'Deliverance,' 'Boogie Nights' star Burt Reynolds dies

LOS ANGELES - AFP

Burt Reynolds, the mustachioed heart-throb of 1970s cinema who won acclaim in "Deliverance" and a host of awards later in his career for "Boogie Nights," died on Sept. 6, his family announced.

The famously suave 82-year-old, a huge box office draw at his peak who had a reputation as a hard-drinking playboy, reportedly suffered a heart attack and died at a hospital in Florida.

"It is with a broken heart that I said goodbye to my uncle today," the actor's niece Nancy Lee Hess, said in a statement.

"My uncle was not just a movie icon; he was a generous, passionate and sensitive man, who was dedicated to his family, friends, fans and acting students." 

Reynolds, whose career spanned six decades, earned a Golden Globe, Oscar nomination and several critics' awards for his portrayal of porn director Jack Horner in the 1997 film "Boogie Nights."

Last year, he also drew critical acclaim for his performance in the indie movie "The Last Movie Star."

The actor was considered box office gold in the 1970s and early 80s with such hits as "Smokey and the Bandit," "Starting Over," and "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," films that were popular at the box office and often less popular with critics.

It was his breakout role in the 1972 thriller "Deliverance," in which he plays macho survivalist Lewis Medlock, that cemented his status as one of Hollywood's leading men in the 1970s and 80s.

The film, infamous for its hillbilly male rape scene, earned three Oscar nominations for best picture, best director and best editing. But Reynolds failed to get an Oscar nod and he would later say that his nude spread that year in Cosmopolitan probably cost him a chance at the golden statuette.

During his career, he would also become known as much for the hit movies he racked up as the big roles he turned down.

Reynolds notably walked away from playing the space scoundrel Han Solo in the first "Star Wars," turned down the role of James Bond and declined the leading role played by Richard Gere in "Pretty Woman."

He also rejected an offer to play retired astronaut Garrett Breedlove in the 1983 hit movie "Terms of Endearment."

The role was taken up by Jack Nicholson, who took home an Oscar.

"I didn't open myself to new writers or risky parts because I wasn't interested in challenging myself as an actor. I was interested in having a good time," Reynolds wrote in his 2015 memoir, "But Enough About Me."      

"As a result, I missed a lot of opportunities to show I could play serious roles," he added. "By the time I finally woke up and tried to get it right, nobody would give me a chance."