The cast of Smokey and the Bandit may not have been large, but it had enough star power to cement its place in cinema history. Reed had made two previous appearances on screen with Burt Reynolds in Gator from 1976, and W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings in 1975, and acted up until his final role in 1998's The Waterboy. Upon showing it to his friend, Reynolds told Needham that it was the worst script he had ever read, but that he would still make the movie. It wasn't until "Smokey and the Bandit" rode into theaters that Gleason finally became a bankable movie star. Today, we're looking at the Smokey and the Bandit Cast Then and Now to see how they've changed through the years.00:00 - Intro0:15 - Jerry Reed as Cledus Snow, AKA Snowman1:20 - Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford T. Justice, AKA Smokey2:25 - Mike Henry as Junior Justice3:34 - Susan McIver as Hot Pants Hillyard4:41 - Pat McCormick as Big Enos Burdette5:49 - Paul Williams as Little Enos Burdette6:56 - Laura Lizer Sommers as Little Beaver7:48 - Sally Field as Carrie, AKA Frog8:55 - Burt Reynolds as Bo Darville, AKA Bandit10:04 - Hal Needham, DirectorJerry Reed played Cledus Snow, or Snowman. [22] It premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, where it performed badly. List Of 20+ Who Sings Smokey And The Bandit Future President Gerald Ford, after a trip to Colorado, hid it in his luggage to take it back to Washington, D.C. President Dwight D. Eisenhower had a steady supply airlifted by the Air Force to Washington. He is an actor, known for The Cannonball Run (1981), Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and Legends of the Superheroes (1979). Bandit is just what his name says an outlaw, living by his own rules and making fools of everyone enforcing the. Two units were 1974 models, as evidenced by standard silver Kenworth emblems on the truck grille, and one unit was a 1973 model, as evidenced by the gold-painted Kenworth emblem on the truck's grille, signifying Kenworth's 50 years in business. Like many professional athletes, Mike Henry found a second life in Hollywood after retiring from sports. As the New York Times reports, Jerry Reed was an established star by the time he appeared in "Smokey and the Bandit," with numerous Top 40 country hits and a handful of acting roles to his name. I will miss him very much.". The Original Smokey And the Bandit Truck is a 1974 Kenworth. She would win that award again for her turn in 1984's Places in the Heart, and by the mid-'80s Field had given some of her best performances. One of the elephants at the Topeka Zoo is having health problems right now, and it turns out that she was a movie star! Fans of the "Smokey and the Bandit" franchise will remember his appearance as the outgoing Texas governor in the series' second installment. The scene featuring the racetrack was filmed at Lakewood Speedway at the old Lakewood Fairgrounds on Atlanta's south side. She has been out of the spotlight for decades.Sally Field played Carrie, or Frog, which is one of dozens of roles she has taken on throughout her career. In addition to playing Junior in all three "Bandit" films, Henry had previously worked with Reynolds in "The Longest Yard," and appeared in the John Wayne war film "The Green Berets," the western "Rio Lobo," and the dystopian thriller "Soylent Green." After the success of "Bandit," Reed came back for the sequels, and also starred in such films as "High Ballin," "Hot Stuff," the war drama "Bat*21," and the Adam Sandler comedy "The Waterboy.". Most remembered for starring in one of the best sitcoms of all time in the form of The Honeymooners, Jackie Gleason was the most accomplished member of Smokey and the Bandit's cast by far. Field won Academy Awards for her performances in Norma Rae (1979) and Places in the Heart (1984), as well as Emmys for the 1976 TV movie Sybil and her later contributions to ER and Brothers & Sisters. You know you're an alcoholic when you misplace a decade. He also recorded most of the soundtrack for Smokey and the Bandit. Popularly known as "The Great One", late American actorJackie Gleason played the role ofSheriff Buford T. Justice, aka Smokey,in this road action-comedy. Universal executives initially resisted casting Field, claiming she was not attractive enough, but Reynolds insisted on her involvement. Smokey and the Bandit Released: 1977 Director: Hal Needham IMDb Rating: 6.7 The Bandit is hired on to run a tractor trailer full of beer over county lines in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff. Reed died on August 31, 2008, after a battle with emphysema at the age of 71. Gleason found success on the big screen playing pool shark Minnesota Fats in "The Hustler." Burt Reynolds was an award-winning actor who appeared regularly on television for some time before his 1972 appearance in the film Deliverance, which became a breakthrough role. "Cora had a Hollywood career as Burt Reynolds' co-star in "Smokey and the Bandit 2" (apologies to Jackie Gleason and Sally Field). Whatever Happened To The Cast Of Smokey And The Bandit? He had numerous film and television credits throughout his lengthy career, including a bit role in "Smokey and the Bandit II. He appeared in many films and television series afterwards, but retired in 1988 due to a Parkinson's diagnosis.Susan McIver played Hot Pants Hillyard, who changed her name after marrying Bill Ewing in 1982. By the end of June, it had played in major Southern markets, including Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas, and Oklahoma City, grossing $11.9 million. One of his most acclaimed. Reed also provided the film's infectious soundtrack, including the movie's theme song, "Eastbound and Down,"which went to No. Field told Good Morning America, "We had known each other about three days, four days at that point. The show resonated with Field's own values, as she told The Saturday Evening Post it was "all about a dysfunctional family whose members deeply love each other and are bonded together. Smokey and the Bandit was responsible for introducing two new generations of the Pontiac Trans Am to the public. Smokey and the Bandit Bridge Jump. It was used in the film as the bandit's truck in the movie. Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 American action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry. Field is also known for her roles in the films Smokey and the Bandit, Forrest Gump and Lincoln, along with her Tony-nominated stage work. ', Astrological Sign: Scorpio, Article Title: Sally Field Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/sally-field, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 15, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014.