There’s something about a Hollywood heartthrob that makes us want to know how the story really ends — especially when the final chapter is as layered as the man himself. Burt Reynolds, the mustachioed icon of Deliverance and Smokey and the Bandit, died in 2018 at age 82, leaving behind a tangle of unresolved questions about his health, his fortune, and the woman he called the love of his life.
Date of birth: February 11, 1936 ·
Date of death: September 6, 2018 ·
Age at death: 82 ·
Net worth at death: $3 million (estimated) ·
Breakthrough role: Lewis Medlock in Deliverance (1972)
Quick snapshot
- Died of a heart attack in Jupiter, Florida (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
- Had congestive heart failure and other age-related ailments (Culture Junction (entertainment analysis))
- Never married to Sally Field (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference))
- Exact cause of the 30-year rift with Sally Field (Fox News (US news outlet))
- Whether Reynolds knew the full extent of his financial decline before death (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
- Details of his planned Tarantino project (Vanity Fair (US pop-culture authority))
- 1976-1980: Relationship with Sally Field (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference))
- 1990s: Financial difficulties after divorces (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
- 2018-09-06: Dies at age 82 (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
- Legacy continues through film retrospectives and biopics (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference))
- Unanswered questions about relationship with Field remain public curiosity (Business Insider (US financial/entertainment outlet))
Seven key facts about Burt Reynolds, one pattern: the numbers tell a story of a man who achieved extraordinary fame but ended his life with modest means and unresolved personal ties.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. |
| Born | February 11, 1936, Lansing, Michigan |
| Died | September 6, 2018, Jupiter, Florida |
| Known for | Deliverance, Smokey and the Bandit, Boogie Nights |
| Relationships | Sally Field (1976–1980), marriages to Judy Carne and Loni Anderson |
| Awards | Golden Globe, Emmy, Academy Award nomination |
What illness did Burt Reynolds suffer from?
Burt Reynolds’ heart condition and other health issues
- Reynolds reportedly suffered from congestive heart failure and other age-related ailments, according to entertainment analysis from Culture Junction (entertainment health analysis).
- He also dealt with back problems and arthritis later in life, as reported by Culture Junction (entertainment health analysis).
- Some posthumous coverage described him as having rheumatoid arthritis in his final years, though this is less consistently confirmed (Culture Junction (entertainment health analysis)).
The implication: Reynolds’ health decline was a quiet, drawn-out affair — not a sudden collapse but a slow erosion that affected his mobility and his ability to work consistently.
How his health affected his final years
- Reynolds’ health forced him to reduce his film schedule in the 2010s, according to Vanity Fair (US pop-culture authority).
- He continued working in television, including a recurring role on Burn Notice, as noted by Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference).
The pattern: even as his body failed him, Reynolds kept working — driven partly by passion, partly by the financial pressures that had mounted in the 1990s.
Reynolds was a man who played rugged, physically imposing characters on screen, yet his later years were defined by chronic pain and limited mobility — a cruel irony for someone whose career was built on physical charisma.
Reynolds’s health decline was a slow erosion that mirrored the gap between his on‑screen persona and his private reality.
What was Burt Reynolds doing when he died?
The day of his death
- Reynolds died at a hospital in Jupiter, Florida, on September 6, 2018, according to BBC News (UK public broadcaster).
- Some posthumous coverage stated he died while undergoing a medical procedure, though this detail is not confirmed by official sources (Culture Junction, entertainment analysis).
- His death was attributed to a heart attack or cardiac arrest, with slight wording variation across coverage (Vanity Fair (US pop-culture authority)).
The catch: the exact circumstances of his final hours remain partially private — a reminder that even public figures have boundaries around their most intimate moments.
His final project and activities
- Reynolds was reportedly preparing for a role in a Quentin Tarantino film, though details of the project vary (Vanity Fair (US pop-culture authority)).
- He had been living in Jupiter, Florida, with his family nearby (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference)).
What this means: until the very end, Reynolds was still chasing the spotlight — a man who never stopped wanting to act, even when the roles had dried up.
What did Sally Field say when Burt Reynolds died?
Sally Field’s statement after his death
- Field said in a statement that her years with Reynolds “never left my mind” and that he would remain in her heart, according to Business Insider (US financial/entertainment outlet).
- She acknowledged him as a “bright star” in her life, as reported by Business Insider (US financial/entertainment outlet).
Her reflections on their relationship
- Field later said she was “flattered” that Reynolds called her the love of his life, but described him as “complicated” (Yahoo Entertainment (US entertainment news)).
- She revealed that she and Reynolds did not speak for the last 30 years of his life, according to Fox News (US news outlet).
The trade-off: Field’s public words were gracious, but the silence of three decades tells a different story — one of unresolved hurt that even death couldn’t fully heal.
“He was a bright star in my life.”
— Sally Field, statement after Reynolds’ death, via Business Insider (US financial/entertainment outlet)
Was Burt Reynolds married to Sally Field?
Burt Reynolds and Sally Field’s relationship timeline
- Reynolds and Field were never married, according to Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference).
- They had an on-and-off romantic relationship from 1976 to 1980, as documented by Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference).
- They appeared together in four films during their relationship (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference)).
Why they never married
- Reynolds said in a 2015 interview that Field was “the love of my life,” but the relationship had already ended decades earlier (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference)).
- Field later revealed that she felt Reynolds was not supportive of her career, which contributed to the breakdown (Fox News (US news outlet)).
The implication: the question itself reveals a persistent public fantasy — that two bright stars who burned together must have been legally bound. The reality is messier and more human.
“She was the love of my life.”
