Though mostly toiling away in Spaghetti Westerns overseas during the late 1960’s (at the urging of pal, Clint Eastwood), Burt Reynolds finally hit paydirt in 1972 in the uber-disturbing Deliverance—and then posed nude for Cosmopolitan across a bearskin rug. Establishing himself as the macho man guys wanted to be and gals wanted to be on top of, Reynolds soon embarked on a string of personality-driven comedies that showcased his wily, moustached grin and comical “who-ha” laugh. Smokey and the Bandit, in which he sped a souped-up Trans Am cross-country to make the biggest beer-run in history (with buddy Jerry Reed and nemesis Jackie Gleason in tow), proved the most successful. Then-girlfriend Sally Field came along for the ride and helped turn the pair into the country’s most beloved B-film power couple. Check them out this week and relive those “East Bound and Down” glory days.
Wed., July 21, 7:30 p.m., 2010
