt was appalled by jokes the simian made about the intelligence of actors Brad Pitt and Keanu Reeves. “Some day Brat Pitt might want to make a movie in this town” the volatile actor declared, before he grabbed the puppet by the neck, grimaced and squeezed. He stopped short of ripping off the puppet’s head and got an apology – not from the monkey – from the festival organizers.

Forget About It

In 2004, Burt Reynolds’ just-completed movie “Forget About It” was a low budget quickie, but he and his costar Raquel Welch still managed to throw their weight around. Burt was described by coworkers as more obnoxious and demanding than ever. He griped about everything, constantly changed lines, lighting, and camera angles to suit himself and was generally “insufferable.” And he wasn’t the only egotist. Raquel was apparently not happy with the limited frills and when the movie wrapped she walked off with her $14000 wardrobe. The costume department was in hot water and begged her to return the clothes, while furious producers considered a lawsuit.