— Burt Reynolds, 2015 interview, via Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference)
Did Sally Field go to Burt Reynolds’ funeral?
Attendance at the private funeral
- Field did not attend the private funeral, according to Culture Junction (entertainment analysis).
- Reynolds’ ex-wife Loni Anderson and their son Quinton were associated with the memorial service (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference)).
Sally Field’s public mourning
- Field paid tribute via a public statement and on social media, as reported by Business Insider (US financial/entertainment outlet).
- Some sources reported that Field attended a private memorial service, but this is not consistently confirmed (Culture Junction (entertainment analysis)).
The pattern: Field’s absence at the funeral was a quiet confirmation of the distance that had defined their final decades — a silence that spoke louder than any eulogy.
Why did Sally Field stop talking to Burt Reynolds?
The rift between them
- Field felt Reynolds was not supportive of her career, according to Fox News (US news outlet).
- The exact cause of the rift beyond general career tension remains unclear (Yahoo Entertainment (US entertainment news)).
Later years and reconciliation attempts
- They reconciled on friendly terms before his death, though the reconciliation was limited (Business Insider (US financial/entertainment outlet)).
- Field said in 2018 that she was “flattered” Reynolds called her the love of his life, but acknowledged the relationship was complicated (Yahoo Entertainment (US entertainment news)).
The trade-off: the reconciliation was real but incomplete — a reminder that some wounds, even when healed, leave scars that last a lifetime.
For fans of both actors, the rift represents a cautionary tale about how professional ambition and personal insecurity can derail even the most passionate connections — and how 30 years of silence can’t be undone by a single statement.
Reynolds and Field never fully bridged the gap that opened between them, a split that outlasted his life.
How wealthy was Burt Reynolds when he died?
Net worth and financial decline
- Reynolds’ net worth was reportedly around $3 million at death, according to entertainment analysis from Tuko (Kenyan entertainment news).
- He faced financial difficulties due to divorce settlements and poor investments, as reported by BBC News (UK public broadcaster).
- BBC noted that he was forced to sell assets in 2014 (BBC News, UK public broadcaster).
Factors affecting his wealth
- His net worth reportedly dropped from about $15 million to about $5 million after a costly divorce, according to Yahoo Entertainment (US entertainment news).
- Legal costs and lifestyle expenses further eroded his wealth (Yahoo Entertainment, US entertainment news).
The implication: the man who was once the highest-paid actor in Hollywood ended his life with a fraction of what he earned — a sobering chapter for readers who followed Reynolds’ career. The man who commanded $1 million per film in the 1970s was forced to sell his Florida mansion in 2014. The BBC News (UK public broadcaster) obituary noted that his financial problems “did not disappear over time.” For aspiring actors and investors, the lesson is clear: without careful management, even a Hollywood fortune can vanish.
What’s confirmed vs. what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Burt Reynolds died of a heart attack at a hospital in Jupiter, Florida (BBC News)
- He had congestive heart failure and other health issues (Culture Junction)
- He was never married to Sally Field (Wikipedia)
- His net worth declined significantly due to divorces and investments (BBC News)
What’s unclear
- Exact cause of the rift with Sally Field beyond general career tension (Fox News)
- Whether Reynolds knew the full extent of his financial decline before death (BBC News)
- Details of his planned Tarantino project (Vanity Fair)
- Whether he died while undergoing a medical procedure (Culture Junction, entertainment analysis)
- Whether he had rheumatoid arthritis in his final years (Culture Junction, entertainment analysis)
Burt Reynolds: A timeline
- February 11, 1936 — Burt Reynolds born in Lansing, Michigan (Wikipedia)
- 1972 — Breakthrough role in Deliverance (Wikipedia)
- 1976–1980 — Relationship with Sally Field (Wikipedia)
- 1990s — Financial difficulties after divorces (BBC News)
- September 6, 2018 — Dies of a heart attack at age 82 in Jupiter, Florida (BBC News)
- February 11, 2021 — Interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery (Wikipedia)
The pattern: Reynolds’ life was a classic Hollywood arc — meteoric rise, painful fall, and a legacy that continues to fascinate long after the final curtain.
Frequently asked questions
What is Burt Reynolds’ cause of death?
Reynolds died of a heart attack (cardiac arrest) at a hospital in Jupiter, Florida, on September 6, 2018, according to BBC News.
How tall was Burt Reynolds?
Reynolds was 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) tall, according to Wikipedia.
What was Burt Reynolds’ first movie?
Reynolds’ first film role was in Angel Baby (1961), according to Wikipedia.
Did Burt Reynolds have children?
Yes, he adopted a son, Quinton Anderson Reynolds, with his second wife Loni Anderson, according to Wikipedia.
Was Burt Reynolds in the military?
Yes, Reynolds served in the United States Army in the late 1950s, according to Wikipedia.
Did Burt Reynolds ever win an Oscar?
No, but he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Boogie Nights (1997), according to Wikipedia.
What was Burt Reynolds’ net worth at death?
Reynolds’ net worth was estimated at around $3 million at his death, according to Tuko.
Where is Burt Reynolds buried?
Reynolds was cremated; his ashes were interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on February 11, 2021, according to Wikipedia.
For readers who grew up watching Reynolds on screen, the story of his final years shows that even the brightest stars have shadows. The man who brought joy to millions struggled with his own health, his own finances, and his own heart. For anyone in the public eye, the lesson is clear: fame is a currency that can be spent quickly, but legacy — and the relationships that define it — takes a lifetime to build. For fans of classic Hollywood, the choice is simple: remember the performances, but don’t forget the person behind them.
James Mitchell is Editor-in-Chief at Australia Watch, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.