Apparently the original idea was to have Gleason play two roles, Buford and a new Bandit character. Test audiences hated it so much they re-shot the "Bandit" scenes with Jerry Reed's character Snowman. The original idea sounds equally terrible, if not more so.
-Roger Ebert named Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 one of the worst movies of 1983, calling it an “annuity in action” for how blatantly it was trying to capitalize off of the box office success of the first two films.
Original "Smokey and the Bandit" director Hal Needham and its big star Burt Reynolds were not interested in making this movie as they were developing another project, Stroker Ace (1983). Reynolds ended up making a very brief cameo appearance though, in the final scene.
Smokey and the Bandit II grossed $10,883,835 in its opening weekend, the second highest ever at the time, behind Star Trek: The Motion Picture. It also set a record for an opening week, with a gross of $18,108,031. It was the eighth-most-popular 1980 film at the United States and Canada box office earning $66,132,626.
Early publicity announced in the media declared that Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jerry Reed would not be appearing in this movie. In the end, Field was the only one not to appear, Reed had a major role and Reynolds made a brief cameo, in the final scene.
Sally Field is sharing more about what she says happened in her relationship with the late Burt Reynolds. The Academy Award winning actress dated Reynolds for about five years back in the 1970s.
"He was not someone I could be around. He was just not good for me in any way," Field shared of Reynolds. "And he had somehow invented in his rethinking of everything that I was more important to him than he had thought, but I wasn't. He just wanted to have the thing he didn't have.
Highly Anticipated and Extremely Disappointing Sequel. The original Smokey and the Bandit was a monster of a film, finishing behind only Star Wars at the Box Office in 1977. It was one of the last movies seen by Elvis, who arranged a private viewing due to it's popularity.
How much did Sally Field get paid for Smokey and the Bandit?
It is not known how much Sally Field was paid for her role in Smokey and the Bandit. However, it is known that the budget was a meager $4.3 million and star Burt Reynolds was paid $1 million. As a result, it is likely Field was paid in the tens of thousands to low hundreds of thousands for the role.
How much of his own stunt driving did Burt Reynolds do in Smokey & The Bandit? Some. Some of it was done by Hal Needham-Burt's longtime stunt double, who also directed “Bandit”.
Locations included Silver Springs, the Leeward Air Ranch, the Castro Ranch, Hialeah Speedway, the Miami Seaquarium, the Sonesta Beach Hotel, and the Turnberry Isle Country Club. The 3 May 1983 LAHExam announced the new title of the picture as Smokey and the Bandit, Part 3, due for release “on or after” 12 Aug 1983.
How many cars were wrecked filming Smokey and the Bandit?
There were four modified 1976 Pontiac Trans Ams provided for the movie. By the time filming ended, three had been wrecked and the last could barely run. The famous bridge jumping scene required the installation of a rocket to help boost the Trans Am into the air, and the landing totaled it.
Cledus parks his semi truck at his house, puts on a disguise as the Bandit, and leaving Fred with Freida for his company. Cledus went to Bo's garage and sets off by driving the Bandit's new black and gold 1983 Pontiac Trans Am.
"Obviously, why would they, as they did all the traveling shots, the road shots, and did them within a 30-mile radius of Atlanta. Well, that didn't seem very fun." The trip was 1,800 miles and lasted 26 hours for the team of about four guys, including camera men and a host.
Following the “Gunsmoke” star's death, Field did not attend his funeral, but did release a statement. “There are times in your life that are so indelible, they never fade away. They stay alive, even 40 years later,” the “Amazing Spider-Man” actress told Page Six at the time.
His family descended from Dutch, English, Scots-Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Reynolds also claimed Cherokee and Italian roots. During his career, Reynolds often claimed to have been born in Waycross, Georgia, although in 2015, he stated that he was actually born in Lansing, Michigan.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino recalled Reynolds' last moments. He told Esquire “that the last thing he did just before he died was run lines with his assistant. Then he went to the bathroom, and that's when he had his heart attack.”
It is a terrible sequel to such an iconic movie. This movie should've continued after the end of the first (with the chowder run from Boston). Burt Reynolds didn't play Bandit the same.
About 200 family members, friends and close associates attended the private service at Graceland, a star-studded event that brought John Wayne, Burt Reynolds, George Hamilton, Ann-Margret and Caroline Kennedy.
Three actors from the main cast of The Dukes of Hazzard appear in small uncredited roles in Smokey and the Bandit: Ben Jones, John Schneider, and Sonny Shroyer (who played a police officer in both).
Field told The New York Times that her time with Reynolds was "confusing and complicated, and not without loving and caring, but really complicated and hurtful to me." The outlet noted that in her book, she characterized their connection as "immediate and intense" but he was also "controlling of her." Field alleged he ...
Did Angie Dickinson and Burt Reynolds have a relationship?
They were two of the sexiest stars of their era but Ocean's 11 siren Angie Dickinson, never seriously dated Burt Reynolds, her costar in the 1969 western Sam Whiskey. “We went out a few times but it was not a real romance, nor it was it destined to be,” Dickinson, 86, tells PEOPLE.
